PLAYER PROFILE – Chris Moorman
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It’s hard to name a poker development that has had as much impact on the game as online poker. The ability to play digitally has completely revolutionized poker, making it one of the most popular games in the world.
There are so many reasons why online poker is now the most popular way to play, with over 100 million players worldwide. Players get unparalleled convenience, software for easy game analysis, and exclusive site bonuses plus promotional offers. The internet has made poker more accessible than ever, greatly improving its appeal to casual players.
Online hasn’t just improved the game for casuals; it’s also greatly benefitted the competitive scene. Players worldwide can compete against the pros and become recognized for their talent without ever playing in a live event, just like Chris Moorman.
Player Overview
Chris Moorman is a British professional poker player. He’s most known for his online career, with the third most online tournament earnings of all time at $22,796,849. He was the first-ever player to reach the $15 million milestone in online earnings and has been ranked as the number one online player numerous times.
Moorman is also the all-time leader for the most PocketFives triple crown badges. The triple crown badge is a mark of prestige given to players who win three different tournaments with a prize pool of $10,000. These tournaments must also be across three different poker networks, and all wins must be in the span of a week. Moorman has a staggering thirty triple crown badges, nine more than the second-place player.
With such an impressive online resume, you may think Moorman has no time for live poker. You’d be dead wrong, as Moorman’s live earnings exceed $6.6 million, putting him tenth on England’s all-time money list.
Moorman has numerous live accolades at all of poker’s biggest tournaments. He has two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets, one World Poker Tour (WPT) title, and one European Poker Tour (EPT) title. He also has numerous cashes in high roller tournaments like the PCA and the Partypoker MILLIONS events.
Early Life
Chris Moorman was born on July 12, 1985, in Brighton, U.K.. Even at a young age, he was already driven by competition. Before picking up poker, he was a skilled bridge and pool player. He was introduced to bridge at 11 after learning it from his parents and was so good at the game he represented England in a national competition.
From there, Moorman honed his skills in pool, becoming the team captain at the University of Essex, where he was studying for a degree in Economics. His team went on to win the National University Pool Championship.
In his second year at the University, Moorman discovered poker while walking home from a pool tournament. He found out about a free weekly tournament online and immediately set out to get good at it, feeling like it was a natural fit for him.
“I am ultra-competitive, quite obsessive, and I got obsessed with the game. I’m pretty sure I have a photographic memory, which helps too.”
By the time Moorman graduated from university, he was already earning a steady income from poker. He paid off his student loans and had an excess of about $70,000. The first time he had ever cashed in an online tournament was in July of 2006, where he finished fifth in a No Limit Holdem tournament for $13,062.
Black Friday Strikes
As he was so deeply invested in online poker, it’s no surprise the “Black Friday” incident of 2011 impacted Moorman’s career significantly. This was when the government shut down the four largest poker sites at the time due to updated gambling regulations. Sites like PokerStars and UltimateBet had to cease all operations in the states, leading to many online players losing their primary source of income. In response to Black Friday, Moorman started focusing more heavily on live tournaments. He had already dipped his toes into the live scene, with two cashes for a few thousand dollars each in the 2008 WSOP.
