If you had a shot to win at Monte Carlo, a stop on one of Europe’s most popular poker circuits, what would it take to make you step away from the table?
For Gus Hansen, the answer to the €25,000 question may be simple: €2,000,000.
This much is certain: Hansen, one of the most widely respected players in the world, was a no-show at the latest EPT event. His 62,200 starting stack has been blinded down, now sitting around 35,000. And while no official word has come as to what held the Dane out of action, the rumor mill is abuzz with possibilities.
The most intriguing of these actually comes outside of the realm of poker. Hansen, besides being one of the top poker pros in the planet, is also one of the world’s premier backgammon players. Some say, in fact, that he’s actually better on the board than he is at the felt. Indeed, he was a high-stakes backgammon player long before turning his attention to tournament poker.
So it should come as no surprise that Hansen has been rumored to have skipped out on his EPT seat in favor of his first love. While there has been no evidence so far to corroborate this story, some say that he was seen in the Monte Carlo casino lobby, playing backgammon against a wealthy Russian. The prize? The aforementioned €2,000,000.
If this is true, then it’s certainly hard to blame Hansen for his choices. €2M versus €25,000? It’s an easier decision than you’d think.
Check back for further details as the story develops.