Gus Hansen

Gus (Gustav) Hansen was born on February 13th, 1974 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Gus Hansen, also known as ‘The Great Dane’ is a brilliant poker player who often players aggressively, erratically and is known to call or raise even when he just any two cards. Gus Hansen has been described by his opponents as “just plain lucky”. Even though Gus Hansen still has to show for a World of Series Poker bracelet for his other poker accomplishments, Hansen is actually one of three other players who have been inducted to the World Poker Tour Poker Walk of Fame for winning three WPT events since 2002. Throughout his poker career, Gus Hansen has admitted to making some questionable plays in his day, and has been quoted saying., “I’ve raised with cards less attractive than what what’s in my toilet…” Originally Gus Hansen is a pro Backgammon champion and player. During his teenage years, Gus attended summer camp and that’s where he began to pick up the art of playing cards. Gus Hansen has described himself as being a “math and numbers” person, which is exactly why poker’s mathematical component appealed to him so much. Gus Hansen fervently began to play poker at a Santa Cruz Casino in California in 1993 after he moved from Denmark. Hansen has admitted to picking up invaluable knowledge during his first years at the casino and even modeled himself after one particular competitor who always played unconventionally.

In 1995, Gus Hansen has to return to Denmark to fulfill his 9 months military duty for civil service and emergency rescue. After completing his national duty Gus Hansen moved back to the U.S. this time targeting New York’s east coast to play backgammon and rummy. During his years on the east coast, Gus Hansen teamed up with Huckleberry Seed and Phil Laak to enhance his poker skills, which gave him enough confidence to play in his first World Series of Poker event which took place in 1996. However, Gus found himself short-handed on experience and was eliminated on the first day. Hansen decided to find his own personal style to playing and eventually started to win money. In 2002, Gus Hansen took first lace in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em event at the Five Diamond World Poker Classic in Las Vegas winning himself more than $500,000. In 2003, Hanson won his second first place prize at the World Poker Tour in Los Angeles taking another prize of over half million, $532,490. In 2005, Gus Hansen won the Poker Superstars Invitational and a $1,000,000 prize. Two years later at the 2007 Aussie Millions, Gus Hansen won the main event taking home another $1.5 million. To date, Gus Hansen is the only poker player to hold four World Poker Tour titles.

 

Gus Hansen Recent Tournament Winnings

• WPT Season 6 World Championship 2nd $1,714,800
• 2008 Special, NBC Heads-Up Championship 5th $75,000
• WPT Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic 22nd $57,815
• WPT Season 6, WPT Spanish Championship 5th €100,600
• 2007 WSOP No-Limit Texas Hold’em 10th £41,630
• 2007 WSOP No-Limit Texas Hold’em 61st $154,194
• 2007 Special, Aussie Millions 1st $1,500,000
• EPT Season 2, Barcelona Open 5th €78,000
• 2004 WSOP No-Limit Texas Hold’em 150th $15,000

Gus Hansen Player Statistics

• Cashes 16
• Total Winnings $5,887,915
• First Place Finishes 5