Away from poker and chess, McDonald is also famous for winning high-profile prop bets
Mike “Timex” McDonald has added another competitive win to his long list, this time far from the poker table. The former poker prodigy recently claimed a national chess title at the Cayman Islands National Chess Championship, showing that his edge in strategy games extends well beyond cards.
The Canadian-born player finished first in a 10-player round-robin event that featured many of the country’s strongest competitors. McDonald scored 7.5 points out of a possible nine, edging out Ryan Blackwood, who finished just behind him. The event also crowned Zara Majid as the women’s national champion.
Tournament organizers praised McDonald’s aggressive and focused approach throughout the competition. The local chess federation highlighted his determination and ability to pressure opponents, traits poker fans may find familiar. McDonald later shared online that a few unexpected results helped push him into first place and noted his FIDE rating now sits just under 1900.
McDonald first became a household name in poker back in 2008, when he won the EPT Dortmund Main Event shortly after turning 18. That victory helped launch a career that has since produced more than $13 million in live tournament earnings. While he no longer plays a full poker schedule, he still appears occasionally in high-level events.
Away from tournaments, McDonald is also famous for winning high-profile prop bets. One of the most talked-about came in 2020, when he completed a basketball free-throw challenge for a six-figure payout after months of practice.
