Gus Hansen is back on the online poker scene despite being more than $21 million in the hole.
At one point in time Hansen was one of the most active high stakes poker players in the world. Often engaging in marathon sessions on Full Tilt and PokerStars, Hansen would often win and lose millions in a single day.
But, after losing upwards of $21 million at the virtual felt, Hansen decided to step back from the limelight and regroup in his native Denmark.
Spending more than a year away from the game, Hansen eventually appeared on Good Morning Denmark where he explained that he’d left behind Las Vegas and Monaco (where he used to live) to get away from “insane bets” and the “wild lifestyle” of poker.
Hansen Couldn’t Stay Away
But, just a few months later, the Great Dane couldn’t contain his love for the game any longer. At the start of August, Hansen was snapped playing the infamous Big Game in Bobby’s Room.
Tussling with the likes of Daniel Negreanu, Hansen not only had a wry smile on his face but a fancy new moustache.
Following that session, Hansen has resurfaced on PokerStars under his handle “broksi.” Although the $200/$400 stakes were well below what Hansen would have been playing for in Vegas, he did manage to run his bankroll up to $70,000 at one point.
As is often the case when Hansen rolls into town, many of the games top online pros came out to play which could lead to some interesting action in the coming weeks.
With Ben Sulsky, Alexander Kostritsyn and Timofey Kuznetsov all in action at the Triple Draw and Limit Omaha Hi/Lo tables, a perfect storm could be brewing.
A Recipe for a High Stakes Feast
In fact, if Viktor Blom was to start putting in some volume, it would make Hansen’s return even more interesting.
Both Hansen and Blom were considered action players when Full Tilt’s high stakes games were at their peak and, while we’re unlikely to see the crazy stakes of five years ago, the duo could easily stir up some big pots.
Ever since Full Tilt removed its $500/$1000 games and PokerStars began focusing more on recreational players, the virtual railbirds have had little to crow about but that could all change.
Whether or not Hansen sticks around long enough to spark a high stakes revolution remains to be seen, but it will certainly be interesting if he does.