PODCAST: Poker Stories With Dylan Weisman Dylan Weisman spent the pandemic “in the lab,” pouring over numbers that few had ever bothered to look at before when it came to the game of PLO. While solvers had been in use for years by high-stakes pros for no-limit hold’em, pot-limit Omaha had been largely ignored, and Weisman saw an opportunity.
The work has paid off in a big way, with more than $6 million in recorded earnings since the summer of 2021. Of that, $4.4 million has come in some form of Omaha, putting him at no. 2 on the PLO all-time money list behind only Finland’s Eelis Parssinen. The 32-year-old has earned wins at the PokerGO Cup, PGT Kickoff Series, U.S. Poker Open, PGT PLO Series, and PGT Mixed Game Series, as well as two World Series of Poker bracelets. In March, he chopped the Triton Montenegro $100,000 PLO high roller for nearly $2 million.
As a result of his stellar year on the circuit, which includes five titles and 14 final tables, the California native now sits just outside the top 10 in the Card Player Player of the Year race.
Highlights from this interview include cards with grandma, robotics academy, Dr. GTO can play the harmonica, being the youngest product of Moneymaker boom and gambling at 13, jobs for former poker players, $15 an hour after busting his roll, gravitating to Galfond, a model of business intelligence, teaching in Vietnam, burning out in Chicago leads to candles in Los Angeles, this seat is not open, six-figure buy-ins, ranking PLO players, keeping strategy secrets, the difference between your first and second bracelet, how long solvers actually take, heads-up vs. Blez for $200k, a bad beat that sent him to the ground, almost dying in a garage, and a hoodie that you can execute well inside of.
Johnny Chan (Chen Jinhai): Legendary Chinese-American Poker Icon
Johnny Chan, also known as Chen Jinhai, is a globally renowned Chinese-American professional poker player celebrated as the prototype for the iconic character “Ko Chun” (played by Chow Yun-fat) in the classic film God of Gamblers. His career spans decades of groundbreaking achievements, cultural influence, and contributions to the poker industry. Below is a curated summary of his legendary journey:
1. Early Life & Career Beginnings
From Immigrant to Poker Prodigy: Born in Guangzhou in 1957, Chan moved to Hong Kong at age 5 and later immigrated to the U.S. in 1968. Growing up in Houston, Texas, he learned poker through family-run restaurant games, where patrons and staff engaged in nightly sessions. His early exposure to diverse poker variants, including Texas Hold’em and Omaha, honed his strategic instincts34.
Las Vegas Epiphany: At 16, Chan’s first trip to Las Vegas ended in a dramatic loss, but a subsequent visit to the Golden Nugget casino reignited his passion. With a 200creditcardcashadvance,heturneditinto200creditcardcashadvance,heturneditinto30,000 in three days—marking the start of his professional career3.
2. Dominance in World Series of Poker (WSOP)
Back-to-Back WSOP Titles: Chan made history by winning consecutive WSOP Main Event championships in 1987 and 1988. His 1988 final hand against Erik Seidel, immortalized in poker lore, showcased his mastery of slow-playing strategies34.
10 WSOP Bracelets: By 2005, Chan secured his 10th WSOP bracelet, tying with Doyle Brunson for the second-most in history (behind Phil Hellmuth). His accolades include victories in mixed-game formats, proving versatility beyond Hold’em35.
3. Cultural Impact & Media Legacy
The Real “God of Gamblers”: Chan’s career inspired the character “Ko Chun” in God of Gamblers (1989). His calm demeanor, signature “Chen” embroidered jackets, and calculated playstyle mirrored the film’s portrayal of a poker genius1311.
Advocate for Poker’s Legitimacy: Chan has consistently promoted poker as a skill-based intellectual sport. In interviews, he emphasizes discipline, mathematical analysis, and emotional control—values he credits for his success54.
4. Business Ventures & Modern Influence
Brand Ambassador for E-Poker: In 2024, Chan partnered with E-Poker, a leading online platform, to promote fair play and competitive integrity. He praised the platform’s dual focus on casual enjoyment and professional-grade tournaments, aligning with his vision of expanding poker’s global reach12.
Mentorship & Philanthropy: Beyond competitions, Chan mentors emerging players and supports initiatives to destigmatize poker. His collaboration with WSOP China and media campaigns highlights efforts to foster a “green, healthy” poker culture25.
