Former WSOP Champion Chris Moneymaker
Christopher Bryan Moneymaker was the 2003 World Series of Poker main event champion who has just more than $300,000 in tournament winnings since his unbelievable victory which is generally credited for being one of the main catalysts for the poker boom in the years following his win, which has since been dubbed the “Moneymaker effect”. Chris proved that it is possible for an unknown, relatively inexperienced person to win a big poker tournament. His last name is not a fictitious name, and is in fact his real name. His ancestors made silver and gold coins and chose the name Moneymaker.
He was born on November 21, 1975 in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended Farragut High School in Farragut Tennessee and later earned a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Tennessee. He is married and his daughter Ashley was born three months before winning the WSOP main event. He was working as an accountant when he won a seat into the main event of the 2003 World Series of Poker through a US$39 online satellite tournament. Although largely unknown before the tournament, on day one of the tournament his skills caught the attention of professional sports handicapper Lou Diamond who called Moneymaker his “dark horse” to win the tournament. He went on to win the first prize of $2.5 million, instantly becoming a poker celebrity. It was his first live poker tournament.
Moneymaker also candidly answered questions about his big win on the debut episode of “Inside Deal” which airs every Tuesday exclusively leading up to the main event in November 2009, and recalled the story about how he actually tried to not win a WSOP seat during his online satellite in 2003. He also admitted he lost his bracelet for a couple of years after moving. After winning in 2003, Moneymaker quit his job to serve as a celebrity spokesman for poker and he also began traveling to play in more large buy-in tournaments. He has since played on the World Poker Tour, finishing second at the 2004 Shooting Stars event, earning $200 000. During Event 5 of the 2008 World Championship of Online Poker which was a $10 300 buy-in of No Limit Holdem, Moneymaker finished in sixt place, taking home over $139,000. He also did well in Event 16, the $215 Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys, where he finished fifth, earning over $28 000. As of 2008, his total live tournament winnings exceed $2,800,000, the majority of which, $2,532,041, have come at the WSOP.
When questioned on what could be considered the biggest difference in poker when comparing 2003 to now Moneymaker said it’s ultra-aggressive play that’s customary in tournaments and the average age of the top players keeps getting younger and younger.
“Back in 2003, I was the young guy,” Moneymaker said. “Now you go to a poker tournament and it looks like a high school prom with no girls.”
Moneymaker’s autobiography “Moneymaker: How an Amateur Poker Player Turned $40 into $2.5 Million at the World Series of Poker” was published in March 2005.
As for this year’s main event, Moneymaker said it’d be a be a big boost for poker if top pro Phil Ivey wins, although his official pick is Eric Buchman, who’s second in chips.
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