It is surprising that no one has yet given Joanne Liu a new nickname. This dynamic, vibrantly dressed woman goes by the nickname of "JJ." As she was formerly known as JJ Bortner, one could only assume that this nickname has nothing to do with poker. Yet, as the hold em name for the starting hand of a pair of jacks is "dynamite" -- or, more accurately, "dy no MIIIIIIITE! in reference to the catchphrase from Good Times TV character JJ Walker, it seems a shoe in to convert Joanne Liu's nickname to Dynamite.
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Miss Dynamite is a fan of playing the piano as well as poker. With over 20 cash finishes in major events, one would think that the Palo Alto, California resident was born playing poker, but that isn't the case. In fact, she used to be the victim in all of the poker games she played with her brothers. They took her money -- now she takes other people's money. She started playing Texas hold em for the first time at the Bay 101 about 10 years ago in 1996. She made her first major final table the same year at the World Series of Poker Limit Hold em tournament. With her winning smile, sense of fashion, the ability to pull off hologram sunglasses, not to mention her poker play, Dynamite -- excuse me, JJ -- is explosive fun at any table.
$ 15,000 Main Event - No Limit Hold'em
Fourth Annual Five Diamond World Poker Classic
4th
$ 362,140
$ 1,500 Super Satellite to Main Event
Fourth Annual Five Diamond World Poker Classic
17th
$ 15,500
$ 2,500 No Limit Hold'em
Fourth Annual Five Diamond World Poker Classic
15th
$ 6,390
$ 10,000 WPT - No Limit Hold'em
2005 World Poker Finals
58th
$ 12,000
$ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
2005 World Poker Finals
16th
$ 4,147
$ 2,500 No Limit Hold'em
Bellagio Festa Al Lago IV
22nd
$ 4,095
$ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
Bellagio Weekly Tournaments - Sep 2005
8th
$ 1,845
10,000 Grand Prix de Paris - WPT Event
Rendez Vous a Paris 2005
17th
14,990 / $ 17,951
France 500 No Limit Hold'em - Double Chance Freezeout
Rendez Vous a Paris 2005
16th
610 / $ 730
$ 1,500 No Limit Hold'em
2005 World Series of Poker
90th
$ 3,470
$ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
Bellagio Weekly Tournaments - May 2005
5th
$ 3,520
$ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
Bellagio Weekly Tournaments - Apr 2005
8th
$ 1,575
$ 1,500 No Limit Hold'em
2005 World Poker Challenge
1st
$ 89,778
$ 1,000 Limit Hold'em
Rio Las Vegas Poker Festival
8th
$ 2,830
$ 1,000 Limit Hold'em
Rio Las Vegas Poker Festival
3rd
$ 12,485
$ 940 Spread Limit Shootout
Bay 101 Shooting Stars of Poker
4th
$ 7,000
$ 2,425 No Limit Hold'em
2005 L.A. Poker Classic
22nd
$ 4,874
$ 300 No Limit Hold'em
5th Annual 49'er Gold Rush Bonanza
7th
$ 1,560
$ 500 No Limit Hold'em
2004 Ultimatebet.com Poker Classic
1st
$ 19,011
1,000 Ladies 1/2 Hold'em - 1/2 Stud
2003 World Series of Poker
2nd
$ 20,540
$ 200 No Limit Hold'em
2002 World Poker Tour Qualifiers
3rd
$ 1,140
$ 2,000 No Limit Hold'em
2002 World Series of Poker
5th
$ 33,760
$ 500 No Limit Hold'em
2002 World Poker Challenge
9th
$ 1,455
$ 100 Limit Hold'em
San Francisco Open
2nd
$ 5,360
Best All-Around Player
San Francisco Open
4th
$ 200
$ 100 Limit Hold'em
San Francisco Open
4th
$ 1,820
$ 500 No Limit Hold'em
1st Annual World Poker Challenge
6th
$ 4,940
$ 500 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
1st Annual World Poker Challenge
14th
$ 582
$ 540 No Limit Hold'em
Uncle Louie Hold'em Tournament
1st
$ 20,350
$ 100 Limit Hold'em
Thunder by the Bay
7th
$ 780
$ 260 Limit Hold'em
2000 Orleans Open
10th
$ 1,125
$ 500 No Limit Hold'em
Carnivale of Poker III
9th
$ 3,472
$ 200 Hold'em Shootout
First Anniversary Poker Championship
1st
$ 6,000
$ 3,500 No Limit Hold'em
1999 World Series of Poker
14th
$ 7,175
$ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
1999 Shooting Star
3rd
$ 18,500
$ 200 Limit Hold'em
Bay 101 Weekly Tournaments
7th
$ 400
$ 200 Limit Hold'em
Bay 101 May Main Event
1st
$ 4,800
$ 5,000 Limit Hold'em
1997 World Series of Poker
15th
$ 5,600
$ 3,000 Limit Hold'em
1996 World Series of Poker
4th
$ 32,565
