Jonathan Jaffe

Jonathan Jaffe was born in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, and grew up during the poker boom inspired by Chris Moneymaker's 2003 WSOP victory. Before turning to poker, he worked as a summer camp counselor and used his modest earnings to make a $200 deposit on an online poker site. He attended Westfield State University but dropped out after just one semester, convincing his parents to let him pursue poker full-time.

Jaffe first gained recognition as an online heads-up specialist under the screen name "Iftarii." He honed his skills in high-volume online cash games and sit-and-go's, eventually transitioning to live tournaments.

Jaffe's first major live result came in 2008 when he finished runner-up in the WPT Foxwoods World Poker Finals, earning $670,636. This marked the beginning of a fruitful relationship with the World Poker Tour. In 2013, he placed 42nd in the WSOP Main Event for $185,694. The following year, he captured his first WPT title by winning WPT Montreal for $409,657.

He continued to perform on the WPT circuit, final-tabling the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic in 2019 and the WPT Tampa Championship in 2021, collecting nearly $600,000 in combined cashes from those events. Overall, Jaffe has cashed 15 times on the WPT for total earnings of over $2 million, with one championship and seven final tables.

Jaffe's first seven-figure cash came in 2023 when he won the $111,111 WPT Alpha8 for One Drop, pocketing $1,537,600. Later that year, he claimed his first Triton Poker Series title in Monte-Carlo, winning $501,000. He quickly became a regular on the Triton circuit, amassing multiple seven-figure scores.

In 2024, he finished 5th in the $125,000 Triton Main Event in Monte Carlo for $1,330,000. His second Triton title came in Jeju in 2025, winning $1,061,672 in a $30,000 event. The largest cash of his career occurred at the 2025 Triton Invitational in the Bahamas, where he placed 4th for $2,860,000. In 2026, he added a runner-up finish in the $150,000 Triton Montenegro event for $2,103,000.

While Jaffe has not yet won a WSOP bracelet, he has accumulated over $6.5 million in WSOP earnings from 35 cashes and nine final tables. His deep run in the 2013 Main Event remains a highlight, and he also cashed in the 2024 $250,000 Super High Roller (12th for $506,757) and the $50,000 High Roller. In 2025, he placed 133rd in the WSOP Paradise $25,000 Super Main Event for $80,000.

Beyond the WSOP, Jaffe won the $50,000 Poker Masters Finale in 2023 for $756,000, and the $25,500 SHRPO High Roller in 2025 for $1,061,672. His total live earnings are reported at over $22.9 million according to the Global Poker Index, with 114 cashes and 14 tournament wins. He has also recorded small cashes on the European Poker Tour.

Jaffe ranks 86th on the Hendon Mob All Time Money List and 41st among United States players. He is a World Poker Tour Main Event winner, indicated by an award icon on his Hendon Mob profile. In the Player of the Year rankings, he has been placed 981st with over $2.1 million in POY winnings.

Jaffe is known for an aggressive, mathematically sound approach, particularly strong in heads-up and short-handed play. He is respected for his ability to adapt between cash games and tournaments. Off the felt, he maintains a low profile but once became the subject of a famous prank during an early WSOP broadcast on ESPN: when asked for his occupation, he claimed to be a professional dolphin trainer, and the fabricated fact was aired to millions before the joke was revealed.

Jaffe's consistent high-stakes performances have earned him a top 200 Global Poker Index ranking, reaching as high as 193 in 2024. He has also accumulated over $2.1 million in Player of the Year winnings, placing 981st in the 2026 POY rankings. His GPI standing reflects his sustained success across multiple tours.

Beyond his deep run in the 2013 WSOP Main Event, Jaffe has demonstrated versatility in WSOP high roller events. In 2024, he finished 12th in the $250,000 Super High Roller for $506,757 and 62nd in the $10,000 6-Handed Championship for $20,040. The following year, he placed 20th in the $25,000 High Roller 6-Handed for $72,064. He also cashed for $110,200 in the 2024 WSOP Paradise $25,000 Super Main Event.