Name: Bill Chen
Nickname: none
PokerStars ID: Bill Chen
Birth date: 1970
Birth place: N/A
Current Residence: Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania
WSOP Bracelets: 2
WPT Championships: 0
Best Game: poker variants
Biggest Cash Out: July 2006 WSOP $2,500 Short Handed No Limit Hold’em for $442,511
First WSOP Bracelet: July 2006 $3,000 Limit Hold’em for $343,618
Biggest WSOP Cash out: 2006 WSOP $2,500 Short Handed No Limit Hold’em for $442,511
All Time Money List: 495th
Hobbies: poker author, finances, quantitive models
Bill Chen is one professional poker player who has the smarts to back up his game. Bill graduated from the University of California, Berkley with a PhD in math and has worked as a quantitative analyst and software designer.
Bill used his know how to study how advanced math could help poker players improve their poker skills. Bill used his knowledge to co-author ‘The Mathematics of Poker’ with Jerrod Ankenman which is an introduction to quantitative techniques and game theory applied to poker.
With his knowledge of mathematics, Bill has been able to perform well at the poker table. In 2000 Bill made his first World Series of Poker cash out and almost a final table in the $1,500 Ace-to-Five Lowball event. Bill earned almost $3,000 for that finish.
Over the next few years Bill would play in small events to practice his skills and become a sharper player. In 2005 he returned to the World Series of Poker and cashed out two times. Then in 2006, Bill’s mathematical approach began to show serious results. Bill made it to three final tables and two of those produced a bracelet win. Bill also cashed out in five more events and earned over $800,000 for his efforts.
Bill returned to the WSOP in 2007 and cashed out in four more events. Bill has been very successful at the WSOP in recent years and what may be surprising is the events he is competing in are not the same type of poker game. Bill has found success in several variants of poker including Razz, Omaha, Lowball and Stud.
Bill authored the Chen Formula which ranks Texas hold’em starting hands by assigning them a numerical value and the formula was published in Lou Krieger’s 2000 book titled Hold’em Excellence. Bill is currently working for the Statistical Abritrage department at Susquehanna International Group and continues to work on creating quantitive models related to poker.
Bill’s employer SIG provides a very poker friendly environment by encouraging poker play between their employees. The company also let’s Bill take time off to compete in poker tournaments including the WSOP every year. When competing, Bill represents PokerStars as he is a member of the online poker room’s team.
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