Johnny Chan claims he ran 200$ up to 30k in his first poker session in Las Vegas.
Is something like this believable?

He says he played 10/20 limit and folded the first 20 hands until he has 66 and flopped a set, took a 500$ pot and ran it up to 30k that same day/ session.

How likely is something like this to happen? Is turning so little into so much so fast really possible?

I hear about how so many are broke, only a select few will make anything from pokers, etc and then I hear stories like this and it makes me want to drop out of school to pursue this life..

i can't see any possible flaw in that plan of yours OP. let us know how it turns out.

sell school, buy poker. Any actuary will tell you thats the way to go.

Never trust a poker player

If you become a poker pro the chances are that in a few years time you will also be telling stories of making $30k and winning $500 in an hour session.
If you stay in school then in a few years time you will tell stories about the times when you were only making $30k and the $500 you earn every hour will be sitting there in your pocket any time you need it.

you heard it here first, folks. all you have to do is graduate school and soon you'll be making $500 an hour

life: easy game

Standard 1500 bet session.

definately ez game

fyp

Welcome to 2p2. YOU HAVE BEEN TRASHED.

that's the welcoming committee - gotta love them.....

Look, IMO, i think that chan's claim is believable considering the times and the game philosophy. Smart, agg players were a HUGE ev + 10 years ago in NL holdem.

And really, why the **** would he lie?.....

gee, i dunno

I also heard Chan folded to a 4b shove against Mike Diamond when had to 20:1.

McDermott

i think ur onto something thrillseeker

it happens all the time

Thing is that in the same interview he says he can always get money by playing 10/20 and making 500-1000 a day, well that doesn't really sound that juicy considered he is such a great player and that would 'only' be 100-300k a year if he plays every single day. So he sucks me in with his 200-to-30k story and then breaks my heart with his 500-1000 story. I don't know what to believe.

I was there for that hand. I remarked to my friend that Mike was going to keep raising regardless of what hand he had and disagreed thinking Mike had flopped a set. After the session we asked Mike what he had but he said he didn't remember.

Keep in mind it says his "first poker session in Las Vegas." That makes it much more possible then if he said he did it yesterday. The average player had no clue how to play poker back then.

well a small percentage of people are likely to get really lucky. you are more likely to hear the winners storys than the losers stories.

personally, i was born black in cleveland so i have no luck when i go to vegas and have destroyed my poker rolls going to vegas and forced to grind 10 sit and goes for my meager existance.

Johnny Chan is one of the very best at poker. How many POD's has he been on? a whole lot and he's won like 95% of them. He never plays online.

Sam Farha never plays on the internet and he also is a very good player, Chan said in interview that Sam is one of best and much better than Doyle. Sam never plays on the internet.

And this doesnt just go for older poker greats but also young studs like Tuan Le. Tuan Le is a guy who makes a lot of money playing poker. He doesnt even bother entering tourneys anymore after crushing them. He is probably the best underground poker player ATM. He never plays on the internet.

A guy like Phil Ivey is an exception to the rule.

I have zero respect for internet poker 'pros' even Tom Dwan, I think hes a fish if he were to play against a guy like Tuan Le. How is Tom Dwan a great poker player? because he went on a heater and now passes chips back and forth with his buddies? that is not a great player. Tuan Le is a great player. Tuan Le would absolutely crush Dwan, and I would back this statement up with my checkbook.

I love it when people have half as many threads as total posts

All of the best players are online heads up specialists

What makes you suspect that these players don't play on screen names that you aren't familiar with?

Also -- I thought Chan had his own poker room once...

Johnny Chan and Sammy Farha are nowhere near the best. Learn more about poker before you post a thread please.

But now I've just realised this OP is an obvious level, move along ppl.