Chris Moneymaker was never expecting to turn into one of the most recognized poker players in the world, but he managed to do this when he won the 2003 WSOP main event bracelet. Chris was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1975 and moved out to Tennessee before highschool. He then graduated highschool in Tennessee and went on to attend the University of Tennessee where he graduated with a Masters Degree in Accounting.
Chris then started working as an accountant in a suburban lifestyle which at the time seemed like the perfect life. Over the years Chris had always loved to play card including bridge, blackjack and poker. It wasn’t until later on in his life that he took poker seriously and started working on his game. When he wasn’t working as an accountant Chris would spend hours playing online poker at Poker Stars working on his game and making a nice side income.
Moneymaker eventually entered a satellite tournament on Poker Stars with the prize being a package to the 2003 WSOP main event. The tournament only cost him $39 to enter and he won first place and the prize package to go to the WSOP main event. When he went to Vegas I’m sure he had no clue he was going to make a run for the bracelet, but the underdog came through and surprised the world by beating Sammy Farha heads-up for the bracelet.
The WSOP main event was the first live poker event that Chris had played in at the time and noone had expected him to make the final table let alone win the event. His style of fierce betting and putting the pressure on his opponents held up though and it changed the whole poker world. Apart from the WSOP main event bracelet Chris has notched a lot more money finishes on the world poker circuit. This past year he also finished fifth place in the Online Poker Championships put on by Poker Stars.
Chris now spends time playing online poker with PokerStars.com who he is sponsored by and also works as a spokesman for Harrah’s Entertainment. Chris has also released in book in 2005 after winning his main event bracelet teaching other poker players how to turn $39 into millions. He has slowed down a bit in recent years and focuses mainly on large buy-in events now because he is spending more time with his wife and daughter.
If you’re a new poker player no matter what your age is then you should really read Chris’s book because it can teach you a lot. Chris has turned the everyday working class dream into reality and has gained a ton of fans in the process who would love to be just like him. Since 2003 the online poker world has seen massive increases in the number of players who play poker and this again is in large part due to Chris winning the main event bracelet. Everyone is trying to become the next Moneymaker and I don’t blame them at all as it’s the perfect story of the underdog coming through.