Poker History is something that everyone should think about from time to time. It showcases where players have been and where we come from today in the poker world. There are a lot of players who have made notable careers out of poker and add to the wholesome history that I have been showcasing in the past months. Today is another day of focusing on an individual and the contributions they have made to poker. The player I will talk about today is Chris ‘Jesus’ Ferguson.
Ferguson got his nickname when people started commenting on his long hair and full beard. If you take a look at a photo of him it is easy to see the resemblance that people notice and it becomes clear where this nickname came from. Ferguson is quite the poker player considering he holds five World Series of Poker bracelets and the most notable of these is from the 2000 World Series of Poker Main Event. He is also the winner of the 2008 NBC National Heads Up Poker Championship.
Ferguson has an interesting background when it comes to poker. He has a Ph.D. in Computer Science and his background relies heavily on game theory to develop new strategies to his style of play. This gives him a highly mathematical approach to poker, so when you see Jesus bet he probably knows something you don’t!
Playing poker before the age of ten isn’t that common, but that’s where Ferguson started. Continuing in the 90’s he honed his skills using Internet Relay Chat by playing poker against other people in chat rooms. He’s been hitting the World Series of Poker since 1995.
Another neat fact about Ferguson is how he can throw playing cards fast enough to cut bananas, carrots and melons. Many can throw cards, but most can’t throw them fast enough to manage that kind of feat. Television has led to the showcasing of this feat and many have gone home to give card throwing a shot, myself included.
Overall Ferguson is a very well known poker player both online and on television. He helped start FullTilt poker and you see him on TV in the WSOP on a regular basis. I’ve enjoyed brushing up on my Chris Ferguson history and I hope you have too. Stay tuned next week for the most exciting history class of them all, poker history!