From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

T. J. Cloutier
T. J. Cloutier at the 2005 World Series of Poker after winning event 13
Nickname(s)	None
Hometown	Richardson, Texas
World Series of Poker
Bracelet(s)	6
Money finishes	55
Highest ITM main event finish	2nd, 1985 2000
World Poker Tour
Titles	None
Final tables	2(+1)
Money finishes	5
European Poker Tour
Titles	None
Final tables	None
Money finishes	1

Thomas James Cloutier (born October 13, 1939) is a professional poker player from Albany, California. He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006.

Contents 1 Early years 2 Tournament career 2.1 WSOP Bracelets 3 Poker writings 4 Trivia 5 References 6 External links

Cloutier attended the University of California, Berkeley on an athletic scholarship for American football and baseball and played in the Rose Bowl in 1959. However, he later dropped out because of family financial hardship.

Cloutier was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he learned to play poker. After the Army, he played football in the Canadian Football League for Toronto and Montreal, but an injury cut his career short.

Cloutier then started a food company, but it was not successful, so he moved to Texas to work on oil rigs. On his off days he began to play poker, and quit his job after realizing that he was winning more money playing poker than working.

Cloutier specializes in playing tournament poker, especially No Limit and Pot Limit Hold'em. He is the only person in the history of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) to have won events in all three types of Omaha played at the World Series - (Pot Limit High, Limit High, and Limit 8-or-Better High-low split).

Despite winning dozens of tournaments, he 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.

Cloutier also plays in World Poker Tour (WPT) events, where his highest finish to date was 3rd place in the 2003 Legends of Poker event won by Mel Judah.

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

Cloutier is tied with Phil Hellmuth for the most all-time WSOP final table finishes record, each with 39.^[1]

As of 2007, his total live tournament winnings exceed $9,250,000.^[2]

Year	Tournament	Prize
1987	$1,000 Limit Omaha Hi	$72,000
1994	$1,500 Limit Omaha 8 or Better	$135,000
1994	$2,500 Pot Limit Hold'em	$163,000
1998	$2,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi	$136,000
2004	$1,500 Seven Card Razz	$90,500
2005	$5,000 No Limit Hold'em	$657,100

Cloutier is the co-author (together with Tom McEvoy) of four books:

• Championship Tournament Practice Hands
• Championship Holdem
• Championship Omaha
• Championship No-Limit and Pot Limit Hold'em.

In May 2006 Cloutier released How To Win The Championship: Hold'em Strategies For The Final Table, a book covering tournament strategy with an emphasis on the final few tables.

He also writes for Card Player Magazine.

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• The Texas Hold'em starting hand Jack-9 of clubs is named the "T.J. Cloutier" in his honor because of flopping three straight flushes in one year with the hand.
• Cloutier is married to Joy Cloutier, has six children, and resides in Richardson, Texas.
• Cloutier also plays numerous pit games, including craps. ^[1] It has been reported from multiple sources that his non-poker gambling has greatly diminished his monetary success in life, in spite of having won over $8,000,000 playing cards. ^[2]
• Was born on Friday the 13th

1. ^ final table record.
2. ^ Hendon Mob tournament results

• Poker Books interview and biography
• World Poker Tour profile
• Poker Babes profile
• Poker Pages profile
• Poker Baron profile

v • d • e Card Player Magazine Player of the Year Award Winners
1997: Men Nguyen • 1998: T. J. Cloutier • 1999: Tony Ma • 2000: David Pham • 2001: Men Nguyen (2) • 2002: T. J. Cloutier (2) • 2003: Men Nguyen (3) • 2004: Daniel Negreanu • 2005: Men Nguyen (4) • 2006: Michael Mizrachi • 2007: David Pham (2)