Rui Chao: The Poker Pro Who Lives Life Unplanned

Rui Chao, a 32-year-old professional poker player, was born in China, grew up in France, and currently lives in London. He has been playing poker for the last 12 years, starting with high online limits under the nicknames PepperoniF and Rui Cao.

Rui Chao moved to France at the age of 6 and found it challenging to adapt to the new environment and language. His first French word was 'taisez-vous,' which means 'shut up,' and he learned it from his mother. This experience of adapting to a new culture and language has shaped his approach to poker, where he excels at adapting to different situations.

Rui Chao started playing poker after learning it from friends and found similarities between poker and computer games. He decided to focus on poker after finishing school and having a bankroll of around $100k. His parents were not enthusiastic but accepted his decision to pursue poker as a career. He transitioned from a good online regular to a top high-stakes player with the help of a group of French players. Rui Chao found that poker training helped him improve his own game by explaining his decisions and finding new strategies. His success in poker is measured by his ability to progress to higher limits, similar to his experience with computer games.