5. Personal Philosophy & Legacy
Resilience Over Luck: Despite early setbacks, including financial ruin and familial disapproval, Chan’s perseverance redefined his career. His mantra—”Money is easy to lose but hard to earn”—reflects lessons from his youth38.
A Global Icon: Dubbed the “Oriental Express” for his rapid rise, Chan remains a symbol of Asian excellence in a Western-dominated sport. His legacy bridges entertainment, sports, and cultural diplomacy411.
Conclusion
Johnny Chan’s journey—from a teenage immigrant mastering poker in a Houston restaurant to a WSOP legend and cultural ambassador—epitomizes brilliance, resilience, and cross-cultural impact. His story continues to inspire both poker enthusiasts and broader audiences, cementing his status as a true “God of Gamblers” in reality. For detailed tournament records or film references, visit WSOP official site or E-Poker’s platform
Li Sixiao is an iconic figure in China’s derby industry. Her experience combines professional poker competition, film and television crossover, and the promotion of derby culture in multiple capacities, demonstrating a woman’s extraordinary achievements and unique charm in the field of intellectual sports. The following is a summary of her experience:
I. Professional Poker Career: From Asian Champion to Hawker Legends The Breakthrough of the First Asian Champion Li Sixiao was the first Chinese woman to win the Asian Championship of Texas Hold’em. In 2012, she won the Asian Poker Tour (APT) Fast and Deep Chip tournament and participated in the main event of the APT Philippine tournament in the same year, which established her status in the Asian Texas Hold’em circle.5713 Since then, she has frequently competed in international tournaments, covering places such as Macao and South Korea, and has gradually become a leader among the professional poker players.8
Highlight: Winning the MPC26 Hawker Tournament In 2017, she won the HK$80,000 Macau Poker Cup MPC26, defeating a number of pros in a 19-hour battle to win the title and HK$2.43 million in prize money. This victory not only set a new personal record, but also made her title of “Queen of Poker” even more popular7913.
Professional Challenges and Self-Breakthroughs Li Si Xiao’s career path has not been smooth; in 2012, she hit a low point in a high-level tournament in Macau, but through psychological adjustment and strategy optimization, she eventually overcame the bottleneck, showing the resilience and professionalism of a professional poker player8.
Second, cross-border development: diversified attempts from poker table to screen The Dual Role of Actor and Card Game Designer Li Sixiao, a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama, had repeatedly turned down offers for movies with the theme of derby, but resonated with the authenticity of the script of “The Chips of Life in the Clouds of Derby”. She not only acted as the female lead in the film, but also designed the poker game herself, incorporating classic tournament scenes into the film to ensure a balance of professionalism and drama.7913 The film focuses on the story of a probability teacher’s transformation into a professional poker player, and has been widely acclaimed by the derby community for the logical and rigorous design of the poker game and the sense of industry realism.913
The Fusion of Art and Competition She believes that poker is not only a competition, but also an attitude towards life. The movie starring her shows the intellectual charm of Texas Hold’em through psychology, probability calculation and other details, and has been evaluated as a “heartfelt poker movie”, which promotes the dissemination of the culture of Texas Hold’em to the general public.
Social Influence: Active Promoter of Poker Culture Serving as a tournament judge and industry mentor In 2013, she participated in the WSOP China as a “Poker Queen Judge” and emphasized that the positive image of poker should be “positive, green and healthy”, and was committed to eliminating the public’s prejudice against Texas Hold’em poker.8 She also encourages women’s participation in Texas Hold’em poker through beauty pageants, and provides career advice to newcomers.812 She also encourages women’s participation in poker through beauty pageants, and provides career advice to newcomers. She also encourages women to participate in poker through beauty pageants and provides career advice to newcomers.812
Media image and public perception With her high face value and professional strength, Li Sixiao has been called “Pan Xiaoting in the poker world” by the media. She has been interviewed many times, emphasizing the value of poker to mind training and mind management, and calling on society to recognize its attributes as an intellectual sport.1213
Personal Style and Industry Evaluation Calm and confident on the field: The media evaluated her as having both “star-like” and strong aura at the poker table, and her calm decision-making style and boldness at critical moments impressed her opponents12.
Benchmarking significance: As a representative of actress-turned-professional poker player, her success breaks the public’s stereotypical image of women’s career choices, and becomes a typical case of women’s empowerment in the field of intellectual sports712.
Summarizing Li Sixiao’s experience is not only a legend of her personal career, but also maps the localized development of the sport of Texas Hold’em in China. With her multi-dimensional contributions such as championship honor, film and television creation, and cultural promotion, she has become a bridge connecting professional athletics and public perception.
