Jul 21, 2013
2013 WSOP Main Event is the Last Big Ride for J.C. Tran
By RTR Dennis
When the 2013 WSOP Main Event final table was officially formed, one name stood out from the group – J.C. Tran. The obvious reason why Tran stands out is because he’s leading the November Nine with 38,000,000 chips. He’s also the most accomplished player among the nine survivors, having won two gold bracelets and $9,041,483 in live tournaments.
Considering that he’s got both the skills and chip stack to win the 2013 Main Event, you’d think that Tran would be scheming up ways to continue building his impending payout. But the truth is that he plans on winding down his poker career once the Main Event ends and somebody grabs the $8,359,531 top prize.
Rather than worrying about how to make his fortune grow larger, Tran knows that his family trumps poker any day. “Once this is over, it will be all family time for a long time,” he said. “I might make one stop for that big $10 million guarantee (Seminole Hardrock Poker Championship), but other than that, I’m not going to Asia, not going to Europe, nothing. That will be it.”
It seems as if Tran is currently looking at his Main Event opportunity as one last chance to hit a big score before settling down. But while the future may be about his family, the present is about J.C. grabbing the biggest cash that he can. And Tran’s wife has been on board with this goal by helping him as much as she can.
“My wife has been absolutely amazing. She’s pregnant at the moment so her body is exhausted,” said Tran. “Plus we have a two-year-old, so things can get pretty hectic. She even wakes up to make me breakfast, prepare my coffee, drop me off, and meet me on dinner break.”
With how supportive his wife has been, it’s easy to see why J.C. Tran is willing to cut down on his poker play and traveling once the Main Event ends. But he certainly won’t ride off into the sunset without first trying to pick up a huge payout.
There’s $26,662,066 in total prize money left on the final table, which guarantees that Tran will be getting a nice payday, regardless of whether he takes first or ninth. Of course, as his 38 million chips suggest, he’s far more likely to finish closer to first.