Devin Porter aka TranquilChaos (born 1984 in Provo, Utah), is an up-and-coming American professional poker player. He first rose to prominence in 2005, when he finished fourth at the World Poker Tournament Championship Event held on the Caribbean isle of Aruba.
Devin Porter first became interested in poker watching his father play it. Dean Porter, an enthusiastic poker fan - and player - initiated his son into the mysteries of the card game. "He taught me how to play... he was always there on the rail to sweat me" Devin Porter recounts.
Dean Porter's tutelage of his son was followed by a successful period of playing online. Devin Porter honed his skill over virtual playing tables, and was soon winning five-figure sums. With his father providing him a stable basis and the internet allowing him to communicate with numerous players, Devin Porter felt it was now time to enter a live tournament.
Keeping in line with many of his fellow young-generation players, Devin Porter had an incredible first live event. He entered the Ultimate Poker Classic event of the 2005 WPT without a pre-set plan (which he considers wrong for live events), instead playing tight at the beginning and studying his opponents. Porter made it fourth, netting $200,000. Several months later he played the $10,000 No Limit Hold'em Main Event at the Mirage Poker Showdown. While he went up one place in the ranking than the previous event, his cash prize was over $100,000 higher. By now Devin Porter was heralded one of poker's most promising new players. In 2007, he netted $151,794 playing the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em event at the 38th World Series of Poker. Finishing fourth, he eliminated pros like Bertrand Grospellier aka ElkY and Mike "the Mouth" Matusow; and while these two powerhouses did get eliminated near the very end of the game, the fact that he had triumphed over them was highly rewarding.
Some two months following his achievement at the 38th WSOP Devin Porter tied the knot with his significant other, Hailie. Marital bliss, however, was soon shattered following the deterioration of his father's medical condition. Dean Porter, suffering from Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, was in dire need of expensive medical treatments. To help his father, Devin Porter organized a charity tournament on PokerStars. The $30 + $3 buy-in no-limit hold’em event drew some 100 participants, and raised more than $3,000. It turns out that when one of the nicest fellows in professional poker asks his peers to do a good turn, they are more than happy to oblige. Combined with his talent and experience, Devin Porter is bound to make many more final tables in the future - and win them, too.
Devin Porter - Landmark Victories:
2008 39th WSOP
$1,500 Short-handed No Limit Hold'em
06/05/2008 $151,843
2007 38th WSOP
$2,500 No Limit Hold'em
06/11/2007 $139,794
2006 WPT - The Mirage Poker Showdown
$10,000 No Limit Hold'em - Main Event
05/14/2006 $332,937
2005 WPT - Ultimate Poker Classic
$5,000 No Limit Hold'em - Championship Event
09/26/2005 $200,000