In 2013, Li Yan first encountered competitive poker, and by 2014, she had already embarked on her journey to international tournaments. From the World Series of Poker (WSOP) to the European Poker Tour (EPT), the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT), and the Aussie Millions, her presence has been felt across the globe’s top poker events, where she has consistently achieved remarkable results. Although her career earnings are close to eight figures, she has never won a single seven-figure prize. A former legend in the finance industry, she once achieved seven times her annual KPI in just a few days before transitioning to a full-time poker career. She has made multiple final tables in both domestic and international tournaments, clinching several championship titles.
Known for her bluntness, Li Yan has repeatedly spoken out for players on public platforms, exposing industry malpractices, which has landed her on media blacklists. Her polarizing personality means those who love her adore her, while those who dislike her despise her. Despite having 100,000 followers on Weibo, making her a top influencer in the poker community, she has never leveraged her fame to collaborate with online platforms to “exploit” players. She doesn’t take advertisements, sponsorships, sell shares, or accept disciples. In her own words, “I don’t feel qualified yet.” However, she always takes the time to answer questions from strangers about tournaments or hand analysis, sharing her insights without reservation.
Her passion for poker borders on obsession. She dreams of a day when competitive poker will have a complete industry chain and a healthy competitive environment, much like esports. Her eloquence and sharp wit make her a compelling figure—sometimes an outspoken rebel, other times as gentle as a clear pool of water. Her charisma has earned her the nickname “Luo Yonghao of Poker.”
In 2019, Li Yan ranked second on the Global Poker Index (GPI) annual rankings, with the Chinese national flag proudly displayed beside her name. She was the second-ranked female player globally and the top player in Asia. Behind this achievement lies her unwavering love for poker and countless lonely days and nights. Known as the “Discipline Inspector” for exposing tournament scandals on Weibo, she has made many enemies in the industry but remains unfazed. She founded the EventGuard app and the “WAN Family” mini-program, dedicated to optimizing tournament structures and enhancing player experiences, pushing for the standardization and professionalization of competitive poker.
Since becoming an entrepreneur, Li Yan has rarely appeared in domestic tournaments, but whenever she does, she delivers impressive results. She seldom grants interviews, with her first being conducted by the international poker media POKER NEWS. She avoids interviews because she feels most questions fail to touch on what truly matters to her, and what she dares to say often goes unpublished. As her fan of seven years, I had the privilege of meeting her again at the CPG Hefei Elite Invitational and conducting this exclusive interview.
Selected Interviews
Q: What does poker mean to you? Li Yan: Poker is a tool for my emotional management. Weaknesses in emotional control are directly magnified in poker, and if you don’t improve, you will definitely pay for it. Poker is like the capital market, where one’s strengths and weaknesses are magnified exponentially and ultimately reflected in your earnings. The longer you play, the more you can take many things in life in stride. It has taught me a lot and made me stronger in other endeavors.
Q: How do you see the future of offline poker tournaments in China? Li Yan: If we continue with the current model, the end result will only be to be banned. No truly legitimate tournament will handle prize pools opaquely. Scratching the surface is not a long-term solution, and the players are always the ones who end up paying the bill. Over the years, I’ve seen too many runaway organizers, but how many are truly responsible for their players?
Q: What is your ideal poker environment and tournament? Li Yan: It’s like the old Macau. The tournaments in Macau are in line with international standards, service fees are kept under 15%, prize pools are transparently displayed on electronic screens, prizes are paid out instantly, and penalties are fair.
Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages for female players in offline tournaments? Li Yan: The disadvantage is probably guts and vigor. Women are usually not as decisive as men and are more likely to be indecisive. However, women also have advantages, such as being able to use their appearance to attract attention in certain situations. As for physical strength, the difference between men and women is not that big.
Q: Have you ever encountered any unfair treatment in a match? Li Yan: I have played very few domestic tournaments and to be honest, I have never encountered any unfair treatment. The referee would even remind the dealer to be careful with me and not to make any bad calls.
Q: What was your most memorable match? Li Yan: The PCA (PokerStars Caribbean Adventure) at Atlantis on Paradise Island, Bahamas. It was the farthest place I’ve ever been, a 23-hour flight. in 2019, PokerStars hosted the PSPC (PokerStars Players Championship) there for the first time, and it was the largest $25,000 buy-in tournament in the history of global poker. I achieved the best results for a Chinese player in both the PSPC and the PCA Main Event, and although I was sorry to go out in the end, that experience made me feel cared for by PokerStars.
