Jude Ainsworth

Jude Ainsworth

Ireland’s Jude Ainsworth is a pro poker player on a mission. Equally at home live as online, he has built a big reputation in a short space of time thanks to an impressive track record. Before poker Jude was awarded a PhD in Biochemistry, but he has since decided to make his living from playing poker. He’s now one of the most highly-rated players on the UK and Ireland scene, and a member of Team PokerStars Pro.

Jude’s first taste of tournament success came in early 2008 when he won the €2,000 No Limit Hold’em Irish Poker Championship in his home town of Galway. That victory added $212,479 to his bankroll, and he used it to play more events on the European circuit. He came third at the Euro Finals of Poker in Paris and also took a trip to Las Vegas to play in the 2009 World Series, where he cashed in a $1,000 No Limit Hold’em event, breaking the top 100. He has the big tournament win and his live results are developing well, but it’s online where Jude really excels. The big events at PokerStars have been especially profitable, as he’s finished in third place in the PokerStars Super Tuesday once, and twice in the Sunday Million, for over $325,000. His biggest score however came at the 2009 Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP). In the high stakes tournament of the Main Event, he beat a tough field to win the event and a huge $963,338 in first place prize money. More success will surely follow.

Definitely a player to look out for, you can find Jude at European Poker Tour (EPT) events challenging for his next title. He’s incredibly proud to represent Ireland and the UK as part of Team PokerStars Pro, and he plays online poker at PokerStars using the screen name ‘j.thaddeus’.  

Career Highlights