Chris Ferguson
The professional poker player also known as “Jesus” (for his long dark hair and close-cropped beard), Chris Ferguson was – among other accomplishments – the 2000 World Series of Poker main event champion, beating fellow poker star T.J. Cloutier and claiming the $1.5 million grand prize. Now that trademarked face, hat, and sunglasses can be seen at all the major high-stakes poker tournaments.
Chris “Jesus” Ferguson started playing poker back before he was even10 years old. Before the advent of online poker, he was playing for cash in online chat rooms in college via Internet Relay Chat (IRC). After averaging $2 per hour in games with his friends, Chris tried his shot at Vegas and discovered his knack followed him even there, in the shark pit of poker, counting only 2 losing trips to the city out of 22 total.
1994 marked the beginning of Chris Ferguson’s high stakes tournament career, with his first WSOP entry one year later, in 1995. Since then, he’s competed in every World Series of Poker main event since, as well as appeared in many of poker’s most esteemed tournaments worldwide, including the European Poker Masters, the Poker Channel Million Dollar Cash Game, and the first ever British Poker Open (in 2005).
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Also in 2005 Chris “Jesus” Ferguson was nearly the winner of the inaugural National Heads-Up Poker Championship, but lost in the final round to Poker Brat Phil Hellmuth, Jr. In 2006 he repeated his noteworthy advancement to the finals, though also repeated his last stage loss, to Ted Forrest this time.
Besides his acclaimed WSOP main event victory, he also earned himself 2 World Series of Poker circuit event bracelets. Nothing if not a well-rounded card player, Chris Ferguson had also accumulated World Series of Poker bracelets in 7-Card Stud and Omaha Hi-Lo Split.
Little known trivia about Jesus Ferguson include that he was president of a Swing Dancing Club back in college at UCLA and that can throwing cards fast and hard enough to slice soft fruits and vegetables. And speaking of UCLA, did you know that the university kicked him out in 1999 after, at the age of 36, he had spent half his life there, between 5 years as an undergrad and 13 more getting his doctorate? That may, of course, have been the best thing that ever happened to him, since the year following, 2000, was the year he became a World Champion of Poker.
It is also worth noting that the hand that won Chris Ferguson the 2000 WSOP, A 9, was the same hand that Annie Duke lost to him with the previous night, giving him the chips he needed to remain in the game.
Chris Ferguson was one of the forerunners of Full Tilt Poker, helping assemble the crew that made the software and launched the site. He continues to play at the now wildly popular and successful poker site, remaining a proud and stalwart member of team FullTilt. Online poker players across the globe can pit their skills against his at Chris Ferguson’s own private table – no invitation needed. But watch your bankroll – he reportedly has a photographic memory, which is probably a large part of why, as of 2007, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson has amassed tournament winnings of over $5.8 million.
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