Chris Moneymaker is the real name of the twenty-seven year old who won the 2003 World Series of Poker No Limit Hold'em Main Event Championship. His story is fit for a Hollywood movie, beginning with winning of his WSOP entry into the Series via Poker Stars online card room. His total investment was forty dollars, and he won $2,500,000. After winning his way into the event, he realized it would be difficult to scrape together airfare and the added hotel costs. His father, Mike and a friend, "David Gamble" (also his real name) put up some money to cover the cost for the trip in exchange for a portion of his winnings. He also donated $25,000 of his prize to cancer research.

Christopher Brian Moneymaker took the World Series of Poker 2003 by storm. There are many people who insist that it was the luck of the cards that earned Chris his victory. Although, luck played a part in his victory (it plays a part in every victory), he showed that he has the skill to play with the big boys. He had been playing three years before he won the Series, but had never played a live tournament. The first day he had Johnny Chan sitting on his right and Phil Ivey on his left. He said that he got outplayed and that night decided to not be afraid anymore. If he got beat, he got beat, but he was going to play his game. Indeed he did. He mixed it up beautifully and made some great plays along the way. The one hand that sticks in a lot of people's minds is when he went all in with his pocket 8s against Humbetro Brenes's pocket Aces. He caught the 8 giving him a set and sent Humberto to the rail.

Chris Moneymaker won the final hand with a full house, fives full of fours, defeating veteran ring game player Sam Farha's top two pair. Sammy Farha recieved 1.3 million for his second place finish.  

Chris is an accountant from Tennessee and father of a baby girl. He plans to use his money to put his daughter through college, and of course return next year to the World Series of Poker to defend his title.  However, he won't be able to use what he did to help him achieve his victory this year... being an unknown.

He still uses his screen name of  Money800 when he plays at Poker Stars.

Chris Moneymaker : How an Amateur Poker Player Turned $40 into $2.5 Million at the World Series of Poker Buy New: $16.29