WPT Bio: Cornel Andrew Cimpan

Seat 4
Cornel Andrew Cimpan
3,691,000 (1^st in chips)

A 37-year-old from Romania, Cornel Andrew Cimpan is a former salesman who has been playing professional poker for about five years. He is married with a son and a daughter.

Prior to winning Season VII’s LA Poker Classic, Cimpan had $163,000 in career earnings, most of which came at smaller buy-in events at the Commerce and Bicycle Casinos. The 2009 LAPC was a breakout moment for Cimpan, who final tabled two preliminary events before taking down the LAPC Main Event to the tune of $1.6 million. The victory launched the Texas resident into the national poker spotlight and, since then, Cimpan has continued to post impressive result including a WSOP final table in 2009 in addition to his final table appearance here at Foxwoods.

The current chip leader has a reputation for aggressive and often unpredictable play, like his memorable river bluff with ten high against Chris "Jesus" Ferguson in the late stages of the LAPC event. After successfully running the bluff, Cimpan played to the crowd by showing them his cards first, then laying them on the table with an enthusiastic, "Ten high, baby!"

Biggest Live Tournament Cash: $1,661,260
Career Earnings in Live Tournaments: $1,912,238