Moneymaker's Real Name Is …

by Warren Karp | Published: Apr 23, 2004

In the electronic age, the growth of anything can usually be measured by its exposure – and, surely, poker on television is everywhere.

In examining the explosion of poker, there are many things to which one can point; of course, the two biggest would have to be the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour. Now that poker has become a star, it seems logical that stars will emerge from the game – or has that already happened?

There are well-known players who have written books, and others who have done videos. Autograph seekers surround players when they enter a casino, and approach them even when they're walking through an airport.

If you asked mainstream America who the best poker player in the world is, what answer would you get? If the survey was done within the poker world, you'd start a debate that might last for years, but if it was done in America's heartland, the answer would probably be Chris Moneymaker.

With the 2003 WSOP being shown over and over again on ESPN, Chris has become a folk hero. He is the guy who went against all odds, beat every pro, and took down the gold. And in most of the hands shown on TV, he did it in dramatic fashion.

We all know what the WSOP and poker have done for Chris Moneymaker, but do we know what Chris Moneymaker has done for poker?

Let's start out with the story of a guy who spent $40 to enter an online event and parlayed that into the WSOP championship. As America watched, a live version of the lottery unfolded before their eyes. It was a variation of the American Dream. Chris was talked about at poker games and in boardrooms alike. Cigarette and coffee breaks led to talk of the WSOP and Chris.

People talked about his name ("Can you believe this guy's name is Moneymaker?"), and his job and hometown ("Yeah, he's an accountant from Tennessee. Boy, he's got a lot to count now!"). The story is even more compelling when you remember that Chris didn't want to play in the WSOP in the first place. He preferred ending up in a money-paying spot, not winning a seat in the Big Dance, where he'd have "no chance." So, he sold a few pieces of himself to another Moneymaker, his dad, and to a friend. When he got heads up with Sammy Farha and had Sammy by 2-1 in chips, Chris offered Sam an even chop because he didn't want to play a hand worth more than $1 million – but Sam refused the offer. And when Chris flopped bottom two pair and Sammy went all in with top pair, we had the most unbelievable story in poker when Chris made a full house to win the championship.

As it goes, the story is so improbable, it could only be true.

This wasn't lost on the media, either. Soon after winning, Chris was on the David Letterman show, and we watched this humble but lighthearted guy tell Dave how great it was to play in the "Big One." Then, it was on to the Jimmy Kimmel show some months later, and once again he showed himself to be an ambassador for the game.

I've seen Chris in a cardroom when he's been stopped constantly for autographs and pictures – and I've never heard him say no. He's played with all the Hollywood crowd and they're quick to make friends with this very affable guy.

Unlike some players who hit and run, Chris loves the game and plays whenever he can. He's now played in five championship events. In addition to his win at the WSOP, he recently finished second at the Bay 101 Shooting Star tournament (and in the last hand, he was all in with the best of it).

There are many who have said that Chris can't play this game. What are they saying now? Yes, he came from behind many times on those WSOP broadcasts, but anyone who thinks you can get through five days of the WSOP and not need a lucky turn or river card once, twice, or many more times isn't in the game at all.

It may be easier to quantify what the WPT has done for poker, because of its ratings and exposure, but I think it's just as important to look at Chris' remarkable story. It was truly an accomplishment that changed the image of the game.

How many people out there believe they can become the next Chris Moneymaker? How many will show up this year at the Horseshoe? My guess is, they'll show up in buses, planes, and carloads to the tune of 1,200 or more players to see if they can be a "Moneymaker." They all now believe that they can be crowned the next world champion.

How many members of the media will attend to see who will win, and what kind of coverage will the game get? I believe the 2004 WSOP will have a record number of requests for media passes.

Can we measure what Chris has brought to our game? My guess is that this great game of ours has just scratched the surface of its growth, and Chris Moneymaker coming along at the time of its initial explosion is a big reason for that growth.

What's Moneymaker's real name? It's Chris; stop and say hello to this great ambassador of poker.