Host of the Ultimate Poker Challenge, two second places at the WSOP.
"Downtown" Chad Brown got his start playing poker in Italian Cafes in the Bronx, where he was raised. In the early ‘90s, Brown moved to L.A. to realize his dream of working in Hollywood. Despite some modest success appearing in small roles on TV and film, including Miami Hustle and Basket Case 2, Brown had to come up with a "Plan B" in order to pay the bills. Luckily, with several legal card rooms in L.A., Brown was able to punch the clock at the poker table instead of an espresso machine.
In 2002, Brown finished third at the World Series of Poker $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo event. In 2004, he won the L.A. Poker Classic and, two months later, finished second at the WSOP $1,500 Seven-Card Stud event. Because of his strong performance at the WSOP, he was discovered by a TV producer who wanted him to host the Ultimate Poker Challenge – fate is funny like that.
In the 2005, Brown was only a few hands away from winning a WSOP gold bracelet in the $2,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo event, but the $90,000 second-place prize was a nice consolation. The following year, he monied in several tournaments around the world, including two WPT final tables, and brought home more than $700K.
Despite his new TV gig, Brown is happy to keep poker as his day job and leave Hollywood as his "Plan B."
