T.J. Cloutier

Thomas James (T.J.) Cloutier was born on October 13, 1939 and is a professional poker player from Albany, California who has around 50 years of poker experience under his belt.

Cloutier attended the University of California at Berkeley on a football and basketball scholarship. Unfortunately, his mother fell ill and he had to stop school because of the financial strain. Soon after this he was drafted into the Army, and this was where he learned how to play poker.

T.J. is the only player to have won events in all three types of Omaha at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) (Pot Limit High, Limit High, and Limit 8-or-Better High-low split). A Texas Hold'em starting hand, the Jack-9 of clubs, is called the "T.J. Cloutier" because Cloutier had flopped three flushes in one year with it. He has six bracelets to his name. He has also made the final table twice on the World Poker Tour (WPT), at the Reno Hilton and the Bicycle Casino.

Despite winning dozens of tournaments, Cloutier has never won the main event of the World Series of Poker, although he has placed four times in the top 5, including two 2nd place finishes in 1985 and 2000.

T.J. believes knowing your opponent is the key to victory. "If you and I had played poker together five years ago," he has said, "I wouldn't necessarily recall your name today, but I would remember your face and how you played your hands in different spots, your tendencies."

Cloutier has also featured in the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament, Ultimate Poker Challenge and Poker Royale: Battle of the Ages.

T.J. Cloutier and Phil Hellmuth are tied at a record 39 for the most all-time WSOP final table finishes.

T.J. is a father to six children, a loving husband to his wife of over 20 years and they make their home in Texas.


Fun Facts:

• Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006.
• Author of multiple poker books with Tom McEvoy, including Championship Pot-Limit, No-Limit Hold'em, Championship Tournament Practice Hands, Championship Holdem and Championship Omaha.
• Graduate of U.C. Berkeley.
• Played in the 1959 Rose Bowl.
• Played pro football with the Montreal Alouettes and the Toronto Argonauts.
• Travels to tournaments with Joy, his wife.
• Writes for Card Player Magazine