Growing up in a close-knit family in Portland, Oregon, Jordan Rich knew his way around a deck of cards at an early age. From gin rummy games with the family, it was obvious that a knack for competition and reading opponents (like his parents) was natural. However, during his junior high and high school years, the card-playing came to a halt when studies and sports – soccer and basketball – took precedence. It was after high school that the Moneymaker effect took hold, and he began playing $5 home games with friends.

Jordan’s home game eventually translated into casino time at local card rooms where they played $3-$6 limit hold’em and $20 buy-in tournaments. He admittedly became obsessed with tournaments – reading books, talking poker with others, even starting a group that discussed pure strategy and started a website to document their ideas. Online poker also became a huge part of his game because of the ability to play more hands and bigger stakes than were offered at the Oregon card rooms. His poker skills allowed him to move up quickly in limits and build a substantial bankroll, enough of one to support himself and begin playing live big buy-in tournaments around the world.

Only in his mid-20’s, Jordan already has over $600,000 in live tournament cashes to his name, which doesn’t take into consideration his cash game or online winnings. While he does have three World Series of Poker cashes on his resume, it has been the World Poker Tour where he found the most major tournament success. In December of 2007, he made the final table of the WPT Doyle Brunson Classic at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and finished fifth for his largest cash to date of nearly $290,000. Since then, he has cashed in two other WPT tournaments, coming close in the 2008 Reno event in 15th place. The sheer determination with which Jordan plays seems to be his key to winning, and it is only a matter of time before he can translate his small tournament wins – like two at the 2008 L.A. Poker Classic – into major victories.