Graduating with a degree in Business Administration, J.C. Tran chose not to join the ranks of the corporate world. Instead he embarked on a career in professional poker. His shift and unpredictable play has landed him in four WSOP final tables and seven WPT final tables, including a second place finish at the 2007 L.A. Poker Classic, earning around 1.2 million in the process.
He hasn’t won any events this year but has already played in three final tables. He hopes to be respected as a player and plans to donate some of his prize money to charities.
Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond earned his first World Series of Poker bracelet when he won at the $5k Pot Limit Omaha with rebuys event last June. He faced Hourani for the final hand of the tournament. Hourani called on Galfond’s bet making him all in. The flop at that time was A-Q-8 and Hourani is on top with his A-K-J-10 against Galfond’s A-7-6-5. The turn had a 6 giving Galfond a pair. The river didn’t improve Hourani, making him settle for second place. The win merited Galfond $817,781 in prize money.
Nam and Tuan Le might be the best poker playing brothers in the world. They both started around 2004. Tuan drew first blood that year by winning a WPT event and earning around 1.5 million. He also won the WPT Season 3 Championship and the WPT Battle of Champions III. These wins made him the all time money winner in the WPT.
Just like Tuan, Nam is making waves as a professional poker player. He won the 2006 Bay 101 main event. He was also won a place at 2 WSOP final tables.
David Pham, better known as Dragon, is walking in clouds these days as he is one of the top ranked poker players in the world. Originally from Vietnam, he now calls Bell Gardens, California his home. He learned poker from this cousin, Men “The Master” Nguyen but in recent tournaments the master is overtaken by his student. The Dragon has already amassed around 3 million in tournament prize money and is a proud owner of two WSOP bracelets. He won these bracelets at the 2001 S.H.O.E. event and at the 2006 No Limit Hold’em Shootout.