Chris Moneymaker - About

When an amateur poker player from Tennessee won the 2003 $10,000,000 World Series of Poker* Main Event at Binion’s Horseshoe in Las Vegas, the world of poker changed forever. The game experienced an explosion in playing numbers as players all over the USA and further afield realized that they too could turn just a few dollars into a multi-million dollar payday. That player was Chris Moneymaker.

Firstly his name was perfect – he made $2,500,000. Secondly, he qualified online with PokerStars for just $39. Thirdly, it was his first ever live tournament and he beat a far more experienced pro in a heart-stopping heads-up to take the title. And finally, thanks to the internet, millions of people all over the world were switching on to online poker. The so-called ‘Moneymaker Effect’ had begun and at the centre of it all was Team PokerStars Pro Chris Moneymaker. Originally from Atlanta, but based in Tennessee, Chris trained as an accountant and worked in that industry while playing a bit of online poker on the side. His route to the WSOP* was a swift one, he won a $39 satellite which put him into another tournament, which he also won, and he was packing his bags for Vegas. There, he outlasted a field of 839 containing the best players in the world to become World Champion.

Chris was able to follow up his big score the following year with another big result, narrowly missing out on more glory when he finished in second place at the Bay 101 Shooting Star tournament, collecting $200,000. Then, at the 2005 World Series he narrowly missed out on a final table appearance in the $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha tournament, this time exiting in 10th position, winning $21,000 for his efforts. Chris is a great ambassador for the game and regularly plays PokerStars events around the world. His best result came at the European Poker Tour (EPT) £5,200 No Limit Hold’em Event in London in 2007, when he finished in 17th place for $24,480. He’s also a regular online, and has cashes at the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP), including a sixth place finish at the Main Event in 2008, good for $139,635. He’s driven to get that elusive second big tournament win and went close in 2009, when he finished second at the World Poker Open for $60,110. He’s got the game to do it, and it’s just a matter of time.

Thanks to his watershed win and various business opportunities that came his way, Chris is heavily involved in the poker industry. When he’s not doing that, he likes to spend time with his family and loves to play and watch sports. His place in poker history is assured forever, he’s a member of Team PokerStars Pro and you can find him online playing with the user name ‘Money800’.