Julian Thew aka Yo-Yo (born 1966) is an English professional poker player and an endorsed William Hill pro. Since he became a professional in 2001, Julian Thew has made a name for himself as one of the strongest players on the European circuit. Over a relatively brief career he has won 10 first place prizes, and netted more than $2.3 million in prize money.
Julian Thew first entered the world of professional poker in 2001, when he played the European Poker Championship in London. His chosen tournament - the £350 No Limit Hold'em - proved quite a successful starting point: he came in fifth out of a 127-strong field, and won nearly $3,000. This experience triggered his interest in the professional scene, and he began playing more UK tournaments.
Four years later Julian Thew was already gaining recognized at European professional circles. Unlike some American phenomenons who shot to fame after winning an enormous cash prize at a high-profile Las Vegas event, Julian Thew took what seemed to be the long road to poker domination. He showed up at relatively small-scale events, such as the Blackpool Bonanza, and more high-profile ones such as the World Heads Up Poker Championship in Barcelona. The cosmopolitan atmosphere of these tournaments (the top nine winners came from eight different nations!) undoubtedly gained Julian Thew a broad perception of poker - and quite a lot of international tips. In 2004 he made the first place at the South of England Poker Festival, where he won nearly $20,000. This event marked the beginning of a new stage for Julian Thew.
Starting at the end of 2004, Julian Thew entered a new stage of his professional career. He entered the EPT for the first time (an event he would attend an additional seven times) and came in ninth. While he kept on playing the UK and other European nations, in 2005 Julian Thew went over the pond and had his first experience in Las Vegas. The Palms Casino's No Limit Hold'em event proved relatively successful (Thew came in fifth), but larger stakes were up ahead.
2006 was the first year in which Julian Thew considered himself a professional player. While it was arguably a less successful year than 2005, it heralded the beginning of an extremely productive stage for the Nottingham player. Entering a Christmas charity event in Birmingham must have gained Julian Thew some bonus points with Lady Luck, because less than a year later he landed the first place - and nearly $1 million - at the EPT Baden Classic. 2008 then rolled in, with Thew scoring first place on both sides of the Atlantic. Luck, of course, had nearly nothing to do with Yo-Yo's success (the nickname alludes to his ever-shifting chip count) - but hard work and dedication must have.
Julian Thew - Landmark Victories:
2008 Deep Stack Extravaganza III
$4,580 No Limit Hold'em
06/13/2008 $251,001
2007 Grosvenor UK Poker Tour
£1,000 No Limit Hold'em Main Event
01/17/2007 $176,000
2006 Barcelona Open
€500 No Limit Hold'em
09/11/2006 $52,828
