There are lots of names that permeate the world of poker. Gaining an esteemed mark into this game is a tough thing. There are thousands of players across the globe and the game is truly unpredictable. It seems that there are certain people born to dominate this game. The Hall of Fame honors the best poker players and contributors that have given the game a lasting legacy. In the past years, this award giving body has honored 40 players but in this long list, one name has stands out – T.J. Cloutier.
Virtual games and poker tutorials on FullTiltPoker would often quote or use the name of T.J. Cloutier. This often leaves newbie players asking who this Mr. Cloutier is. If you try asking the most celebrated player who the best poker player is, the name that comes up is still T.J. Cloutier. The name has grown almost equivocal to the game itself. That is something reserved only for the most popular poker player.
Indeed, T.J. Cloutier deserves this much popularity and acclamation. Although he has not won yet the Big One nor has he received the most winnings, Cloutier has gained the respects of the best poker players. His strategy is almost intimidating that it evokes fear in all his peers.
As a native player in the back rooms of Texas, Cloutier has honed his skills by accident. Back then, he was working at a local food company and he spent the rest of his day playing poker with his coworkers. The game has been very warm and soon he was even gaining more out of playing than by merely depending on his salary. Although he was not yet so engrossed with the game, he already felt that he had a connection with the game. With not much consideration, he quit his job and plunged into gambling. This decision has paved his way to better poker opportunities. Shortly after, he had to move to Shreveport, Louisiana to seek better game market but he had never grown enough of the Dallas’ style pot-limit game, so he shuttled back to Dallas at least twice a week.
His strategy has been sharpened by the road games that he had to drop by. The love for the best online poker sites has given him chance to meet the best road gamblers and they have helped him polish his arsenal of poker strategies. In just few years, Cloutier has gained himself a steady success. He has outplayed legendary road gamblers with his almost natural ability in the game. The wealthy experience has developed his firm knowledge and understanding of this card game.
After battling the best road gamblers, he headed to Vegas where the players are much like him – poker geniuses. The first years seemed to be daunting to this newcomer and everyone looked at him with speculation. After some time, he was playing at his best, delving into the mind of his opponents and beating the hell out of them. His first true win in Vegas was just a meagre $43,000 which he has built out of $2,500, under a casual game at a Plaza in Downtown Las Vegas. After filling his first bag, he attended several tournaments including the Annual Jack Strauss World Match Play Championship.
He won game after game and shortly after he found his way into the WOSP. The year 1985 was his debut in the tournament. He had dominated the game and after some years he was able to gain 39 first place finishers and 6 WSOP bracelets. As of date, he has an estimated lifetime earnings of $9.8 million all from live tournaments.
His name was cemented into the annals of poker in 2006 after his induction in the Poker Hall of Fame. T.J Cloutier’s exceptional ability and his knack for the game have popularized not just his name but the game itself. His fame has made poker one of the most loved games in the world.