Poker star Chris Ferguson is easily one of the most recognizable personalities on the professional poker circuit. Personality is a word that, in itself, embodies much of Chris’ game and his life. Before becoming a poker superstar, he spent time at UCLA learning how to learn. It took Chris five years to earn his bachelor degree, and after thirteen years of hard schooling, Chris earned his Doctorate in Computer Science in 1999. From there, Chris went to take on the world.
Ferguson’s poker prowess can be linked directly to his family ties. His father was Thomas Ferguson, a man who was a master of game theory and statistical probability. His mathematical ability was passed down to Chris and this is evident in Ferguson’s poker style. Ferguson began playing poker at a very young age, before he even reached the age of ten. Though he dabbled in academia for quite a while, he never relented on his undying love for the game that he father taught him.
Ferguson was born in Los Angeles, got his education there, and never wandered too far away. Just one year after finally earning his Ph.D in 1999 Chris saw his poker star get quite a boost when he played in the World Series of Poker’s Main Event in Las Vegas. It was the world’s biggest poker stage and Ferguson made the most of it. He took down fellow legend T.J. Cloutier, who was regarded as one of the game’s best at the time. From there, he launched a pro poker career that has set the standard for players to follow.
Along with his excellent play Ferguson became known for his look. His cowboy hat and long hair make him a very recognizable face among other poker players. Because of his rugged look, Ferguson has earned the nickname “Jesus” on the poker tour.
Chris was a pioneer of the game in that he made a name for himself years before the poker craze of today took hold. He first established himself as a power on the net the early 1990s and was quickly recognized as being one of the top names in the game. His best weapon, as you might imagine, was his firm grasp on poker theory and statistical analysis. Once he realized that he could excel playing poker, he made a name for himself in Los Angeles playing a bunch of smaller tournaments. From there, his career headed to the Las Vegas. The rest is history, as he saw almost instant success in professional poker in Sin City.
Chris wasn’t bound to stop making moves with the turn of the century. In fact, his fame and his game stepped up to a new level. In addition to winning the biggest event in poker in 2000, he also won another world championship that year in the World Series of Poker’s seven card stud tournament. His experiences have been noted in Positively Fifth Street, a James McManus classic. Chris has become known as one of the most versatile players on tour, as he has also claimed a World Series of Poker bracelet in Omaha.
Statistics tell much of the story of Chris Ferguson. Not only are they his love, but they clearly note how dominant he has been on tour. He owns five World Series bracelets and has made 25 final tables. He has finished in the money 42 times, which is a record among professional poker players. Though Chris has also had huge success playing poker in other events and online, he has made a documented $4,000,000 in World Series of Poker events alone.
If those numbers weren’t proof enough that Chris is one of the top poker players in the world, he did much to prove it once again in 2006. At the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Ferguson dominated the field on his way to a second place finish. That runner-up performance was his second straight runner-up finish at the event. There were 64 players in that field, which is a true testament to Ferguson’s excellent poker ability.
Chris has now put his almost full focus on the venture of internet poker, where he helped create Full Tilt Poker, one of the industry’s top websites. Though he still plays a lot of live poker, much of his effort is now on that website and helping improve it. He has used his knowledge of the game and his experiences to help design an experience that online players can appreciate.
When he’s not blowing opponents away at the poker table, Chris Ferguson indulges his many other hobbies. Among those is his skill of throwing cards. He has been known to split vegetables from long distances with well placed throws. He also loves dancing, as he is a member of a local Swing dancing club in Los Angeles. Chris can also be found at his alma mater, as his desire for knowledge has never relented. UCLA just can’t seem to get rid of him, no matter how hard they try to do so.
Chris Ferguson is playing at Full Tilt!
