02 Jan 12

The Jonathan Little Story

This week we profile one of our most popular coaches, SNG and MTT expert: Jonathan Little.

Little – adj: small in distinction, size or scope.

They say all good things come in small packages and while the only thing diminutive about
JonathanLittle is his name, the package he presents certainly isn’t.

With a burgeoning bankroll backed by a plethora of major titles, it’s fair to say that Mr Little is as big a talent as they come in the poker world. Having honed his skills in the world of single table tournaments, he’s gone on to become a force in the MTT world, as well as one of the most respected coaches in the game.

From Small Acorns

Before poker there was Magic: The Gathering and throughout Jonathan’s formative years this was his game of choice. From the age of 12 he developed a keen instinct for the game, moving through the local and national levels until he ranked 9th in the world for the Vintage format. The Magic’s spell wore off though and Jonathan soon found himself enraptured by a new, more profitable, game: poker.

The land of Limit Hold’em was the first terrain Jonathan crossed on his poker journey and after 2 years building his bankroll, and climbing to the $15/$30 games, he decided to leave his job at Pensacola Aviation behind and become a professional.

Expand – Shrink – Expand

Now grinding the $30/$60 Limit Hold’em tables online, Jonathan decided to broaden his poker horizon and move over to the world of single table tournaments. Jumping into some of the largest games available proved a successful short-term strategy as he quickly boosted his bankroll.

The initial success he enjoyed wasn’t to last though, as variance caught up with him and decimated his finances. Undeterred, he took his experience in the high stakes games and moved down to the $11 STTs. From there he set about learning the fundamentals of STT play and soon began dominating the games.

Breaking Out

Now established in community and with ICM figures coursing through his veins, Jonathan set out on the live tournament trail after winning a package to the PCA. A $16,000 payday was his reward in the Caribbean, as well as a wealth of experience.

However, as happened in his online career, Jonathan’s early success was tainted by a long stretch of stagnation and his results on the live circuit were failing to keep his bankroll afloat. His time spent rubbing shoulders with the game’s best in 2006 wasn’t wasted, though, and in 2007 Jonathan combined all the skills he’d learnt, both live and online, to have a breakout year.

First on his list of accolades was a 5th place finish at the PCA for $317,873. This mammoth cash not only gave him the financial liquidity to pursue even more success, but the confidence to dance with the big boys. Indeed, as is often the case, success bred success and Jonathan began cashing in numerous events, before finally taking his first title: the WPT Mirage Poker Showdown. Over $1 million was his reward, as well as a place in the history books.

Standing Tall

With 1 WPT in the bag it wasn’t long before another followed, this time at the 2008 WPT World Poker Finals. Another million dollar payday further cemented his reputation as one of the best tournament players in the world. Indeed, what started out as a small adventure had now become an epic odyssey; one in which Jonathan had grown into a major force in the poker world.

Today, with almost $5 million in career winnings, Jonathan has also established himself as one of poker’s most articulate and skilled coaches. His book: The Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker, has received acclaim from all corners of the poker universe, and his instructional videos have made him a favourite within the community.

Jonathan now brings his world class expertise to the Pokerstrategy.com world where his videos have already demonstrated why he’s one of the most sought after coaches in the game today.

 Check out Jonathan Little's exclusive videos for PokerStrategy.com