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John Juanda is a professional poker player born in Medan, Indonesia, in 1971, who has lived in the United States since 1990 and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2015. He has won five World Series of Poker bracelets in five different games, including the 2008 WSOP Europe Main Event, and added a European Poker Tour Main Event title in Barcelona in 2015 and a Triton Super High Roller Main Event in Macau in 2017, the largest score of his career.
John Juanda: key facts
| Full name | Johnson Juanda, known as John Juanda [2] |
|---|---|
| Nickname | “Luckbox” [1] |
| Born | July 8, 1971, Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia [4] |
| Nationality | Indonesian-born; long-time U.S. resident, listed under the United States on WSOP.com [1][2][3] |
| Hometown | Marina del Rey, California [1] |
| Known for | Tournament results across many games, from lowball draw to No-Limit Hold’em |
| Poker Hall of Fame | Inducted 2015 [3] |
| WSOP bracelets | 5 (114 WSOP cashes, 48 final tables) [2] |
| Major titles | WSOP Europe Main Event 2008; EPT Barcelona Main Event 2015; Triton Macau HK$1,000,000 Main Event 2017 [1][8][9] |
| Live tournament earnings | $26,779,395 as of October 5, 2026 [1] |
Early life in Indonesia
Juanda was born in Medan, North Sumatra, on July 8, 1971. He spent his early childhood with his grandparents while his parents built a business, and moved back in with them in fifth grade. In a Card Player magazine profile he said his father liked to gamble but warned him not to, and that his own first bets were on games of marbles in elementary school. In high school he was a track athlete, running distances from the 200-meter sprint to the 5,000-meter race. [4]
He came to the United States in 1990 to study at Oklahoma State University, where he earned a double bachelor’s degree in marketing and management, and then completed an MBA at Seattle University. [4] To help pay for his studies he took various jobs, one of which was selling bibles door to door. [1]
Beginning in poker
Juanda learned the rules of poker on the flight that took him to the United States in 1990, from a friend who opened the lesson by dealing them both royal flushes from a stacked deck. By the time the plane landed, Juanda said, he was winning more than he was losing. [4] As a student he spent his free time in local card rooms. After completing his MBA in 1996 he moved to California to find bigger games. [1] According to the Poker Hall of Fame announcement, poker has been his source of income since 1997. [3]
He went to the WSOP for the first time in 1999 and cashed in two events. [1] In both 2001 and 2002 he finished runner-up in the Card Player Player of the Year race. [4] In 2007 Bluff magazine, writing on ESPN.com, found him running his own Indonesian-themed restaurant, Java Spice, in the Rowland Heights area of Los Angeles. [10]
Playing style
Juanda’s results cover a wide range of games. His bracelets came in Ace-to-Five Triple Draw, Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo, Pot-Limit Omaha, No-Limit Hold’em and 2-7 Draw Lowball. [1] He described his approach in terms of reading people: “When you play poker at the highest level, it doesn’t matter what the specific game is. If you have your opponents beaten psychologically, they cannot win.” [4]
Other players have pointed to his consistency. In the same Card Player profile, Barry Greenstein said: “In no-limit tournament play, John is one of the top players in the world.” Daniel Negreanu, a close friend, said: “His consistency is unparalleled.” [4] After his 2011 bracelet, PokerNews called him “one of the best deuce-to-seven lowball players in the world”. [7]
Greatest achievements
World Series of Poker bracelets
| Year | Event | Result | Prize | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | WSOP Europe £10,000 Main Event, London | 1st | £868,800 ($1,580,096) | [1] |
| 2011 | WSOP $10,000 2-7 Draw Lowball Championship | 1st | $367,170 | [7] |
| 2003 | WSOP $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha | 1st | $203,840 | [1] |
| 2003 | WSOP $2,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Split | 1st | $130,200 | [1] |
| 2002 | WSOP $1,500 Limit Ace to Five Triple Draw | 1st | $49,620 | [1] |
The 2008 WSOP Europe Main Event drew 362 players to London. [6] Juanda started the final table as chip leader, and it went on for 22 hours and 484 hands, 242 of them heads-up against Stanislav Alekhin, before he took the £868,800 first prize. [5]
His fifth bracelet came at the 2011 WSOP in the $10,000 2-7 Draw Lowball Championship. He began heads-up play against Phil Hellmuth as a 3:1 underdog in chips and came back to win. It was his 56th WSOP cash and his 27th WSOP final table. [7] His WSOP.com profile now lists 114 cashes, 48 final tables and $9,252,808 in earnings across the events shown there. [2]
Other tournament results
| Year | Event | Result | Prize | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Triton Super High Roller Series Macau HK$1,000,000 Main Event (83 entries) | 1st | HK$22,410,400 (US$2,872,299) | [9] |
| 2012 | Macau High Stakes Challenge $258,000 Super High Roller | 5th | $1,645,753 | [1] |
| 2015 | EPT Barcelona €5,300 Main Event (1,694 players) | 1st | €1,022,593 | [8] |
| 2006 | Crown Australian Poker Championship | 1st | more than $700,000 | [1] |
| 2010 | EPT London £5,000 Main Event | 2nd | £545,000 | [1] |
