Jon Turner

Jon Turner was born in 1982 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He discovered poker while studying computer science at North Carolina State University, starting with $20 home games and building a bankroll through local card rooms and trips to Atlantic City. In 2005 he moved to Las Vegas with a $20,000 bankroll to turn professional, placing him in the middle of the "Moneymaker" boom. He quickly gained a reputation as a disciplined player, and the move marked the beginning of a two-decade career that continues today.

Turner's live tournament earnings have been recorded at up to $4,703,473, ranking him 566th on the all-time live money list. His biggest score came in 2016, when he won the Card Player Poker Tour (CPPT) Venetian Main Event for $536,858 and became the tour's all-time leading money winner, a distinction he still holds. At the World Series of Poker, he finished third in a $1,000 No Limit Hold'em event for $274,005 and was runner-up at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure for $178,240. His WSOP cashes exceed $2.6 million, and in early 2026 he won a WSOP Circuit ring in Limit T.O.R.S.E. for $15,769.

Under the screen name "PearlJammer," Turner became one of online poker's original stars. He won over $8 million across major sites and was twice named "Internet Player of the Year." After Black Friday in 2011, he transitioned to live mixed games and high-stakes tournaments, maintaining a successful career for over 20 years.

A technical master, Turner built his game on tournament fundamentals and co-authored the book series "Winning Poker Tournaments One Hand at a Time." A strong No Limit Hold'em player, he is also a mixed-game specialist in Omaha 8-or-Better, Stud, Razz, and Limit 2-7. Known for a professional, focused demeanor, he is regarded as a "player's player" who values peers' respect as much as trophies.

• Twice Internet Player of the Year (online)
• WSOP $1,000 No Limit Hold'em – 3rd place, $274,005
• PokerStars Caribbean Adventure – 2nd place, $178,240
• 2016 CPPT Venetian Main Event – 1st place, $536,858
• 2025 WSOP $10,000 Eight Game Mixed 6-Handed Championship – 3rd place, $187,700
• 2026 WSOP Circuit Limit T.O.R.S.E. – 1st place, $15,769 (ring)
• 2026 WSOP $1,500 Razz – 5th place, $30,200

In July 2025, Turner finished third in the $10,000 Eight Game Mixed 6-Handed Championship at the WSOP, earning $187,700 from a field of 195 players. In June 2026, he placed fifth in the $1,500 Razz event, cashing $30,200 among 519 entries. These results continue a pattern of deep WSOP runs that began in the mid-2000s. Now in his forties, he continues to chase his first WSOP bracelet and remains active on social media as @PearlJammed.

The "Winning Poker Tournaments One Hand at a Time" series, co-authored by Turner, presented a structured, methodical approach to no-limit hold'em tournament play that shaped a generation of players. His decades of success in both live and online arenas have made him one of the most respected American professionals of his era.