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Album: Chris "Jesus" Ferguson
Year of Birth
1963
Place of Birth
Los Angeles, California
Distinctions
Holds a Ph.D. in computer science from UCLA
Heads a software development company
Former ballroom dancing instructor
Loves swing dancing
Can cut a carrot in half by flicking a playing card
Only plays big tournaments and no cash games
Biography
Chris Ferguson cultivates an eccentric appearance that has earned him the nickname "Jesus." His typical outfits have him looking like he just walked out of a Western: duds and a cowboy hat are complimented by long hair and a full-length beard.
Chris grew up playing recreational poker but only in 1994 did he decide to get serious about his game. He sought out venues where he would be able to pit his skills against those of other serious players and his prowess increased by leaps and bounds.
As befits a man with a Ph.D. in Computer Science, Chris has an intellectual approach to poker. He says: "Intelligence and the ability to reason well are the most important qualities that all poker players share. This reasoning comes into play when the player is faced with deciding which alternative to take in a hand—raise, call or fold." His general advice in regards to those situations is: "If you're not sure whether to fold or call, fold. If you're not sure whether to call or raise, raise."
Chris has spent a fair amount of time thinking about poker. He says: "There are two types of information that opponents give you. One is tells, which are conscious or subconscious actions that a person makes that give an indication of the strength of his hand. The other is the way they play hands, and their way of thinking about hands. For me the second is the most important." Chris favors getting inside his opponent's head and then making plays that put that opponent in situations unusual and uncomfortable for him or her. "I try to play the style that gives my opponents the hardest time."
Of late, Chris has been concentrating on the larger, bigger buy-in events. Other interests he pursues are day trading and swing dancing.
Chris beat T.J. Cloutier to win the Championship No-Limit Hold'em main event at the 2000 World Series of Poker. People are still talking about the final hand. T.J. held AQ, Chris had A9. The flop came 2K4 with a king on the turn. Had the board paired, the pot would have been split, but the 9 came and with it, Chris became the World Champion.
Chris has said that the final table is his favorite place to play. That burning desire to win combined with his math skills have contributed to his great success. He holds five WSOP titles, two of them from 2003. Those titles are 2000 Seven-Card Stud, 2001 Omaha Hi-Lo, 2003 Mixed Games, 2003 Omaha Hi-Lo, and the main event in 2000. Furthermore, in the 2003 WSOP he finished fourth in Lowball, second in Pot-Limit Hold'em and sixth in Omaha High. If you'd like to test yourself against Chris sometime, you just might find him at his own table in the online card room at FullTiltPoker.com.
Chris works assiduously to improve his poker. Often, when he is away from the tables, he's at his computer analyzing hands or looking at different scenarios. He says: "I am always looking for holes in my own game so that I can repair them and become a stronger player."
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