John Cernuto

By the beginning of the 1980s, it appeared as if John Cernuto had his life charted out. After majoring in finance at Florida State University he got himself a job as an air traffic controller and his career path seemed obvious. However, on August 3 1981, Cernuto was one of 12,000 air traffic controllers who went on strike demanding improved pay and better working conditions. Strikes by government unions were outlawed in 1956 and Ronald Reagan promptly sacked all the striking workers who refused to return to work within 48 hours.

With no job to tie him down, Cernuto took the decision to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, and try his luck as a poker professional.

He entered his first major tournament in 1989 and made it to the final of the 7 Card Stud event at the World Series of Poker. This early promise was matched, and bettered, in 1993 when he reached two WSOP finals, coming fourth in Limit Hold ‘em and finishing second in Limit Omaha Hi/Lo.

It was clear that this man would go on to become a bracelet winner and the fateful day came in April 1996 in the 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo event. His second WSOP triumph came in the following year when he won the No Limit Hold ‘em title and over a quarter of a million dollars. He was made to wait a bit longer for his next bracelet which did not come until 2002. This, his third and most recent, bracelet was won playing Limit Omaha.

He was in no way quiet during those five years with plenty of cash finishes including wins in the LA Poker Classic, the World Poker finals and the United States Poker Championship. In his professional career, Cernuto has become something of an Omaha Hi/Lo specialist and he has claimed more wins in that game than any other player.

Cernuto has won the title of Best Overall Player three times in his career and his career has continued to progress since his last bracelet win with wins in the World Heads-Up Poker Championship, the LA Poker Classic and the 2004 Shooting Star.

In the most recent WSOP, he made three final tables – two in 7 Card Stud and one in Razz.

By the start of 2006, Cernuto had earned more than $3,300,000 from tournament play.

As well as poker, Cernuto displays a talent for blackjack and he made the final table in the elimination event of the 2006 Ultimate Blackjack Tour.

Cernuto, who still lives in Las Vegas, is a married man with two children. His son, Tony, has followed in his father’s footsteps and has played poker at the highest level. His achievements include a second place finish in the LA Poker Classic and winning the Californian State Championship.