Chris Moorman Reflects on his Poker Career

In the world of online poker no player has earned more money or respect playing tournaments than Chris Moorman, with the UK pro currently boasting $14,638,377 in online winnings under the screen name Moorman1. So how did this gifted player originally from Basildon in Essex acquire the formidable skills which have enabled him to reach the very pinnacle of the game?
Career Highlights
In 2011, Moorman recorded his biggest online score to date after finishing 3rd at a Full Tilt Poker $1K event for $235,592, and included amongst his many accolades over 13 years of professional play are also countless tournament victories. In fact, many of those wins have been claimed in the same week across different sites resulting in a record-breaking 27 online Triple Crowns for the 32 year-old, placing him six titles clear of nearest rival PokerKaiser, and 16 clear of Belabacsi in third place.
In addition to his online career, Moorman has also demonstrated that he is just as adept at playing live tournaments, and since his first cash in 2008 has amassed a further $5,312,375 in earnings, including last year capturing his first WSOP bracelet at the $3,000 NLHE 6-Handed event for $498,682.
University Beginnings

Chris Moorman began playing online poker during his second year at University, and admits that his grasp on the game was “pretty bad” at first. Eager to improve his understanding, Moorman subsequently spent countless hours studying and researching the game, whilst complimenting his knowledge by arranging regular coaching sessions with a couple of players he had befriended.
By the time he completed his degree course, Moorman had not only managed to pay off his student loan, but also had a further £50,000 in poker profits locked up in his online playing account.
Family Concerns
During his initial time playing online poker Moorman told his Brenford parents that he had been making some money in between his University studies working at a local supermarket, explaining:
“.. I was starting to win some money playing online and so I was able to cover my tracks by saying I had a job stacking shelves in a supermarket near the university campus.”
The news of their son’s prodigious abilities then came as a quite surprise when Chris did finally tell his parents the truth, with his father suitably impressed by Chris’ results that he was willing to give him six months to really prove that he was making the right career choice.
“If I failed I would have to get a proper job in the real world, which is exactly what I didn’t want to do,” explained Moorman. “They were a bit skeptical about it and thought I had been lucky – my mum said to me to get out now while your luck was still there.”
£100,000 Proof
Over the next six months, Moorman devoted himself almost entirely to the task his father had set him, regularly passing up invitations to go out socializing with his friends. He then managed to add a further £100,000 to his expanding bankroll during this time, and while his father needed no more convincing, his mother still remained cautious about her son’s life style.
According to Chris, his mother had only really seen poker being played in the movies, mostly by shady characters and gangsters, with her biggest concerns being that his opponents would get angry about his taking their money and try to harm or worse. Over time, however, she began to accept his choice, and now is very proud of what her son has managed to achieve with his life.
Still, online poker is not the same landscape as it was when Moorman first started playing the game, and as he now explains:
“Back in the day I would play online six days a week, but you can’t do that now. Online is probably only good one or two days a week. Back then, a lot of the professionals weren’t even that good, but they made money off the amateurs. But now all the pros are working really hard on their games, so it’s pretty tough.”
Live Career
Apart from one poor year in 2011 when he ended up losing $200,000 online, Moorman’s results have been very much in the black, and the following year he made up for the loss after recording his best online year to date at that time. In the meantime, Moorman may not have had a great 2011 online, but in the live arena he won $2,324,030 that year as his live skills continued to improve.
Now 32 years-old, Chris spends six months of the year in Las Vegas, the city where he first met his wife Katie, and counted amongst his many live accomplishments is a runner-up finish at the 2011 WSOPE Main Event for $1,068,690, and a triumph at the 2014 WPT LA Poker Classic Main Event for $1,015,460. Capturing his first WSOP bracelet in 2017, however, fills him with his biggest satisfaction, and he still feels “on top of the world” whenever he recalls the feat.
“I think my own confidence in my game is showing as a result with me going deep in such a high percentage of the tournaments that I’m entering,” said Moorman.
Secret of his Success
For those looking to emulate some of Moorman’s poker success, he explains that one of the hardest aspects of the game to master is the ability to handle losing:
“You have to be able to deal with losing. Most of the time you are going to lose – you have to be prepared and not let it affect you mentally,” warns Moorman.
Another important piece of advice Morman gives, which is a lesson to be learned for all investors, is to spread your investments rather than taking an all or nothing approach. Elaborating further, Moorman explains:
“.. just because you have won one tournament, don’t put your eggs in on basket. Talk to players who are better than you and never give up your day job after winning a couple of tournaments.”