T.J. Cloutier was born in 1939 in California. In his youth he was a great athlete. He attended the University of California Berkeley on a football and baseball scholarship. He was drafted into the army, where he first learned poker. After leaving the army, T.J. played for the Canadian Football League, in for Toronto and Montreal.
Eventually a knee injury would cut short his athletic career. At this point, Cloutier began playing poker at a more serious level, and soon enough he would move to Vegas and begin his poker career.
T.J. specializes in holdem poker tournaments. Despite his large amount of success in these tournaments, including over 140 cashes worth more that $7 million, he has never won the WSOP Main Event. Cloutier came close to accomplishing this four times, but ended up with top five finishes.
Even though Cloutier has never won the Main Event, he has been very successful at the WSOP. He has won 6 bracelets, and is the only player in history to win WSOP events in all types of Omaha.
Cloutier and Tom McEvoy have made four poker strategy books. T.J. also writes poker strategy articles for CardPlayer.
Career Accomplishments: - 6 WSOP Bracelets - 16 First Place Finishes - Over 140 Tournament Cashes - Over $7 Million Career Tournament Earnings