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World series of poker 2007
Chris "Jesus" Ferguson
From: Pacific Palisades, California
Very few players currently active on the professional poker circuit are as instantly recognizable - or as wildly popular with millions of fans - as Chris Ferguson. This guy is a true original and has proved himself on multiple occasions to be an extraordinarily entertaining competitor to watch. Let’s face it: anyone whose nickname is "Jesus" must have quite a bit going for him.
But there's much more to Chris Ferguson than his trademark look: shoulder length hair, bushy beard, sunglasses and black cowboy hat. He is arguably one of the most intelligent people ever to take up the game of poker as a profession. He earned a PhD in computer science from UCLA after 5 years as an undergraduate and an additional 13 as a graduate student. In particular, he amassed a huge amount of knowledge regarding artificial intelligence, which has no doubt factored into his devastating game play in some form or other.
But, while achieving such academic distinction, Ferguson developed a serious love for poker. He was only ten years old when he first played and even at such a young age a lifelong passion was firmly rooted in his mind.
In 1995, Ferguson absolutely exploded onto the big time world of poker when he dominated the World Series of Poker main event. He pocketed a massive $1.5 million in the process and became an instant superstar. In total, he owns five world series of poker bracelets and has finished in the money 42 times in that tournament. Additionally, he can boast the seven money finishes on the World Poker Tour and a single final table appearance there.
But it is more than strictly a ferocious winning streak that endears Chris Ferguson to his many fans. They are drawn to his eccentric and well-rounded personality. For instance, how many poker champions served as president of a swing dancing club when they were in college? As far as I know, none other than Chris Ferguson. But, if that isn’t quite studly enough for you, consider the fact that Chris Ferguson possesses the skill of throwing a playing card fast enough to slice through fresh produce, including bananas, pickles and apples. So it is probably a good idea not to get on this guy’s bad side. Even with a nickname like "Jesus," Chris Ferguson has proved that he can be as ruthless as anyone ever to play the game of poker.
Author: Mark
