Chris Moorman Bio and Poker Profile

The first man in history to pass the $10 million bar in online poker winnings has been hugely successful in live tournament poker, as well. @Chris Moorman is UK Number 5 by all-time live earnings, with $4,029,003! 

Moorman: “Poker is a tough game. If you’re not naturally competitive, you’re never gonna make it.”

And competitive he certainly is. Born in Basildon, UK, on July 12th, 1985, Chris Moorman’s competitive career began in bridge when he was only 11 years old, went through pool, (he became the captain of his team at the University of Essex and won the National University Championship), and ended up in poker. In passing, Chris earned a degree in Economics from Essex University.

"When I started the game, I never thought about actually playing for a living. I just enjoyed playing and things went from there. It’s still all a bit surreal to be honest. To be able to buy a house at 22, and have a secure looking future ahead of you is a great achievement. I know that I can’t rest on my laurels though."

He didn't rest on those laurels but kept collecting more accolades, as evident from his PocketFives visiting card and the FOUR consecutive 'Best Online Player' titles (2010-2013) that he won in The British Poker Awards presented by @Bluff Europe. 

While his online career seems to have been fast and furious from the start, it took a few years before Moorman had his major live tournament breakthrough. It was in 2011 that he took the live scene by storm with 5 cashes in the 42nd World Series of Poker (most notably a 2nd place in the Six-handed NLHE Championship) immediately followed up by a runner-up finish in the 2011 WSOPE Championship in Cannes.

The next year Chris Moorman again scored a runner-up finish and a six-figure cash - in EPT8 Berlin 10K High Roller. Then followed two rather uneventful years. This is what Moorman shared in a blog dated August 27, 2014:

Personally I had to come through my toughest time in poker within the last year. Prior to the WSOP in 2013 I was forced to get out of backing because I had over extended myself, and made a lot of bad decisions along the way. My poker bankroll had taken a big hit and I had to drop down in stakes and concentrate predominantly on online poker until I was in a better situation. I decided once I did get in a better place I would allow myself the luxury of traveling the live circuit once again.

What everyone knew was only a matter of time finally happened in March 2014 - Chris Moorman topped a field of 534 players in the LA Poker Classic Main Event, winning his first major title and $1,015,460.

As early as 2007, Moorman shared the following 'golden rules for playing in MTTs':

 Never be scared to put all your chips in.

Try to really concentrate on the Final Table - play to win, not just to cash.

In the early stages just play hands which have potential (so I prefer to play suited connectors on the button to Ace-rag).

You must be hyper-aggressive once you reach the top 50 - you must play as if you're hell-bent on getting into the Top 3 places, which is where all the money is.

Seven years later, a lesson he has learned through experience  dictates one more 'golden rule':

Positivity is essential to being a successful poker player in the long term. ...Creating your own happiness outside of poker will ultimately have a huge effect on your mentality whilst playing.

Following his own advice about building one's happiness outside of poker, in March 2014 Moorman proposed to his long-time girlfriend Lindsey and they are now engaged to be married.

The poker community now impatiently awaits the release of Moorman's Book of Poker: Improve your poker game with Moorman1, the most successful online poker tournament player in history. 

Sources:

http://www.rankinghero.com/chris.moorman

Photos from http://www.chrismoorman.com/

ChrisMoorman.com: The Power of Thinking Positively in Poker

BluffEurope: Moorman’s ‘Biggest Bluff’, Hirezi Leads WPT Jacksonville

RKH: Chris Moorman Nominated in Three BluffEurope British Poker Awards Categories

 #RKHbio