Poker Players

Which is the leading poker nation? The US plays host to most of the world’s top poker players for obvious reasons. But countries from across the globe are producing talent to put them on the poker-world map.

Around the world in 20 poker players

U.S: All-American greats include Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey (the New Jersey Tiger Woods of poker), Allen Cunnigham, Jennifer Harman Traniello, Jamie Gold to name a few.

Canada: Toronto’s finest, Daniel Negreanu has 2 WSOP titles to his name and 3 WSOP bracelets, making him one of the top money winners to date.

Norway: Annette Obrestrad at 19yrs old became the youngest WSOP bracelet winner. She started at 15yrs old and has had the largest single-event payout to a female poker player in history.

Denmark: Peter Eastgate became the youngest ever WSOP Main Event winner in 2008 at the age of 22, taking Phil Hellmuth’s record when he won at 24. And of course, you can’t mention Denmark without taking your hat off to Gus Hansen, 3-time WPT open tourney winner, famous for his loose, aggressive play and founder of pokerchamps.com – now Betfair. 

UK: Hailing from London, Vicky Coren, a TV presenter by trade, entered the scene winning the 2004 Celebrity Poker Challenge and is the first ever woman to win an EPT event.

France: Parisian, Bertrand Grospellier, now lives in Korea and is ranked the top ‘Starcraft’ player in the country.

Germany: Sandra Naujoks from Berlin is the reigning European Female Player of the Year, second ever female champion of the European Poker Tour. Plays online as ‘The Black Mamba’.

Netherlands: The Flying Dutchman, Marcel Luske became one of the most watched players in ’03 and ’04, more for his antics at the table than his poker. Upside down sunglasses and musical interjections became his trademark.

Spain: Madrid player Juan Carlos Mortensen came into the limelight in 2001 with back-to-back 1st place finishes in major tournaments followed by his win in the 32nd WSOP Main Event.

Russia: Ivan Demidov from Moscow came 2nd to Peter Eastgate in the 2008 WSOP Main Event on the final table after only playing for 2 years.

Israel: Eli Elezra, born in Jerusalem, beat Scotty Nguyen to win the 2007 WSOP World Championship Seven Card stud Hi-Low and win his first bracelet. His $25,000 side bet with Barry Greenstein that he would win a bracelet in ’07, earnt him $250,000 – more than the even prize money.

China: Johnny Chan – made his poker mark by winning the WSOP Main Event twice in a row in ’87 and ’88. Narrowly missed a third victory in ’89 when he came 2nd to Phil Hellmuth. Has 10 bracelets.

South Vietnam: charismatic player, Scotty Nguyen – winner of 5 WSOP bracelets, most famous for his ’98 win over McBride and quote ‘you call, gonna be all over baby’.

Indonesia: John Juanda has appeared at 5 WSOP final tables and has won himself 3 WSOP bracelets.

Australia: Originally from Lebanon, Joe Hachem is more fittingly regarded as an honorary Aussie. Beating Steve Danneman with the final retort ‘Are you still having fun?’ Hachem became 2005 WSOP champion and $7.5m better off.

Africa: In the 2007 WSOP Main Event, Raymond Rahme was the first person to appear at the final table from the continent of Africa.