| 2012 | WSOP Europe Cannes €50,000 Majestic Roller | 2nd | €600,000 | [1] |
| 2012 | WPT World Championship $100,000 Super High Roller | 3rd | $526,320 | [1] |
| 2002 | WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 2nd | $278,240 | [1] |
| 2004 | WSOP No-Limit Hold’em | 2nd | $193,020 | [4] |
On the World Poker Tour, Juanda has six final tables and nineteen money finishes but no title; the closest he came was the 2002 Five Diamond World Poker Classic, where he lost heads-up to Gus Hansen. [1] On the European Poker Tour he finished second in London in 2010, losing heads-up to David Vamplew. [1]
Five years later he won the EPT Barcelona Main Event, which with 1,694 players was then the largest Main Event in the tour’s history. A three-way deal was made, and Juanda then beat Steve Warburton heads-up for a total of €1,022,593 and his first EPT title. [8] In October 2017 he beat Fedor Holz heads-up at the Galaxy Macau to win the Triton HK$1,000,000 Main Event, whose HK$78,086,400 prize pool was the largest in Triton history at that point. It was the biggest cash of his career. [9]
Poker Hall of Fame, 2015
Juanda and Jennifer Harman were selected as the Poker Hall of Fame Class of 2015, becoming its 49th and 50th members. The ceremony took place on November 6 at Binion’s Gambling Hall in Las Vegas. The other finalists that year were Chris Bjorin, David Chiu, Bruno Fitoussi, Carlos Mortensen, Max Pescatori, Terry Rogers, Matt Savage and David Ulliott. Juanda was 44 and had more than $17 million in tournament winnings at the time. Ty Stewart of the Hall of Fame governing council said: “Both Jen and John are well-respected, long-time poker players who have paid their dues and deserving to represent the 2015 Class of the Poker Hall of Fame.” [3]
Full Tilt Poker
Juanda was one of the nine players who founded the online poker site Full Tilt Poker, and he wore Team Full Tilt colors at live tournaments until the site ceased operations in 2011. [1]
In his own words
- “I believe you learn so much more by listening than you ever will by speaking.” On learning English and reading people, Card Player magazine. [4]
- “The money comes and goes, but the competition is what keeps bringing me back.” Card Player magazine. [4]
- “Playing against Fedor was really tough.” After winning the Triton Macau Main Event, October 2017. [9]
- “First, you have to play pretty well and you also have to get lucky.” On winning a tournament of that size, October 2017. [9]
Iconic hands and moments
John Juanda vs. Allen Cunningham on Poker After Dark
“John Juanda has more than trips” (PokerStars)
WPT World Championship Super High Roller: Tom Marchese vs. John Juanda
FAQ about John Juanda
How old is John Juanda?
John Juanda was born on July 8, 1971, which makes him 55 as of October 5, 2026. [4]
Where is John Juanda from?
He was born in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, and came to the United States in 1990 to attend Oklahoma State University. [4] PokerNews lists his nationality as Indonesian and his hometown as Marina del Rey, California; his WSOP.com profile lists him under the United States. [1][2]
What is John Juanda’s real name?
His WSOP.com profile lists him as Johnson Juanda. He plays and is reported on as John Juanda. [2]
What is John Juanda’s net worth?
There is no reliable public figure for his net worth. What can be verified is his live tournament record: $26,779,395 in earnings as of October 5, 2026, according to PokerNews, which uses Hendon Mob data. That figure covers live tournament prizes only, not cash games or costs such as buy-ins. [1]
How many WSOP bracelets does John Juanda have?
Five: in 2002, two in 2003, the 2008 WSOP Europe Main Event and 2011. His WSOP.com profile also lists 114 cashes and 48 final tables. [1][2]
Has John Juanda won the WSOP Main Event?
He has not won the Main Event in Las Vegas, but he won the 2008 WSOP Europe £10,000 Main Event in London for £868,800. [1][5]
When was John Juanda inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame?
In 2015, together with Jennifer Harman. [3]
What is John Juanda’s biggest tournament win?
The 2017 Triton Super High Roller Series Macau HK$1,000,000 Main Event, worth HK$22,410,400 (US$2,872,299). [9]
Related Poker Legends
Read more about Jennifer Harman, who entered the Poker Hall of Fame alongside him, his longtime friend Daniel Negreanu, and Phil Hellmuth, his heads-up opponent for the 2011 bracelet.
Sources
- PokerNews, John Juanda player profile, accessed October 5, 2026.
- WSOP.com, Johnson Juanda player profile, accessed October 5, 2026.
- PokerNews, Jen Harman and John Juanda Selected as Poker Hall of Fame Class of 2015, October 26, 2015.
- Card Player, Allyn Shulman, John Juanda: Sometimes, Nice Guys Finish First, Card Player magazine Vol. 17, No. 25.
- PokerNews, The Year in Poker: October, 2008, December 29, 2008.
- Card Player, WSOPE Main Event, January 12, 2009.
- PokerNews, Five Thoughts: The Second Week of the 2011 World Series of Poker, June 2011.
- PokerNews, John Juanda Wins Largest European Poker Tour Main Event in History for Over €1M, August 30, 2015.
- PokerNews, John Juanda Defeats Fedor Holz for Triton Super High Roller Macau Title, October 20, 2017.
- ESPN.com (Bluff magazine), Reading John Juanda, July 25, 2007.
Last verified: October 5, 2026. Figures that change over time, such as career earnings and WSOP statistics, are given with the date they were checked.
