John Juanda Biography

John Juanda has won five World Series of Poker bracelets and
over 14 million dollars from his live tournament career so far.
He was named Card Player Magazine’s Player of the Year multiple
times for his accomplishments.

Juanda’s unpredictable moves and aggressive playing style
contributes to his success at the poker tables. He has mastered
the art of reading his opponents and predicting their next
moves, making him one of the most talented poker players in the
world.

His Journey to Success

Johns Juanda was born on July 8th, 1971 in Medan, Indonesia.
His interest in gambling started in elementary school when he
would shoot marbles for money against his friends. Juanda’s
father suffered from a gambling addiction, so he has always been
aware of the negative effects that gambling can have on a
person.

During high school he was a high performing track athlete,
excelling in both the 200 meter dash and the 5000 meter race.
Juanda received scholarships at a plethora of schools in the
United States, but he settled on the University of Oklahoma. On
his flight over to America, a friend sitting nearby him on the
plane taught him how to play poker, which he would master by the
end his college career.

After graduating with a double Bachelor’s in both Marketing
and Management, Juanda went on to Seattle University where he
received his Masters in Business Administration. He worked as a
stock broker and bible salesman until 1996 when he had enough
capital to be able to play poker full-time.

Poker Accomplishments

It took Juanda about three years before he was ready to
compete in any major tournaments. He first entered the $1,500
Limit Hold’em tournament at the 1999 World Series of Poker,
finishing ninth place and winning $15,000. A few months later,
he won the $300 Limit Hold’em tournament in Los Angeles which
brought in more money than Juanda had ever seen up until that
point: $400,000.

Juanda won his first World Series of Poker bracelet in 2002
in the Triple Drawn Lowball Ace to Five event for $49,620. He
had so many money finishes that year that he was named the WSOP
Tournament Champion of the year.

Juanda largest career win occurred in 2008, when he won the
main event at the World Series of Poker Europe, winning over 1.5
million dollars in prize money and his fourth WSOP bracelets.
Over the span of his career, he has impressively won five WSOP
bracelets, and if you would like more details on any of those
tournaments, please refer to the chart below.

World Series of Poker bracelets

In November 2005, he won a series of events in Monte Carlo,
Monaco including first place in the Monte Carlo Millions
Consolation tournament, second place at the Full Tilt Poker
Invitational Live, and sixth place in the Monte Carlo Millions
main event, making nearly a half of million dollars in the
process.

One of Juanda’s greatest achievement was winning the Speed
Poker Million Dollar Challenge in 2006, beating world-class
professionals such as Phil Ivey, Mike Sexton, and Tony Bloom to
name a few. Juanda has also made six World Poker Tour final
tables, coming very close to earning a WPT title.

In 2008, he made his first European Poker Tour final table a
few days later. He finished in second place at the EPT London
High Roller Showdown and took home $570,000 in prize money.
John’s now fully sponsored by team Full Tilt and he can often be
found playing online alongside the other professionals on his
team.

Personal Life

He currently lives in Marina Del Rey, California. He is such
a great older brother, paying for his younger sister’s college
tuition and letting her stay in his home while classes are in
session.

When he isn’t playing poker at major tournaments, he loves
the thrill of playing in various underground games across the
world. When he retires from his poker career, Juanda plans to go
to medical school to fulfill his dream of providing free medical
care to poor communities in third-world countries.