Loren Klein

{{short description|American poker player}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}

{{Infobox poker player

|name=Loren Klein

|nickname=

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|hometown=Reno, Nevada

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|wsop bracelet count=4

|wsop final tables=10

|wsop money finishes=39

|wsop main event best finish rank=248th

|wsop main event best finish year=2012

|multi-year wsop winner

|wpt titles=

|wpt final tables=

|wpt money finishes=

|ept titles=

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|updated=June 20, 2019

}}

Loren Klein (sometimes L.J. Klein) is a professional poker player who has won four World Series of Poker bracelets. He began playing online in about 2007 and began live play in 2011 following Black Friday in 2011.{{Cite web |last=Fast |first=Erik |date=June 23, 2017 |title=Loren Klein Wins 2017 World Series of Poker $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Event |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/21801-loren-klein-wins-2017-world-series-of-poker-1-500-pot-limit-omaha-event |access-date=July 3, 2018 |website=Card Player}} He won World Series of Poker bracelets at the 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 World Series of Poker. Klein was the third player to win bracelets in three consecutive years (following Allen Cunningham 2005–07 and Matt Matros 2010–12) since the poker boom.{{Cite web |last=Schult |first=Steve |date=June 26, 2018 |title=Loren Klein Wins $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship |url=http://www.wsop.com/news/2018/Jun/10650/LOREN-KLEIN-WINS-10000-POT-LIMIT-OMAHA-CHAMPIONSHIP.html |access-date=July 3, 2018 |website=WSOP.com}}

Klein was raised in Michigan.{{Cite web |last=Schult |first=Steve |date=June 23, 2017 |title=Loren Klein Wins Second Bracelet In $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha |url=http://www.wsop.com/news/2017/Jun/9191/LOREN-KLEIN-WINS-SECOND-BRACELET-IN-1500-POT-LIMIT-OMAHA.html |access-date=July 3, 2018 |website=WSOP.com}} After moving west to play live, Klein made Reno, Nevada his home. Among the players that Klein considers to be his poker colleagues are Chance Kornuth, Ben Lamb and Johnny Beauprez.

He was known as L.J. Klein when he finished as runner up to Miguel Proulx in Event #28: $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha at the 2010 World Series of Poker.{{Cite web |date=June 10, 2010 |title=L.J. Klein Eliminated in 2nd Place ($195,147) |url=https://www.pokernews.com/tours/wsop/2010-wsop/event-28/post.150759.htm |access-date=July 3, 2018 |website=PokerNews}} By the time he final tabled Event #50: $2,500 10-Game Mix (Six Handed) at the 2013 World Series of Poker, he was known as Loren Klein.{{Cite web |last=Cahlik |first=Josh |date=June 29, 2013 |title=Loren Klein Eliminated in 6th Place ($27,792) |url=https://www.pokernews.com/tours/wsop/2013-world-series-of-poker/event-50-2-500-10-game-mix-six-handed/chips.65592.htm |access-date=December 18, 2023 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}} His first bracelet came in the 919-player 2016 Event #45: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha for $241,427.{{Cite web |last=Dalla, Nolan |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Loren Klein Wins Mixed NLHE/PLO Title At 2016 WSOP |url=http://www.wsop.com/news/2016/Jun/7826/LOREN-KLEIN-WINS-MIXED-NLHEPLO-TITLE-AT-2016-WSOP.html |access-date=July 3, 2018 |website=WSOP.com}}{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Julio |date=June 29, 2016 |title=Loren Klein Wins 2016 World Series of Poker $1,500 NLH/PLO Event |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/20555-loren-klein-wins-2016-world-series-of-poker-1-500-nlh-plo-event |access-date=July 3, 2018 |website=Card Player}} That year he also finished as runner-up to Brandon Shack-Harris in the 400-player Event #51 – $10,000 Eight-Handed Pot Limit Omaha World Championship.{{Cite web |last=Burton |first=Earl |date=July 3, 2016 |title=Scott Seiver Leads $50K Poker Players Championship as Two More Winners Earn Bracelets |url=https://www.pokernewsdaily.com/scott-seiver-leads-50k-poker-players-championship-as-two-more-winners-earn-bracelets-28661/ |access-date=July 3, 2018 |website=Poker News Daily}}{{Cite web |last=Derbyshire |first=Marty |date=July 3, 2016 |title=Brandon Shack-Harris Returns To Glory in the 2016 WSOP PLO Championship |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2016/07/brandon-shack-harris-returns-to-glory-25206.htm |access-date=July 3, 2018 |website=PokerNews}} His second bracelet occurred in the 870-player 2017 Event #41: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha for $231,483. His third bracelet came in the 476-player 2018 Event #49: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed Championship for $1,018,336 at a final table that included Shack-Harris (who finished third).{{Cite web |last=Fast |first=Erik |date=June 26, 2018 |title=Loren Klein Wins 2018 World Series of Poker $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/22953-loren-klein-wins-2018-world-series-of-poker-10-000-pot-limit-omaha-championship |access-date=July 3, 2018 |website=Card Player}}

At the 2019 WSOP, Klein won the $2,500 Mixed Big Bet event, becoming the first player since Doyle Brunson from 1976 to 1979 and just the third overall in WSOP history to win bracelets in four straight years.{{Cite web |title=50th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2019, Mixed Big Bet (Event #43) |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=556193 |access-date=December 18, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kores |first=Jan |date=June 20, 2019 |title=Loren Klein Wins 4th Bracelet in 4 Years; Claims $127,808 in Event #43: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2019/06/loren-klein-wins-4th-wsop-bracelet-in-4-years-34548.htm |access-date=December 18, 2023 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}

As of 2023, Klein's live tournament winnings exceed $3 million.{{Cite web |title=Loren Klein's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=58746 |access-date=December 18, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}