Winning events: WSOP 2001
Winning hand: KQJ109
Name: Juan Carlos Mortensen
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Cashes: 62
Total Winnings: $4,231,109
First Place Finishes: 11
WSOP Bracelets: 2
ProRank 1 Position: 9
Marital Status: Married
Nickname: El Matador

Carlos 'El Matador' Mortensen

Carlos Mortensen, nicknamed "El Matador," was born in Ambato, Ecuador, in 1972 to a Spanish mother. When Mortensen was a teenager, his family relocated to Madrid, Spain. Mortensen was first introduced to the game of poker at a local club where his friends and him used to play chess. One day, the guys started up a poker game and young Mortensen decided to join them. From that day on, he could no longer detach himself from the game.

Carlos Mortensen, nicknamed "El Matador," was born in Ambato, Ecuador, in 1972 to a Spanish mother. When Mortensen was a teenager, his family relocated to Madrid, Spain. Mortensen was first introduced to the game of poker at a local club where his friends and him used to play chess. One day, the guys started up a poker game and young Mortensen decided to join them. From that day on, he could no longer detach himself from the game.

 

Becoming very successful in poker led Mortensen to consider a full-time poker pro career. He started playing tournament poker, first close to home in Europe and later on in Las Vegas. Eventually, somewhere in the 90's, Mortensen and his wife, Cecilia Reyes, also a poker player, made Sin City their hometown. In an interview, Mortensen was reported as saying that they spend two months each year in Spain and from their they travel to the major European tournaments taking place in Paris, Amsterdam and London. The rest of the year they typically stay in the States.

 

The ever-confident Mortensen entered the 2001 World Series of Poker main event when he was 29 years old. There were as many as 612 entrants to the WSOP that year. El Matador remembers having $28,000 in his pocket the first day he played. On the fourth day, he had already accumulated $875,000. Mortensen took his time to study his opponents' styles and ultimately used this information against them. The final hands saw two great players - the insatiable Juan Carlos and seasoned player Dewey Tomko, an owner of three WSOP bracelets. When the two opponents started their final hand combat, Mortensen had nearly $4.1 million in chips and Tomko had about $2 million.

 

The final hand offered a surprise making Mortensen sweat. Carlos was a marriage of clubs when he called Dewey's $100,000 wager. On the flop, the dealer revealed a jack of diamonds and a 10 and 3 of clubs. Dewey raised the pot to $500,000, Carlos decide to move all-in. Next, on the turn, the dealer showed a 3 of diamonds. Carlos desperately needed a 9 or an Ace to make a straight, or any club card to make a flush. To Mortensen's delight, the river delivered a 9 of diamonds, and Dewey Tomko nabbed only the second place prize. El Matador was crowned the 2001 WSOP Winner. He took come $1.5 million.

 

Among Mortensen's other big wins was also the 2004 World Poker Tour Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship boasting a $1,000,000 first place prize. His other memorable money finishes include: the World Heads-UP Poker Championship and the Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament. As of 2006, Mortensen boasts 2 WSOP bracelets and more than $4,370,000 in tournament winnings. He made three final tables at the 2006 World Series of Poker.

Player results


Event

Prize

Place

Date

Comment

2001 WSOP, Main Event

$1,500,000

1st

May 18, 2001

No Limit Hold 'em

Shooting Star Tournament

$44,550

1st

Mar 26, 2001

No Limit Hold 'em

Californian State Poker Championship, Event #3

$25,191

1st

Jun 9, 2002

Limit Omaha Hi/Lo

World Poker Finals WPT Season 1, Event #21

$53,280

1st

Nov 9, 2002

Pot Limit Hold 'em

34th Annual Word Series of Poker, Event #34

$251,680

1st

May 17, 2003

WSOP Limit Hold 'em

LA Poker Classic – WPT Season 2, Event #22

$117,650

1st

Feb 19, 2004

Pot Limit Hold 'em

World Poker Player Association (WPPA) Championship of Poker, Shootout

$16,780

1st

Oct 6, 2004

No Limit Hold 'em

2004 Festa al LagoIII/Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship- WPT Event Season 3, WPT Main Event

$1,000,000

1st

Oct 22, 2004

No Limit Hold 'em

Grand Casino Tunica Poker Tournament – WSOP Circuit Event, Event #21

$53,105

1st

Jan 22, 2006

WSOP Circuit Limit H.O.R.S.E

The Johny Chain Invitational

$139,195

1st

Sep 15, 2006

No Limit Hold 'em

Heavenly Hold 'em Tournament, Event #4

$4,047

2nd

Sep 11, 2000

Pot Limit Hold 'em

Mirage Poker Showdown/ WPT Event Season 4

$72,844

2nd

May 16, 2005

No Limit Hold 'em

37th Annual World Series of Poker, Event #33

$94,908

2nd

Jul 22, 2006

WSOP Razz Seven Card

Californian State Poker Championship, Event #12

$5,050

3rd

Jun 18, 2002

Limit 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo

Barcelona Open – EPT/ Pokerstars Season 2

$19,659

3rd


Sep 14, 2005

No Limit Hold 'em Final Table Heads Up

33rd Annual WSOP, Event 19

$40,940

4th

May 6, 2002

Limit 7-Card Stud

Borgata Poker4 Open WPT Season 2

$70,500

4th

Sep 22, 2003

WPT No Limit Hold 'em

4th Annual World Heads Up Poker Championship

$20,000

4th

Jun 18, 2004

Heads Up – No Limit Hold 'em

World Poker Player Association (WPPA) Championship of Poker

$32,125

4th

Oct 11, 2004

No Limit Hold 'em

Caesars Las Vegas Poker Tournament – WSOP Circuit Event, Event #37

$17,500

5th

May 2, 2006

WSOP Circuit

Heavenly Hold 'em Tournament, Event #7

$909

6th

Sep 14, 2000

Pot Limit Hold 'em

Legends of Poker WPT Season 1, Event #3

$3,810

6th

Aug 2, 2002

No Limit Hold 'em

31st Annual WSOP, Event #20

$22,575

7th

May 12, 2000

WSOP No Limit Hold 'em

Heavenly Hold 'em Tournament, Event #9

$1,365

7th

Sep 16, 2000

No Limit Hold 'em

Californian State Poker Championship, Event #2

$1,620

7th

Jun 8, 2002

Limit 7-Card Stud

L.A. Poker Classic – WPT Season 1

$4,950

7th

Feb 19, 2003

No Limit Hold 'em

Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic – WPT Season 1, Event #21

$10,145

8th

Dec 12, 2002

WPT No Limit Hold 'em

World Poker Finals, Event #16

$13,260

9th

Nov 19, 2000

No Limit Hold 'em

Five-Star World Poker Classic – WPT Championship Season 1

$7,820

9th

Apr 12, 2003

No Limit Hold 'em

WPT Invitational $200,00 Freeroll

$2,000

9th

Feb 25, 2004

WPT No Limit Hold 'em

37th Annual WSOP, Event #2

$71,617

9th

Jun 27, 2006

WSOP No Limit Hold 'em

37th Annual WSOP, Event #6

$73,344

9th

Jul 1, 2006

WSOP No Limit Hold 'em

L.A. Poker Classic – WPT Season 1, Event #21

$21,355

10th

Feb 24, 2003

Pot Limit Hold 'em

6th World Head Up Championship

$6,553

10th

May 28, 2006

No Limit Hold 'em WHUPC

37th Annual WSOP, Event #17

$38,939

10th

Jul 10, 2006

WSOP No Limit Hold 'em


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