Poker Pro Chris Ferguson Loves Competition, Not Money

Chris Ferguson has a number of achievements as a professional poker player, including five World Series of Poker bracelets. But still, he says that he is not yet ready to play poker for the rest of his life. Despite the fact that poker has become one of his major sources of income, he says that he doesn't play poker for money. Chris Ferguson plays merely for competition. If such thinking would also make us millionaires like him, we wouldn't mind playing poker merely for competition, would we?

Born in Los Angeles, California on April 11, 1963, Chris Ferguson comes from a family of mathematicians. This fact was probably his inspiration for taking up computer science in college at the University of California, Los Angeles. It was in 1999 when he received his Ph.D. degree.

Chris Ferguson learned to play poker even before he reached the age of ten. His poker skills were further improved by playing in chat rooms via the Internet Relay Chat. It was in 1994 when he felt that he was prepared to join poker tournaments. And so, he started attending and participating in poker events conducted in California.

It was in 1995 when this professional poker player joined the World Series of Poker for the first time. He did not emerge victorious but it did not hinder him to stop playing poker. Besides, he was, and has always been, playing just for competition and not for money.

The unique thinking of Chris Ferguson about professional poker is probably an advantage for him because he does not get emotionally attached. In other words, this professional poker player always has a positive outlook as far as playing poker is concerned. This formula could be the secret why he has won five World Series of Poker bracelets in a span of three years.

Chris Ferguson's first win was in 2000 when he placed first in the US$2,500 Seven-Card Stud event of the World Series of Poker and took home US$151,000. In the same year, he defeated poker giant T. J. Cloutier in the US$10,000 No Limit Texas Hold'em World Championship, winning US$1,500,000 and his second bracelet. His third bracelet was won in 2001 in the US$1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo Split Eight of Better event. The fourth and fifth World Series of Poker bracelets of this professional poker player were won in 2003 in such events as the US$2,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Split Eight or Better event and the US$2,000 ½ Limit Hold'em - ½ Seven-Card Stud event, respectively.

These are only some of his poker achievements. Despite such victories, he still treats poker as a hobby. Well, one thing's for sure, he's been taking this hobby very seriously. Just like how he treats his dancing hobby.

Yes, this professional poker player is one heck of a dancer, too! He is into ballroom dancing and boasts that he can do all types of ballroom dances, including mambo, tango, waltz, and foxtrot. Now, don't we have one such talented man here?