Gus Hansen - An Aggressive 'Great Dane'

Arguably no one has had a greater effect on the world of tournament poker in the 21st century than "The Great Dane", Gus Hansen. He has traveled the world and taken on all comers, reaching great success and legendary stature in a limited time. With his excellent mind and game playing skills, there could be even more coming from Hansen!

Born in February of 1973, Gus showed from the start the strong competitive streak that still drives him today. As a younger man, Gus channeled his energies into physical sports such as both versions of tennis (outdoors and on tables) and soccer. Hansen was a champion outdoor tennis player, but yearned for more competition. He showed an acute mental drive as

well, delving into the intellectual challenges of chess and backgammon, where he achieved his most notable success to that point in his life.

The backgammon world, however, is a limited one. Once you have made a name for yourself in that world, it is difficult to find people willing to play against you. With those thoughts in mind during a trip to America to find new backgammon victims, Gus expanded his game playing into the poker world of the California casino scene. Since he has come along, the poker world has never been the same!

Gus is the only three time tournament champion on the World Poker Tour. He captured two events in the inaugural season of the Tour, capturing the Player of the Year title then, and won his third event in the second season. He has been at four final tables in all during the history of the WPT and has also played in their "made for television" events, taking the first championship in the "Bad Boys of Poker". His exploits on the felt haven't been limited to the WPT alone, however. Gus has also taken down the first championship in the "Poker Superstars Invitational" in 2005, where he captured $400,000, and he has been a stalwart competitor on the European Poker Tour.

Perhaps his finest moment was in 2004, when he was inducted, along with the "Godfather of Poker" Doyle Brunson and legendary "Maverick" actor James Garner, into the Poker Walk of Fame located at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. In a memorable ceremony, the three men captured their handprints and signatures in concrete for permanent display on the "Walk of Fame" at the Commerce. To this date, there have been no other players that have been granted that accolade.

Gus has been called one of the greatest players in the poker world today and much of that is from his revolutionary approach to the game of poker. It is often said that any two cards can win in the game, and Hansen takes that approach to its most extreme level! While he has become known for playing an odd assortment of cards at the tables, it is only after a great deal of thought and knowledge of his opponents that Gus takes to the fight, often with the short end of the percentages. This knowledge of probabilities and odds, honed from years at the backgammon table, have led to great success in the poker world for Gus.

He is often called down because of his propensity for playing every edge and Gus uses this image to his advantage as well. If there is anyone who can be called unreadable at the tables, Gus would have to be at the top of that list. Because he could be coming at you with nothing or with the nuts, you must be ready to play for your very tournament existence if you play against him. Not only does he play virtually any hand, Hansen also displays the hyper-aggressive style that works very well in the tournament poker world of today. With all that he brings to the tables, he is a qualified threat to any championship he is playing for.

Gus has also drawn the attention of the world outside of poker as well. In 2004, People Magazine called him the "Sexiest Poker Player" and many of his supporters are of the female persuasion! Gus maintains a strict physical regimen to prepare him for battle on the felt and displays the strength that has given him with his "strongman" pose that he sometimes puts on display after winning a hand. He is a popular player at any tournament he attends and usually has a great following when he is at the tables.

While he is still early in his poker career, Gus Hansen will be a force at the tables for years to come. Many might write off his success to luck or to his excellent usage of his aggressive tournament style during a change in tournament strategies in the early 2000's. Those who do are subject to falling into the clutches of "The Great Dane", from which they may not emerge on the other side! Gus Hansen should be at the forefront of the sport of poker as it continues to grow.

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