Today Bodog Poker Network announced the newest member of Team Bodog. The group signed rising Asian poker star Jay Tan to represent the brand, joining Tatjana Pasalic on the team.
The Hong Kong resident was born in Los Angeles to a Chinese father and Taiwanese mother. She lived in Hong Kong until she was four before moving to Australia for her formative years.
Tan didn’t plan on a career in poker. In fact, she has a Masters in Business and her decision to relocate back to Hong Kong was to pursue a banking career at Goldman Sachs.
How did she make the transition to poker? She saw it on TV and thought, “I would love to do that. I was watching Daniel Negreanu play. I was impressed by his natural instincts and his ease at the tables. Right then I decided that one day, I’ll play.”
Jay Tan started learning and playing the game whenever she wasn’t working in the bank. After enough tournament cashes and ring game profits, Tan decided to quit banking and take-up poker full time.
I asked her what it means to join team Bodog, “Even before I was thinking about being sponsors, I dreamt of being a Bodog pro.” Tan said. “It’s great they chose me. it’s an exciting brand and I’m excited to have this opportunity.”
She continued, “I think I’m a great for Bodog because they are a fun brand and I love having fun playing poker and living the lifestyle that goes with being a Bodog Poker Pro.”
She spends her time riding her Honda VFR400 as fast as the busy Hong Kong streets will allow, “One day I hope to put on my riding suit, take a bike to the racetrack and corner some tight turns.”
The addition of Tan coincides with the launch of Bodog88’s Chinese poker client. The petite Tan knows she’ll be carrying the weight of the world’s largest gambling brand on her slight shoulders in Asia but she’s up for the challenge.
“When I play tournaments in Macau, a lot of people are wearing similar patches. I’m proud to be a part of Team Bodog. It’s an exciting time as I can be the face of the brand as it grows in Asia.”
That crowd keeps getting larger as the Asian poker community continues to boom, “I’m so honoured to be part of growing the sport in Asia, the poker community keeps growing. The fields are getting larger in every tournament I enter with people from China, Singapore, Japan, Korea and Australia.”
Jay Tan already has reached some high-profile final tables in her career, finishing fifth in the Macau Poker Cup – No Limit Red Dragon and second in the Macau Poker Cup – NLHE KO Bounty. She also ran deep and cashed her first WSOP event last year. It’s only a matter of time before she wins her first tournament and she already has her celebration planned.
“I’m going to buy a bottle of the Ace of Spades Champagne (Armand de Brignac),” she continues, “and if it’s a major tournament, I’m going to buy a Ducati Monster!”
And just how will she win her first poker title?
“I think I have good intuition and I sometimes I like to talk my opponents into doing what I want.”
She has a warning for her potential opponents, “If you get to a showdown with me, you better have a great hand. Whether you call or fold, it’s probably the play I wanted you to make.”
We wish Jay Tan all the best as the newest member of Team Bodog. You can follow Jay Tan on Twitter @PocketJays
