Chip Jett

Charles Jett was given his nickname by a nurse in the hospital where he was born. It seems fitting that someone growing up being called Chip would become a full time poker professional.

Originally from Scottsdale, Arizona, Jett started his life in poker as a dealer and played as a proposition player in an Indian casino. He realised the he was making more money from playing than from dealing so he made the decision to stick to one side of the table and turned pro.

He is very much a tournament player with the ability to turn to a number of different games. After quickly earning the reputation as one of Arizona’s top card players he soon wanted to challenge himself at a higher level and found himself travelling the country to test his abilities.

His first major tournament was the Californian Poker State Challenge where he finished fifth in the No Limit Hold ‘em. He has continued to play in the big games and has reached final tables in six different poker games – 7 Card Stud, Razz, Omaha Hi/Lo, HORSE, HOE, 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo, and his favourite, Hold ‘em.

The first of his eight victories came in November 2001 when he came out on top of the Limit 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo in the Fall Poker Classic. By the start of 2007, Jett was approaching the $2,000,000 mark with his highest payout received coming in June 2003 in his lucky state of California, winning the No Limit Hold ‘em event at the Poker Championship.

2003 was perhaps his most successful year of poker, when he made sixteen final tables in major tournaments, including two at the World Series of Poker.

As well as money, Jett also found love in the poker arena. He and Karina Mikelis, as she was then known, were introduced by a mutual friend. After a mere five weeks together the two got married at the infamous Little White Chapel in Vegas. The couple went on to make poker history in the 2005 London Open as they became the first married pair to sit at a final table of a $10,000 championship event. Chip got the better of his wife that day, finishing four places higher.

The Jetts have now had two children together – one daughter and one son. The daughter, Athena, was born during the Four Queens Tournament and even though she forced her mother to leave the event when she was leading, there are no hard feelings towards her.

Settled back into their old routine, the Jetts now appear on tables around the world and in the Card Player magazine where they write a column together in the tried and tested ‘he said/she said’ manner. Both are signed up to Team Full Tilt and they can often be found playing online.