Born on October 14, 1953 in Long Island, New York, Linda Johnson started her adult life working for the US Postal Service. After turning 21, she began traveling to Las Vegas numerous times a year to play blackjack. However, her father soon convinced her that poker was the game to master, since it wasn’t played against the house.
Honing her skills in a weekly home game with her co-workers, Linda realized that she had a special talent for poker as she consistently beat her friends. She began frequenting card rooms in Gardena and eventually found herself back in Vegas, this time to play Seven-Card stud and Texas Hold’em. In 1980, she entered the World Series of Poker Ladies Seven-Card Stud tournament and placed fifth. Linda promptly quit her day job and became a professional poker player. She reached the peak of her playing career in 1997, winning her first and only WSOP bracelet by taking down the $1500 Seven-Card Razz event for $96K. All told, Linda has $300K in live tournament earnings.
In 1992, Linda went on the inaugural Card Player Poker Cruise and, after learning that the magazine was for sale, she put together a group which purchased the publication. In her eight years as publisher of Card Player, Linda led the magazine to prominence and has played an instrumental part in its past and present success. In 2000, she sold the magazine to Barry Shulman but retained Card Player Cruises and has since hosted more than sixty poker cruises around the globe.
Known affectionately as ‘The First Lady of Poker’, Linda Johnson remains actively involved in the poker world. She played a large role in developing the Tournament Directors Association (TDA), which sets common rules for tournament organizations such as the World Poker Tour, and she still serves on its Board of Directors.
A generous humanitarian, Linda helped found PokerGives.org along with Jan Fisher, Lisa Tenner, and Mike Sexton. The goal of PokerGives is to raise funds through the poker world to be donated to mainstream charities like the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, the Special Olympics, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Step by Step.
The First Lady of Poker is held in the highest regard by her peers and as such was bestowed the Brian Saltus Award for her class, dignity, and courage at the poker table. In 2008, she was a charter inductee into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame. Linda Johnson is not only a great ambassador to the game, but also one of the most respected people in poker.
Click here for Linda Johnson’s interview with Poker News Daily.
