GPI Player of the Decade | #8 J.C. Tran

Who are the Top 9 poker players on the live tournament circuit during the past decade? Find out this week…

#8 | J.C. TRAN 

Age ›› 36
Born ›› Vietnam
Resides ›› Sacramento, CA
Team ›› 888Poker

GPI# ›› 164  |  2013 PoY# ›› 174
GPI Score 2004-2013: 5,569

Wins ›› 2004-2013: 14  |  Career: 15
Earnings ›› 2004-2013: $10,787,107  |  Career: $10,892,042

ANOTHER NOVEMBER NINER MAKES THE LIST

A second straight November Niner makes the list! After Phil Ivey was revealed at #9 yesterday, it’s J.C. Tran’s time to shine at #8 on our list of best poker players in the past decade; although like Ivey, Tran has accomplished way more than simply being the most recent November Niner to make our list.

That said, Tran did enter this year’s WSOP final table as the chip leader and many believed that he would be crowned World Champion in November. Unfortunately, things didn’t go Tran’s way at the final table and he would be eliminated in 5th position. Still, a total of five cashes totalling over 2.1M USD at this year’s WSOP? We’re certain Tran will take it!

TRAN HIGHLIGHT REEL

Interestingly enough, Tran’s career on the live tournament circuit took off in 2004, the first qualifying season in our GPI Player of the Decade race. Tran’s yearly cashes reached double digits for five straight seasons (2004-08) on the live circuit. After a few less than stellar season, Tran returned to poker royalty in 2013 with over 2.6M USD in earnings.

Apart from his deep run in the WSOP Main Event, Tran’s 2013 season was also marked by his solid performance at the inaugural WPT Alpha8 event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Tran was runner-up to Steven Silverman in the first ever Alpha8 100K buy-in event, earning over 475K USD for his performance, not a bad warm-up heading into the November Nine!

But Tran is probably best known for his standout performances on the World Poker Tour. Tran, who ranks 14th All-Time on the WPT Money List, was named WPT Player of the Year following his Season V performance. Tran would final table three events that year, winning the World Poker Challenge in Reno, Nevada, was runner-up at the L.A. Poker Classic and finished sixth at the World Poker Open in Tunica, Mississippi.

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GPI PLAYER OF THE DECADE COUNTDOWN

#9 ››  Phil Ivey  |  5,422 points
#8 ››  J.C. Tran  |  5,569 points
#7 ››  Shannon Shorr  |  5,578 points
#6 ››  ElkY  |  5,778 points
#5 ››  John Juanda  |  6,261 points
#4 ››  Barry Greenstein  |  6,457 points
#3 ››  Michael Mizrachi  |  6,553 points
#2 ››  Erik Seidel  |  6,953 points
#1 ››  Daniel Negreanu  |  7,377 points

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