I don’t want to blow his image, but Chris “Jesus” Ferguson isn’t nearly as intimidating in person as he seems when you see him playing on all the WPT, WSOP, and other TV poker shows.
I talked with the five-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner (including the main event in 2000) about his intimidating image at the table, who he fears across the felt, whether he plays satellites or pays the full buy-in for the big tournaments he plays, and why it was so hard to go to the bathroom at the 2005 WSOP. We also discussed a little bit of strategy, whether he watches poker on TV to analyze future opponents, and the story behind those “hold’em or fold’em” commercials where he’s in a guy’s refrigerator.
Off the air, Chris told me that he doesn’t play in cash games and never really has — I guess he doesn’t have to, since he’s currently the 7th-best money maker on the poker circuit — so I wouldn’t look for him in your local poker room.
Listen to our conversation here.