Aggressiveness: 7
Looseness: 7
Short-handed: 7
Limit: 8
No-limit: 7
Tournaments: 7
Side games: 8
Steam control: 4
Against weak players: 7
Against strong players: 8
Best game: Omaha eight-or-better
Weakness: Plays long sessions when losing, although he does it more successfully than most
Chau has been a consistent winner in the biggest games for many years. If he was more articulate, he would be recognized as one of the top five players in the world. He is a great front-runner and even though he is criticized for his lack of control when he is losing, he often gets even because his opponents let him run over the game as they protect their wins. He has won three WSOP bracelets although he has only played in about fifty events.
Amusing anecdote
When I first started playing with Chau, I talked to him about the hands in Vietnamese. I know all of the cards, numbers, and poker terms in Vietnamese but, overall, the number of words in my vocabulary is about the same as a five-year old’s. Also, I have trouble understanding the language when it is spoken at the pace of a native speaker.
For the next couple of sessions I nodded as Chau talked to me in Vietnamese. He got frustrated one time when he was telling me that in Vegas, the low hand acts first in Seven-card stud-hi/lo with no qualifier. They had added the game to the mix of games and as an out-of-towner, this was the first time I played it with them. Apparently, I had bet out of turn.
My girlfriend walked up and said to Chau, “He doesn’t understand you”.
Chau replied, “I’ve been talking to him in Vietnamese for three days”.
She said, “He’s a good listener”.
Title: Eye Of The Tiger
Artist: Survivor
Year: 1982
Reason for this song choice
Chau gives players the glance that a tiger gives before he vanquishes his prey. Additionally, Chau is a huge boxing fan, so this theme song from Rocky III was even more appropriate.