Q: What is the gap between domestic and international poker tournaments? Li Yan: Gaps? I don’t think we can talk about the gap now, because the foundation is completely different. One is legal and the other is in the gray area. Domestic tournaments need to be transparent in terms of prize money and fair in terms of dealing with partner poker before we can talk about the gap. Are there any results for the runaway tournaments? Do players have a place to complain? Fair play is the only standard to measure the tournament environment.
Q: What is the gap between domestic and foreign players? Li Yan: To be honest, the overall level of domestic players is actually higher than foreign players. If you go to the WSOP or EPT, you will find a lot of “fish”. However, the learning environment and game environment for domestic players is too poor. Overseas players have clear channels of complaint and awareness of their rights, while domestic players are vulnerable.
Q: How do you feel about the polarized opinion of the poker community? Li Yan: Haha, I don’t really care. Steve Jobs said that if people you hate call you names, it means you’re doing something right. The more people who don’t like me, the safer I feel instead. Their dislike doesn’t affect me in any way, just like a small insect on the head of a high-speed train, it doesn’t affect my speed.
Q: What was the hardest moment in your startup? Li Yan: I’ve been able to overcome all the difficulties in entrepreneurship, but there are some moments that make me feel powerless. For example, my friend could not afford to buy a south-facing house because he was 50,000 dollars short, and I could not help him. This feeling of powerlessness is what saddens me the most.
Afterword
Li Yan spent more than four hours answering my questions seriously. She said she has social phobia and prefers text communication. But in this interview, she was like a thinker, a preacher, and even a “madman” who wanted to overturn the industry. I believe that Li Yan’s footsteps will not stop. When the breeze blows over her forehead, those beliefs related to sunshine will eventually lead her to meet us again on the field of dreams.
Texas Hold’em, this seemingly simple yet profoundly strategic mind sport, continues to captivate poker enthusiasts and professionals worldwide. In this realm of opportunity and challenge, a rising star from China is crafting his legend with dazzling achievements.
This remarkable young prodigy is Yu Jinguang, a professional player from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. Displaying extraordinary talent from childhood, he once shone as a promising chess prodigy. His academic background in psychology laid crucial groundwork for future development. The fateful encounter with Texas Hold’em in 2013 radically altered the trajectory of this young chess master – this competitive sport blending mathematical probability, psychological warfare, and strategic decision-making instantly ignited his competitive spirit, embarking him on a brilliant professional journey.
This young player’s poker prowess has gained widespread recognition in the industry. By seamlessly integrating cognitive psychology with practical experience, he demonstrates exceptional card-reading abilities and strategic flexibility at the tables. His signature dynamic adjustment tactics can precisely capture opponents’ subtle weaknesses amidst rapidly changing situations. More impressive is his extraordinary psychological resilience – even under extreme pressure, he maintains glacier-like composure, with this tactical execution beneath the “poker face” becoming his winning formula.
Beyond competitive glory, Yu actively shapes the poker world as an industry innovator. He pioneered introducing esports streaming concepts to traditional tournament commentary and consistently delivers high-quality educational content through social media. His “Mind Matrix” poker training camp has nurtured numerous new-generation players. This young thought leader is reshaping public perception of mind sports through technological empowerment.
His honor roll boasts multiple milestones: the 2020 Asia Poker Tour Shanghai Main Event championship, and a stunning comeback victory at the 2023 WPT World Poker Tour, making him the first Chinese champion in the tournament’s history. Yet Yu’s aspirations extend far beyond – with scholarly dedication, he explores applications of game theory and AI in poker training, embodying the relentless drive behind his continuous breakthroughs.
Beyond the felt, Yu commands equal admiration. His “All-in for Hope” charity initiative has donated over a million yuan, while campus poker workshops teach teenagers rational gaming and probabilistic thinking. He believes professional players’ social responsibility matches competitive achievement, a philosophy reshaping Chinese poker’s public image.
As a standard-bearer in China’s globalization of mind sports, Yu’s journey has just begun. He not only represents China’s new generation of poker talent but plays a pivotal role in integrating Eastern and Western gaming wisdom. As this young maestro continues making history in his pursuit of WSOP gold bracelets, the Chinese imprint on world poker’s landscape will undoubtedly grow more distinct.
