Linda Johnson – Poker Player Profile
Born on October 14, 1953 in Long Island, New York, Linda Johnson started her adult life working for the US Postal Service. After turning 21, she began traveling to Las Vegas numerous times a year to play blackjack. However, her father soon convinced her that poker was the game to master, since it wasn’t played against the house.
Honing her skills in a weekly home game with her co-workers, Linda realized that she had a special talent for poker as she consistently beat her friends. She began frequenting card rooms in Gardena and eventually found herself back in Vegas, this time to play Seven-Card stud and Texas Hold’em. In 1980, she entered the World Series of Poker Ladies Seven-Card Stud tournament and placed fifth. Linda promptly quit her day job and became a professional poker player. She reached the peak of her playing career in 1997, winning her first and only WSOP bracelet by taking down the $1500 Seven-Card Razz event for $96K. All told, Linda has $300K in live tournament earnings.
In 1992, Linda went on the inaugural Card Player Poker Cruise and, after learning that the magazine was for sale, she put together a group which purchased the publication. In her eight years as publisher of Card Player, Linda led the magazine to prominence and has played an instrumental part in its past and present success. In 2000, she sold the magazine to Barry Shulman but retained Card Player Cruises and has since hosted more than sixty poker cruises around the globe.
Known affectionately as ‘The First Lady of Poker’, Linda Johnson remains actively involved in the poker world. She played a large role in developing the Tournament Directors Association (TDA), which sets common rules for tournament organizations such as the World Poker Tour, and she still serves on its Board of Directors.
Currently, Linda juggles a variety of responsibilities, including working as a Poker Relations Consultant for the World Poker Tour, announcing for the studio of audience of live WPT events, and organizing Card Player cruises.
A generous humanitarian, Linda helped found PokerGives.org along with Jan Fisher, Lisa Tenner, and Mike Sexton. The goal of PokerGives is to raise funds through the poker world to be donated to mainstream charities like the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, the Special Olympics, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Step by Step.
The First Lady of Poker is held in the highest regard by her peers and as such was bestowed the Brian Saltus Award for her class, dignity, and courage at the poker table. In 2008, she was a charter inductee into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame. Linda Johnson is not only a great ambassador to the game, but also one of the most respected people in poker.
Related Poker News:
- Women’s Poker Spotlight: Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher on Poker in Singapore
- Women’s Poker Spotlight, September 27th - Linda Johnson, First-Class Business Woman
- The ‘Other’ Games of Poker: Linda Johnson on Razz
- Barry Greenstein, Linda Johnson Voted Into Poker Hall of Fame
- Greenstein, Johnson inducted into the Poker HOF
- Greenstein, Johnson make Poker Hall of Fame
- Greenstein, Johnson to be inducted into Poker Hall of Fame
- Linda Johnson WSOP Ladies Event Speech
- Greenstein, Johnson voted into Poker Hall of Fame, to be inducted at main event in Vegas
- PokerNews Op-Ed: If I Had a Vote
- Poker fans learn from the pros
- The Poker Shrink, Vol 19 - Bad Behavior
Poker terminology:
- WHEEL - A-2-3-4-5. Usually discussed in the context of lowball where it is the best possible hand. Can also refer to a 5-high straight in high games. Also: BICYCLE.
- THIRD STREET - In Stud, the third card dealt to each player.
- LIVE ONE - The best kind of opponent, a poor player with a lot of money to lose and in a hurry to lose it.
- REBUY - [1] To purchase additional chips after an initial buy-in, usually after losing most or all of the previous buy-in. This term is most often used in certain tournaments where if one loses all one's chips, or falls below a certain minimum chip level, for an additional sum of money one can purchase a fixed amount of additional tournament chips. Usually there is a time limit (The "REBUY PERIOD") as to how long rebuys are allowed. [2] The additional chips "rebought" in tournament play.
- SPLIT [OPENERS] - In draw poker, to discard one or more openers, usually to draw to a straight or flush. Normally requires the opener to declare the act and retain the discards so that the act of opening can later be validated.
- FLAT CALL - To call a bet. Emphasizes that the caller did not raise.
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