The Achievements of Poker Player James Van Alstyne

James Van Alstyne is a poker professional born in Columbus, Georgia but was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He spent his high school years at Ben Franklin High School in New Orleans and then spent his college years at Stanford University in California. He was in college completing a degree in engineering when he started to play poker. However, during this time, James Van Alstyne was not yet interested in making poker a profession. He was merely playing for fun and he became more interested in blackjack.

After graduating from Stanford University, James Van Alstyne worked as an engineer. He eventually turned into playing blackjack professionally, applying card counting techniques which he believed gave him a winning edge. He was always wearing a baseball cap every time he was going to participate in blackjack events so that the casino security would not recognize him. And when he shifted to playing professional poker, James Van Alstyne decided to just continue wearing a baseball cap at poker tables.

Between 1994 and 1998, James Van Alstyne joined Limit Omaha Hi/Lo events of the World Series of Poker and experienced money finishes three times. Two of these events formed part of the 25th Annual World Series of Poker wherein he placed 3rd and 8th, winning US$30,900 and US$6,750, respectively. The last one was an event at the 29th Annual World Series of Poker wherein he was a runner up, winning US$66,600.

In 1999, James Van Alstyne tried his luck in another type of poker game. He was one of the contestants of the No Limit Hold'em championship game at the 30th Annual World Series of Poker wherein he finished in sixteenth place, earning US$33,540.

For a few years, James Van Alstyne ceased to be visible in the poker scene as he became involved in the stock market. Unfortunately, he experienced losing more than a million dollars which eventually made him decide to stop being engaged in the stock market.

The comeback of James Van Alstyne to the poker scene proved that he was really one of the best poker players. On September 5, 2004, he won first place in a Plaza Ultimate Poker Challenge event. He also won first place in a World Poker Player Association Championship of Poker event on October 11, 2004, beating such poker players as Kathy Liebert and Juan Carlos Mortensen. In the same month, he also won at the Ultimate Poker Challenge.

James Van Alstyne may be a skillful poker player but he is also a typical guy who loves to listen to music. Every time he is at the poker table, he is seen wearing T-shirts featuring musical groups such as The Clash and The Ramones.