Gus Hansen is Back, But Who is Next?

7 years ago
Hansen is Back, But Who is Next?
07:23
12 Sep

The glory days of online nosebleed games may be over, but can we expect a comeback from the guys who made it the most fascinating and nerve-wracking high-stakes war in poker history?

Well, if Gus Hansen can do it as reported here a couple of weeks ago, there’s no real reason why others can’t or won’t – but who do we want to see re-enter the world of $million pots and swings?


Tom ‘durrrr’ Dwan

Absolutely the number 1 draw in poker should he choose to return to the land of the living! Live or online, Dwan has always been amongst the very best – and his stats and earnings reflect this, despite his horrific losses to the likes of ‘Isildur1’ and the ill-fated match against Daniel ‘Jungleman’ Cates which gave Dwan such bad press.

Reasons for returning/staying away

Of course, he would need a good reason to launch himself back into the fray – and money would be the key. If, as suggested by many, ‘durrr’ doesn’t have his own bankroll to play at high stakes, there are plenty in the poker world who would be only too happy to back him.

And where would he play? Well, wherever there is money! Be that PokerStars or perhaps Phil Galfond’s promised new site – a ‘highstakes room’ would be a massive draw for players and fans alike!



Phil Ivey

Once the number one online high stakes player, Ivey has been missing from almost all forms of the game this past year or so, but if nothing else Ivey loves a challenge and lives for gambling.

According to Finnish online maestro Jens Kyllönen, Ivey had become ‘a player who games form around’, although he added ‘Ivey isn’t really a fish, but he’s definitely an action player who isn’t among the top 20 PLO players anymore’. Ivey’s $3.7 million online crash in 2015 made the headlines on a weekly basis, but if he thought he had an edge he’d be back in a flash.

Reasons for returning/staying away

Ivey is a busy man, and has interests worldwide in a while range of gambling areas – so it would take something special to tempt him back to the nosebleed arena. Dwan returning would be one such reason – but a favorable court case outcome or two would also be a boost to his poker plans!

For the fans, Ivey back in the game would be a massive boon – could he really re-invent himself as a challenge to the modern games big winners? If he took it seriously, then a resounding yes would be my answer.



Patrik Antonius

Half a million hands and $11million are amazing numbers, but that’s what the Finnish legend compiled before he started having doubts about the online game late last year.

Down $1million and feeling the strain of the game, Antonius bemoaned the HUD’s which he said were killing his edge. Nevertheless, he may already have sneaked his way back into the big boy’s games, although no-one has confirmed that ‘FakeLove888’ is actually him.

Reasons for returning/staying away

You can’t keep players like Antonius down – it’s in their blood to play the game and the occasional little ‘hissy fit’ is usually just a blip in their careers. Of the three players who we’d love to see back in the high-stakes online games, Antonius is the most likely to be there and the most likely to win big money – and that’s the big draw for Patrik!



How do you think these three legends of the big games would fare if they returned to full-time high-stakes online play? Let us know in the comments section below!


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Andrew from Edinburgh, Scotland, is a professional journalist, international-titled chess master, and avid poker player.Read more

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