Unstoppable two-time ME WSOP champion
Born in China, Johnny Chan moved to the US at a young age. He became a fixture on the poker scene in the early 1980s, and his peak came at the end of the decade when he won two consecutive World Series of Poker Main Events in 1987 and 1988. He was on top of the world and had the chance to do something no one else had managed - win the Main Event three times in a row. In 1989, he made the final table again, but his dream was thwarted by a young Phil Hellmuth, who became the new champion.
Despite this defeat, Chan made poker history forever. His victories and charisma even earned him a role in the film Rounders (1998), where he played himself in an iconic scene against Matt Damon. It was this film that helped popularize poker among the general public, and Chan's legend continued to grow as a result.
The Secret of the Orange
One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Chan was his orange, which he always kept on his desk. People speculated that it was a good luck charm, but Chan had a much simpler explanation - in the early 1980s, there was heavy cigarette smoke in casinos, and since Chan had quit smoking at that time, the orange served to neutralize the smell. During one tournament, he bought an orange at a snack bar and smelled it. He felt a breath of fresh air that allowed him to escape the smell of tobacco. He eventually won the tournament.
We also saw the orange on Chan's table during his two WSOP Main Event victories. Johnny used to smell it during the game, which helped him focus. It's a bit of an exaggeration to say that he became a legend thanks to a piece of fruit.
Although today's casinos have stricter rules about smoking, the orange has become an integral part of Chan's identity. Although he didn't bring it out as often in later years, his association with the fruit has remained legendary.
Other players' talismans - Mango, turtle and other curiosities
Khan's orange has inspired other players to use a variety of talismans. One of the most interesting cases was Steve O'Dwyer, who won the 2017 PokerStars Championship Macau tournament with a mango on the table. O'Dwyer admitted that he had no particular attachment to the fruit, but it was gifted to him by Yuan Li before the tournament and he decided to keep it with him. The result? Victory and a bizarrely famous new talisman.
Other interesting items at the table included Greg Raymer's fossil, which earned him the 2004 WSOP Main Event title along with the nickname The Fossil Man. Everyone remembers Doyle Brunson for his iconic hat, but back in the day his talisman was a black rock with the Ghostbuster logo that Brunson named Casper. Doyle even rented it out to players who weren't doing well for $200 for half an hour.
Chan's legacy in the poker world
Today, Johnny Chan doesn't appear in tournaments as often as he once did, but his legacy lives on. His name is associated with an era when poker wasn't yet a global phenomenon, but he helped bring it to prominence. His style of play, confidence and iconic orange will forever remain etched in poker history. Although talismans in poker have no real effect on results, they bring fun and mystique to the game. And Johnny Chan remains one of the first players to start this tradition - if only because he didn't want to breathe cigarette smoke
Source: Flickr, Wiki, Pokernews, YouTube