David Pham (born February 10, 1967, in

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...

), is a

Vietnamese-American Vietnamese Americans () are Americans of Vietnamese people, Vietnamese ancestry. They constitute a major part of all overseas Vietnamese. As of 2023, over 2.3 million people of Vietnamese descent live in the United States, making them the fourth ...

professional

poker Poker is a family of Card game#Comparing games, comparing card games in which Card player, players betting (poker), wager over which poker hand, hand is best according to that specific game's rules. It is played worldwide, with varying rules i ...

player from

Bell Gardens, California Bell Gardens is a city in the U.S. state of California in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Located in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, the city's population was 39,501 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Bell Ga ...

, with three

World Series of Poker The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a series of poker tournaments held annually in Paradise, Nevada, and since 2004, sponsored by Eldorado Resorts, Caesars Entertainment. It dates its origins to 1970, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best ...

bracelets A bracelet is an article of jewellery that is worn around the wrist. Bracelets may serve different uses, such as being worn as an ornament. When worn as ornaments, bracelets may have a supportive function to hold other items of decoration, ...

who has made seven final tables at the

World Poker Tour The World Poker Tour (WPT) is an internationally televised gaming and entertainment brand. Since 2002, the World Poker Tour has operated a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting playdown and the ...

Early life

Pham was born in

and fled to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

at the age of 17 in a boat carrying 145 people, of whom only 46 survived the journey. Once in the United States, Pham gained employment at his cousin's laundry business. His cousin is the famed professional poker player Men Nguyen, from whom Pham learned poker and continued to do so even after Pham along with his wife had opened a nail salon in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

Poker

In both 2000 and 2007 Pham was named "Player of the Year" by

Card Player Card players are those participating in a card game. Various names are given to card players based on their role or position. Position Games of Anglo-American origin In games of Anglo-American origin played in English-speaking countries, ...

. As of 2017, his total live tournament winnings exceed $9,850,000. His 50 cashes at the WSOP account for over $2,175,000 of those winnings.

World Series of Poker

Pham won a

(WSOP)

bracelet A bracelet is an article of jewellery that is worn around the wrist. Bracelets may serve different uses, such as being worn as an ornament. When worn as ornaments, bracelets may have a supportive function to hold other items of decoration, ...

2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

for the $2.000 S.H.O.E. event, defeating a final table including

Tom McEvoy Thomas K. McEvoy (born November 14, 1944, in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is a professional poker player, author and member of the Poker Hall of Fame, 2013 inductee. He is best known for winning the 1983 World Series of Poker Main Event. Early lif ...

John Cernuto John Anthony Cernuto (January 11, 1944 – February 10, 2025) also known as ''Miami'', was an American professional poker player based in Las Vegas, Nevada, specialising in Omaha hi-lo events. Cernuto won over $6,200,000 in live tournament winni ...

Cyndy Violette Cyndy Violette (born August 19, 1959, in Queens, New York) is an American professional poker player who won a World Series of Poker bracelet in 2004. Background Violette often played poker with family members as a child. Her family relocated ...

and

Paul Darden Paul Darden, Jr. (born October 27, 1968) is an American professional poker player, rap music promoter, and night club owner from New Haven, Connecticut. Early years He was accused of murder at the age of 15, due to mistaken identity but was acq ...

. In

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

, Pham won a second WSOP bracelet in the $2,000 No Limit Hold'em Shootout event. He won a $1,500 No Limit Hold'em event in

2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...

for his third bracelet. He won a WSOP Circuit event in the $1,675 No Limit Hold'em - Main Event in Los Angeles in 2018.

World Series of Poker Bracelets

Other poker

In February 2003, Pham won the $5,000 limit hold'em event of the L.A. Poker Classic, outlasting such players as John Phan and

Jennifer Harman Jennifer C. Harman (born November 29, 1964) is an American professional poker player. She has won two World Series of Poker bracelets in open events, one of only four women to have done so . Career Harman won her first World Series of Poker br ...

to take home the $457,320 first prize. Later, in December 2004, he defeated Alan Goehring heads-up to win the $3,000 no limit hold'em event at the Five Diamond World Poker Classic, earning a payday of $414,419. On March 28, 2008, Pham made his sixth WPT final table at the 2008 World Poker Challenge, where he finished 5th earning $93,664. On November 5, 2008, Pham finished in fourth place at the WPT Foxwoods World Poker Finals, earning $240,344. In January 2008, Pham finished in fourth place, winning $600,000 at the

European Poker Tour The European Poker Tour (EPT) is a series of poker Poker tournament, tournaments created by John Duthie (poker player), John Duthie, winner of the inaugural Poker Million tournament. It began in 2004 as part of the worldwide explosion in Texas ...

's (EPT) PokerStars Caribbean Poker Adventure (formerly a WPT event) after being eliminated at the final table by Bertrand Grospellier, who called Pham all-in with an ace high flush draw on the turn, which was made on the river.

References

External links

Card Player profileHendon Mob profileWPT profileWSOP profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pham, David World Series of Poker bracelet winners American poker players Vietnamese poker players 1967 births Living people People from Bell Gardens, California