In recent years, poker has gained worldwide popularity, particularly after the Moneymaker boom. Young people from different countries have developed a keen interest in the game, especially the Scandinavians. Players from Sweden have led the way and demonstrated remarkable abilities and aptitude for poker.
If you’re a young Swede who aspires to follow in the footsteps of successful poker players like Viktor Blom and Martin Jacobson, this article is for you. It provides valuable information on the best Swedish poker players, how they achieved success and wealth, and how you can potentially do the same by starting your journey with Swedish Gambling Association.
Martin Jacobson
Source: news.worldcasinodirectory.com
Live Tournament Cashes: $16.866.100
Given the enormous turnout of both recreational players and professionals with little prior success, it was anticipated that the victor of the 2014 WSOP Main Event would likely be one of these participants.
After all, was said and done, the prestigious bracelet and a whopping $10,000,000 cash prize were awarded to Martin Jacobson from Sweden. He is a seasoned poker professional who has been competing in international tournaments for years.
Jacobson was already a well-established poker professional when he won the Main Event, which set him apart from many other winners who had little prior success. He began his career in 2008 and had several near misses at prominent tournaments such as the 2008 EPT Budapest, 2009 WPT Venice, 2010 EPT Vilamoura, and 2011 EPT Berlin, always coming close to a major victory.
Martin, who goes by the username M.nosbocaJ, is a successful online poker player, having won several tournaments. In the same year, he won the Main Event, he also placed fourth in the SCOOP Main Event and won almost $500,000. In 2017, he achieved his first SCOOP title.
In 2017, Martin became a member of the team at 888 Poker, a prominent brand in the industry. As an ambassador for the game, he wanted to give back to the poker community. Martin’s success and amiable character have made him popular among both professional and amateur players. Many players attend events to play with him, appreciating his skill and kind nature.
Viktor “Isildur1” Blom
Source: cardmates.org
Live Tournament Cashes: $2.897.797
Viktor Blom’s story is widely known and has secured his place among the best Swedish poker players of all time. He began playing at the tender age of 14 with his friends and brother. Although the initial buy-ins were small, and the games were simply for enjoyment, his exceptional skill for the game became evident, and it was soon apparent that there was more to this young Swede than initially perceived. It has been reported that Viktor began playing online poker before reaching the legal age, using accounts created by others on his behalf.
At the age of 17, it seems that Blom earned more than $1.7 million by playing on iPoker. Due to his success, other heads-up players refused to play against him, and he had to find a new platform. Now, as a legal and experienced heads-up professional, Viktor decided to take on new challenges at Full Tilt Poker, where the most skilled players were competing.
Blom began playing at Full Tilt Poker in 2009, going by the alias Isildur1. At first, his identity wasn’t known or important as he didn’t play at high stakes. However, this changed quickly as he faced off against Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, and Tom Dwan in both heads-up and ring games, with blinds reaching as high as $500/$1000. In fact, Isildur1 participated in all 10 of the largest online poker pots ever recorded.
The online poker community was amazed by Isildur1’s incredible skills. He played with an ultra-aggressive style, taking on the top players in the world, and emerged victorious. Isildur1 won millions of dollars before being defeated by Brian Hastings, a highly skilled professional who had prepared for the game by analyzing hands with Cole South and Brian Townsend, two other pros who had also faced off against Isildur1.
Three people developed a plan to face the young Swede, and in a short period, Hastings managed to earn $4.2 million from him. After all, was finished for him at Full Tilt Poker, Blom had suffered losses of over $2.5 million. Blom became a part of Team PokerStars in 2010, and his true identity was disclosed to the public at a later time.
Blom has experienced mixed results in his tournament poker career. He won a WCOOP event in 2017 and several SCOOP events in 2012 and 2013, including the SCOOP Main Event in 2013, which earned him over a million dollars. Although he is not a full-time tournament player, his live tournament winnings now exceed $2.8 million.
Chris Bjorin
Source: pokerlandgr.com
Live Tournament Cashes: $5.744.000
Although numerous poker pros strive to gain the limelight and attract potential sponsors, Chris Bjorin has always maintained a low profile. As part of the “old guard”, Chris has been participating in poker tournaments since before many of today’s champions were born. He earned his first recorded cash in 1989, when poker was not as popular as it is today.
Throughout the years, Chris has accumulated almost $6 million in tournament winnings, ranking him second on Sweden’s all-time money list. He has achieved two WSOP bracelets, one from a 1997 $1,500 PLO event and the other from a 2000 $3,000 NLH event.
Listing all the relevant results that Chris has recorded over his 40-year career would be a lengthy task. However, one thing is evident – Chris is a professional who doesn’t shy away from the action, but he doesn’t believe in publicity and fame for poker players.
Michael Tureniec
Source: seminolehardrockpokeropen.com
Live Tournament Cashes: $4.358.000
Michael Tureniec is a highly skilled Swedish poker player who has amassed nearly $4.5 million in tournament earnings throughout his career. Despite his impressive achievements, his name is not frequently mentioned in the poker media. Tureniec’s largest payout occurred at the 2008 EPT London tournament, where he earned nearly one million dollars for finishing in second place.
Although he may have achieved greater financial success in other poker games, his most notable accomplishment was winning the Little One for One Drop tournament in 2016. Despite the relatively low buy-in of $1,111, he triumphed over a large number of competitors and left with over $500,000 in winnings.
A skilled Swedish poker player has devoted more than 10 years to his craft and has achieved recognition for his performance. Although not as well-known as some of his fellow countrymen, he has secured a position on the list of top Swedish players. Currently ranked third on the list of all-time money winners from Sweden, he has the potential to climb higher in the future.
