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The Canadian Poker players are coming to win your poker money, or are they? Maybe they’ve been here for years. This year’s World Series has shown a couple of nationalities invading Las Vegas. The “Redcoats are coming!” was a phrase first made popular in the Revolutionary War and has been repeated by Americans at this year’s World Series of Poker by the poker media. But just as it was true 200 years ago the real threat to Americans was not the Brits, but the Canadians quietly living north of the border.
In history, the Americans beat back the English in a couple of wars, but can’t say the same thing about their conflicts with the Canadians. As it was true then, the Brits may not be the real invading force the poker world should be worried about, it’s the Canadian poker players Americans should fear. They live in close proximity to American casinos. They are allowed to legally play poker online and have a banking system that easily processes payments to their favorite sites. Meaning the Canadian online poker players will continue to improve playing 20 tables at once while the American player’s abilities will be stunted. Then the Canadians will take all their money in live poker.
Already, in 2011,Tyler Bonkowski has won a bracelet and Erik Cajelais has made a final table. That isn’t proof of an impending Canadian dominance it’s just more evidence that the impact of Canadian poker on America is not new. For as many years as the World Series of Poker has been held there have been Canadians winning money in the tournaments or the side games.
One of the five biggest names in poker is Daniel Negreanu. Despite his penchant for wearing hockey jerseys at the table during his career, many Americans think he’s a Yank and not a Canuck. He’s held in such high esteem because Negreanu’s table presence bleeds charisma. His demeanor fused with a showman’s natural panache that he can turn on in a second for television cameras makes him a fan favorite the world over. He has bagged a satchel full of World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour bracelets, trophies and honors.
On the other end of the spectrum, one of the biggest internet poker villains is Canadian poker player Doug Lee, who achieved his fame, less for his accomplishments (mainly one WSOP Circuit ring) and more for his steadfast belief that he was famous. There are poker forums that devote almost entire servers to threads about Lee’s self-aggrandizement and petulance in every encounter he’s had with fans. In essence, he is the twisted epitome of the cliché “fake it until you make it.”
Brad Booth represents the ultimate in another corner of the poker world. The Canadian poker player is the cautionary tale to end all cautionary tales. He rode a meteoric rise to fame and fortune. He’d jump up in games almost daily until he audaciously matched wits with the top players in the world. His brazen bluffs are legendary but then the bottom dropped out. Booth got caught up in the wrong side of a cheating scandal, not that there is a right side, but financially it’s better to do the cheating than to be cheated. If you are looking for cheaters from Canada, they got one of the best there too, Sorel Mizzi is also a Canuck.
Jonathan Duhamel is the reigning World Series of Poker Main Event champion, and Scott Montgomery and Darus Suharto are recent November Niner, so younger and younger Canadian poker players are finding success in Vegas. Not to be forgotten are: Nenad Medic, Greg Mueller and Gavin Smith who are winners many times over. Whether the Canadians are coming or are already here, they are a force to fear in poker.

You’ll usually find Johnny Chan playing among the best poker players in the world. He has had his own success in the professional poker circuit with over $5 million in total tournament winnings. This sum does not include the pot he takes home during cash games.

He had to work hard to enjoy the success he has at present. He was born in China in 1957. His family moved to Hong Kong in 1962. Then in 1968, they migrated to Phoenix, Arizona. Finally, in 1973, they settled in Houston, Texas where his family owned several restaurants.

When he first arrived in the United States, Chan didn’t speak any English. But one thing that he liked about America is bowling. If he’s not at the family restaurant helping out, he’ll be found at the bowling alley. This is also where he discovered poker, which became his passion. He started playing small with his friends which became bigger in time. By the time he was always winning, he was not allowed to join anymore.

At 16 he decided to try the poker rooms in Las Vegas. He started with $500 and turned it into $20,000 in just one night of playing. Then what seem to be a pattern in his early poker career, he would lose all his bankroll the next night.

He didn’t pursue a career in poker just yet. He first went into college and took up hotel and restaurant management in the hope that someday he’ll take over the family business. Yet fate took over and at 21 he quit school and moved to Las Vegas to become a full time poker professional.

Those early years were full of ups and downs. There were times that he had to get a temporary job to keep his dream going. Chan has the potential and everyone around him so it. Even the great Doyle Brunson once said that Chan has the talent but didn’t know how to control his temper or doesn’t know when to quit playing.

Besides his talent, his Asian ethnicity gives Chan the edge. During that time, there were few Asian players in Las Vegas. People tend to underestimate Chan. They would assume that he’s not a good player and would call a bet just to see his hand.

In 1982 he began his second life. He quit smoking and began living a much healthier life. His play was improving as well. It was also that year that he entered the America Cup of Poker. He was given the nickname Orient Express by Bob Stupak because he eliminated 13 of 16 players in just 30 minutes of play. He won the said event.

To date, he has already amassed 10 World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets. Only Phil Hellmuth has more WSOP bracelets with 11. Two of those were back to back Main Event wins, in 1987 and 1988. He could have made it three in a row but was foiled in the heads up by Phil Hellmuth and had to settle for a second place finish.

He met Hellmuth again in 2002 during a WSOP $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em event. It was again down to the two of them in a heads up match. Chan was victorious and earned his 7^th bracelet.

Chan is famous for his trademark orange that he brings to the poker table. During the time smoking was allowed, he would bring an orange to serve as air freshener for the room. These days the orange serve as his personal lucky charm.

He is considered as one the most well rounded poker players around. His wins would not only come from Texas Hold’em Events but also from Omaha and Draw poker. His fame has been brought a notch up when he did a cameo in the movie Rounders. Also the movie showed footage of his winning hand during the 1988 WSOP Main Event against Erik Seidel. He flop a nut straight and slow handed it. This move trapped Seidel to raise all-in in the river.

In 2002 he was inducted to the Poker Hall of Fame because of his achievements in the poker tables. He continues to play up to this day such as competing in the Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament. He has also successfully mentored 2006 WSOP champion Jamie Gold. Proving he has not lost his touch, Chan has reached the final table of a 2006 WSOP event.

To date he has the most wins in NBC’s Poker after Dark with three wins. He only appeared four times on the show. The one match he didn’t win, we placed second. Not bad for an old timer.

Chan would still be seen playing at high stakes cash games and is currently living in Las Vegas with his family. His dream is to open his own casino someday. When not playing poker, he could be swimming, bowling or playing pool.

A good online poker player always takes down notes. The notes on other players will serve him well when he meets the same players in the future. Note down whether a play is tight or loose, passive or aggressive. Another thing that you should observe is whether a player defends their blinds or not. You should also note if a player is either winning or losing. Lastly, note if the player likes to bluff, or plays it straightforward. These are just a few things you could observe about other players.

There would be times that you’ll find yourself against players who would wait for a good hand before reacting. This would lead to no action whatsoever on the table. Believe it or not, this is a good thing. You might not win a big pot in an instant but you can build a good stack over time. Try to take charge of the table if you can. Extremely tight players can be easily bluffed. AS time goes by, these players might become much looser so you have to adjust.