Deaf Poker Ace David Chiu And His Uncanny Reading Abilities

David Chiu has been enjoying a most productive WSOP 2011 having cashed 5 times already for a total payout of $177,321, including a 4th place finish in the $5k PLO Six-Handed event for $156,628.
Currently through to Day 4 of the Main Event and sitting on a respectable 300k stack, the Chinese-American player will now be hoping to further cap a successful WSOP with a deep run in the biggest tournament of them all.
The 50 year old has certainly demonstrated he has all the skills needed to pull off such a major feat, having now cashed 52 times in WSOP events for $2,976,121. Furthermore, the Chinese born pro can now boast an impressive 4 WSOP bracelets and a WPT title to go with his total $7,267,028 in live tournament earnings.
David Chiu first started becoming adept at poker after taking a job as a poker dealer in a Colarado casino. However, water damaged eardrums from swimming in his native China left Chiu 35% hearing impaired and having to pay close attention to people in order to understand them.
Combined with naturally good powers of concentration, Chiu then developed strong reading abilities which have served him well ever since. As he explains:
“I was a poker dealer at the Gilpin Hotel in Black Hawk, and I would see how people reacted to their hands, the way they looked at their cards. A lot of people squeeze their cards when they really like their hand. I paid attention. I tried to turn my hearing weakness into a strength.”
Explaining further, David Chiu continued:
“Concentration..is a gift that God gave me. I pay attention to people’s reactions, to the card they look at, or the way they put their chips in the pot. Sort of like Sherlock Holmes figured out murder mysteries, I use any and all the information that can give me a clue about what my opponents have. A lot of it is deductive reasoning. But I’m not 100 percent right all the time. If I was, I’d be a billionaire by now.”
Instead, David Chiu is a highly successful millionaire poker pro currently placed 31st on poker’s All Time Money List. Chiu will now be trying to use his unique reading abilities to ensure a deep run at this year’s Main Event.