John Duthie
- Twitter: @JohnnyDuthie
- Birthdate: 13th May 1958
- Birthplace: Leeds, UK
- Residence: London, UK
- Biggest Win: $1,426,330
- Total Winnings: $2,790,350
- Sponsored by: Ex PokerStars
John Duthie first made his name in film and television. After working as a runner for a television company, basically as a dogsbody for cast and crew, he got his break in the nineties, becoming an assistant director on ‘Poirot’ and ‘The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.’ At the same time he started playing poker but only in his somewhat limited spare time.
In 1999, he helped develop the UK poker show, ‘Late Night Poker,’ the first TV program to introduce the ‘Hole Cam,’ the camera that reveals the players’ cards to the viewers.
The following year, Duthie stepped up a level in both work and play. Firstly, assistant was dropped from his job description, he became the director responsible for British programs such as ‘Hollyoaks,’ and ‘Silent Witness.’ Plus, in poker, he won his first major tournament and over $1.8 million in the televised Poker Millions event, having a starring role on the other side of the camera for a change.
After his big win in 2000, Duthie still finishes in the money on some occasions and has managed a handful of tournament wins, including in the Vienna Spring Poker festival in 2004. His other notable competition was a final table finish at the 2005 World Series of Poker, when he was knocked out by eventual winner and, at the time, his PokerStars.com teammate, Morten Jensen. His ninth place finish pocketed him $55,750. In 2009 in came second at the 40th WSOP, playing $ 10,000 World Championship Heads-Up, that earned him $386,636.
However, it was for one moment in 2004 that John Duthie’s name earned a notable place in the history of poker and it occurred not in the casino but in the bathtub. Realizing he should combine his love of television with poker, he came up with the idea of the European Poker Tour, (EPT). Using his casino contacts and persuading Pokerstars.com to sponsor his brainwave, he brought the plan to fruition.
Taking in casinos in Austria, Ireland, Britain, Spain, France, Denmark and Monaco the EPT has proved a massive success and has become an important part of the poker calendar for many professional players. Its participants appreciate the tour’s structure while television companies worldwide value the viewing figures.
He resigned as CEO of EPT in 2012 having left PokerStars at the end of his contract in 2011. Duthie himself had only one money finish at the EPT events, he came 41st at the Main Event in San Remo, earning him $19,302 and some say his involvement in EPT may have led to him being invited to be a consultant for the filming of the James Bond film, ‘Casino Royale.’ Perhaps, with Duthie’s double life of poker and film, it’s more a case of ‘You Only Live Twice.’
Poker Millions
John Duthie was sitting heads-up against Teddy Tuil across the blue table of the televised Poker Millions Hold’em tournament in the Isle of Man. The Israeli Tuil raised from the small blind position with a powerful hand, A♥ Q♦. Duthie counted out some chips and then re-raised. Both players studied each other impassively as Tuil carefully stacked his chips into neat piles to make the call.
The flop came 8♣ 8♠ 2♣. Both players quickly checked and Duthie rubbed his nose as the 5♥ appeared on the turn. He made a fairly small bet of 50,000 chips and Tuil once again called. The river was the A♠. Duthie watched his opponent as he once more checked and Tuil made a small bet, now with two pairs. Duthie went ‘all in’ and Tuil pushed his few remaining chips into the pot also. Tuil turns his cards over and Duthie throws his to the table revealing an A♣ 8♦ for a full house.
John had showed his cool and slow-played Tuil to a prize of $1,874,700 but the man from Israel was gracious in defeat, smiling broadly as he congratulated his victor. Duthie put his hands over his eyes and seemed to be in shock for a few moments before he composed himself. Then walking over to cage that held the prize money, he pulled out a wad of cash and bringing it to his lips, kissed it for the cameras.
Last updated May 2013