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German Backgammon Pro Wins WSOP EventCarsten Joh of Germany is yet another backgammon player who made a successful transition into the lucrative world of professional poker. The 45 years old backgammon player had just championed the 51st event in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) tour, swooping a check on $664,426 and a very first gold bracelet.
The person who is responsible for Joh's transition from backgammon to poker is no other than Gus Hansen, the most famous dual discipline player in contemporary poker, who went through a similar path years ago, but still frequents the most important backgammon tournaments in the world, sometimes as an ordinary competitor and in other times, such as in the second season of the WSOB, as a commenter. Joh became acquaintance with Hansen back in his backgammon days, while the latter encouraged him to follow his path and test his gaming skill around the poker table.
Gus Hansen (second to the left) and friends
Carsten Joh was not the immediate favorite to win WSOP $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em Event, held last Monday, being the older player in a 9-seat table occupied by 20-27 keen poker enthusiasts. Nevertheless, Joh had bested his heads-up rival, 21 Canadian Andrew Chen, whose consolation prize was a sum of $412,632.
On the same Monday night when Carsten won his first WSOP bracelet, Joh's longtime backgammon buddy Gus Hansen finished ninth at the final table of WSOP $50,000 HORSE event. Hansen is expected to do the commentary on the opening event of the World Series of Backgammon season III scheduled to July 21st at the Palm Beach Casino in Cannes, where he will be also hosting a backgammon-poker tournament.
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