Seat 2: Jonathan Duhamel (1,627,000)
Jonathan Duhamel really needs no introduction, but we'll give him one anyway. Born in Boucherville, Quebec, the Canadian native began taking the game seriously when he was only sixteen. “I started playing with the older brother of one of my friends and a few other friends, just like almost everyone,” Duhamel said. “I loved it from the start and I immediately realized that in this game, there were good players and very bad players too. The difference was evident.”
Duhamel attended college in pursuit of a finance career, but his plans soon changed. He discovered that he was making so much money playing online poker that he needed to take it more seriously. Against the advice of his family and friends, Duhamel took the plunge and pursued poker full time. Obviously that decision paid off when he made the November Nine at the 2010 World Series of Poker.
As you no doubt know, Duhamel went on to win that event for $8,944,310 and etched his name in poker history. At this year's WSOP, which has been called the "Year of the Canadians" as ten bracelets have been awarded to citizens of that country, Duhamel has cashed three times for $36,595 (including a tenth-place finish in Event #25 $5,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better).
“My greatest quality, I think, is my calm. I manage to never tilt," Duhamel has said in the past. "What I need the most to improve is to stop playing the sheriff and respect more players, especially the bad players who also have good hands sometimes.”
Today Duhamel hopes to become the 11th Canadian to capture a bracelet this summer, which would be his second piece of gold.
For more on Duhamel, check out PokerNews' player profile on the former champ.