 Name: John Juanda Date of Birth: 08/07/1971 Place of Birth: Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia Profile
John Juanda , thirty-something, is originally from Indonesia, and is called a “class act” by fellow poker pros and amateurs including celebrities, who appreciate his cool demeanor at the table. He won his first World Championship title in 2002, has won many major tournaments, and became instantly famous when he placed second in the first ever World Poker Tour tournament to air on the Travel Channel, the Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic. Juanda has succeeded in just about every endeavor he has undertaken. He was in the top five of his class in high school, in addition to being a track star who excelled in both sprints and long distance running. He came to the United States to enroll in Oklahoma State University in 1990. After college, he was a successful door-to-door Bible salesman. He went on to earn an M.B.A from the University of Seattle.Juanda began playing poker in 1996 and since has won three World Championship gold bracelets. In both 2001 and 2002, he was runner-up to Card Player Magazine’s Tournament Player-of-the-Year. Despite his stellar record, there are some players who feel Juanda has more luck in his favor than talent. “I don’t mind that image,” he told Card Player Magazine, “because it helps me win a lot more. People make a lot of mistakes against me because of it. Some people are afraid to play pots against me when they should, because they ‘know’ I’ll get lucky against them. There are lots of other variations of that, ways that the image causes them to play badly.”But Juanda has made it clear that poker is not the be-all and end-all for him. Frankly, he doesn’t need the money, and he has even hinted that he would like to go to medical school at some time in the future.Juanda is single and currently resides in Alhambra, California. He enjoys reading, movies, outdoor activities, and traveling. WPT fans can look forward to seeing Juanda this season at the final table of season two’s World Poker Tour Invitational at the Commerce Casino.
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