The Aussie Poker Guide

T. J. Cloutier: A Respected Poker Professional

Thomas James Cloutier, more famously known as T. J. Cloutier, is one of the professional poker players who have made a mark in the poker industry. Being a professional poker player for a long, long, long time now, he has earned the respect of many poker fans and big-time professional poker players. As a matter of fact, his achievements in the industry made him worthy of being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006.

Born on October 13, 1939, T. J. Cloutier thought that he was going to have a career in football. He attended college on a scholarship for American baseball and football at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1959, he even had the chance to play in the Rose Bowl. However, his family experienced financial problems that forced him to drop out of college.

T. J. Cloutier was then invited to join the football team of the U.S. Army. It was during this time when he was introduced to the game of poker but he played it merely for fun. He then joined the Canadian Football League but he suffered an injury that ended his dream of becoming a professional football player.

T. J. Cloutier decided to venture into other industries. First, he established a food company which did not become successful. This forced him to relocate to Texas to work on oil platforms.

When he was not working, T. J. Cloutier would play poker for leisure. This was the start of his realization that he wanted to stop playing poker for fun. He knew that he wanted to play poker as a profession.

The specialization of T. J. Cloutier has always been the No Limit and Pot Limit Hold'em poker games. In fact, out of the six World Series of Poker bracelets won by this professional poker player, five bracelets were earned from three types of Omaha games. In 1987, he won in the US$1,000 Limit Omaha Hi event. In 1994, he won in the US$1,500 Limit Omaha 8 or Better event. In the same year, this professional poker player won in the US$2,500 Pot Limit Hold'em event. In 1998, he won in another US$2,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi event, and in 2005, he won in the US$5,000 No Limit Hold'em event. It was in 2004 when this professional poker player won a World Series of Poker bracelet for another type of poker game, which was the US$1,500 Seven Card Razz event.

Despite such achievements, T. J. Cloutier still hopes that he will someday win in the main event of the World Series of Poker. He has tried so many times before but has not won first place yet. However, this professional poker player has experienced being in the top five four times, as well as finishing second place twice. Well, it is not unlikely that he will someday reach such dream.

This professional poker player has also appeared in other poker events, such as the Poker Royale: Battle of the Ages, the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, and the Ultimate Poker Challenge.