Juan Carlos Mortensen AKA “El Matador”
Name – Juan Carlos Mortensen
Birthday – April 13, 1972
Location – Madrid, Spain
Online Screen Names – Carlos Mortensen
Endorses – Full Tilt Poker
Website – carlosthematador.com
Juan Carlos Mortensen was born in Ambato, Ecuador but was raised in Spain and then moved later to the United States. Whilst still in Madrid, he fell into poker completely by accident. He hadn’t even heard of the game until 1997. He had been working as a bartender and was waiting for his wife after his shift when he caught sight of a poker game. He became entranced and resolved to learn. He joined the game and lost $100 but upon returning the next night, he won his money back. After a year or so of playing around Madrid, he and his wife moved to the USA and have never looked back since.
Within just a few years, Mortensen was a millionaire, having won over $1.5 million in one tournament. In 2001, he won that amount by beating off all contenders and winning the World Series of Poker Main Event. Other great results were to follow soon afterwards, with Mortensen winning the World Poker Tour Doyle Brunson North Five World Poker Tour and taking home the $3 million prize. This made Mortensen the first player ever to win the double as such! These two prize money hauls went some way to proving that he was amongst the best in the game and took his earnings to over $5 million. He is still the top money earner in the game so far.
Mortensen has proved himself in all tournaments out there at the moment. He got to the second season of the Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament and has also cashed in the World Heads Up Poker Championship. More recently, Mortensen finished 11th at the European Poker Tour Main Event in 2007.
The World Series of Poker has been incredibly successful for Mortensen, and he achieved three final tables in 2006, finishing 9th in two No Limit Hold ‘Em events and 2nd in the Razz event. He won a second bracelet in the WSOP 2003 tournament for $5000 Limit Hold ‘Em.
Mortensen is one of the stars of the game today and has risen more quickly than some. Although he is now divorced, it is doubtful that he ever regrets his decision to move across the Atlantic.