Thor Hansen: The December Interview

Topics: Epic Poker League

Thor: “You Can’t Do Anything About Those Beats.”

Familiarly known as the godfather of Norwegian poker, Thor Hansen is one of the most liked and respected players in the game. He dabbled in business at various times, but poker has always been at the center of his life. From private games and select tournaments in Europe, he traveled to the United States in the mid-1980s and became a worldwide name soon after with his first WSOP win in 1988. He spent time in the biggest tournaments to the highest-limit cash games and made friends at every stop.

Thor has two WSOP wins under his belt (fourteen years apart, in 1988 and 2002), along with numerous wins at events like the L.A. Poker Classic, California State Poker Championship, Five Diamond World Poker Classic, Festa al Lago, Legends of Poker, Grand Prix de Paris, and Manx Classic, Paddy Power Irish Open. In 2011 alone, he won a Festa Al Lago Seniors event and a Grand Challenge Tournament Series NLHE tournament, final tabled events from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, and ended 2011 with over $2.8 million in career tournament earnings.

Poker has a wonderful and probably unique way of mingling past and present. I caught up to Thor Hansen on Day 2 of Epic Poker’s December Pro/Am. Thor, an inspiration, mentor, and example to generations of European players, was still grinding away, because that’s what poker players do – even in a month after winning two local events and finishing runner-up in another.

I approached him at, arguably, the worst possible time. He had just busted, having spent long enough in the tournament to be here two days, but not long enough to make the money. Nevertheless, with a smile on his face, he entertained my questions about his life in poker. What I didn’t know at the time was that Hansen was ill. He had been losing weight, feeling weak and in pain, but kept that a secret, after receiving a diagnoses that it was an intestinal parasite.

Jen: What did you do before poker?

Thor: Poker. My whole life. I lived in Norway my whole life until the last 15 years, and I was involved in some types of business a few times, but I mostly played poker.

Jen: How old were you when you started playing poker?

Thor: I was very young, like 15 years old. I played with friends and in private games.

Jen: When did you begin to take it more seriously?

Thor: I guess it was 1986 when we had the Scandinavian Championship in Yugoslavia. We had it there because it was illegal then in Scandinavian countries. I met Eric Drache there, who is still a very good friend today. He invited me to Las Vegas, and that was my first Las Vegas trip in December of 1986.

Jen: At what point did you meet Larry Flynt?

Thor: A little later, in the mid or late 1990s. I was invited to his game through Eric Drache, who was running the game. I had a piece of myself, and I was doing pretty well. Larry then wanted me to play for him, and he put up the money but gave me a piece of the action. I did well. We were playing $1,500-$3,000 Seven Card Stud because that’s all Larry played, and I was good at it. I played for a few years in that game.

Jen: I assume you had already moved to the United States by that time?

Thor: Yes. I actually moved a little before he built his casino (Hustler Casino) because I was working there for awhile. I’ve been living in L.A. ever since.

Jen: How did you become known as the Godfather of Norwegian poker?

Thor: Somebody put that name on me because during the poker boom when all of the kids started playing poker, I was always around. I was playing EPTs and being sponsored by an online poker company as a Norwegian player, and I got to know a lot of these kids. I became young again. I went to some of the clubs with the kids, partying and having a good time. And they liked having me around. Somebody gave me that name. I don’t mind it. (Laughs)

Jen: So you find that you get a lot of respect from younger players?

Thor: Yes.

Jen: Have you mentored any of them?

Thor: That’s hard to do because they play better than me. (Laughs) These young kids are so good at poker. They’re teaching me the new ways of playing poker and how to keep up.

Jen: Do you see yourself ever doing anything else?

Thor: It’s too late for that. I always loved it and enjoyed it, so poker’s okay with me.

Jen: Do you back any other players?

Thor: No, I get backed myself. I won a lot of money playing poker, but I wasted it in other things like sports, horses, and gambling. But I’m still a winning player. The young kids are good, but they make mistakes, too. That’s how I survive.

Jen: It seems like you always have fun at the poker tables. You’re smiling right now.

Thor: I do. I always have fun playing poker. I enjoy the whole package.

Jen: But you just busted from the Pro/Am. You seem to take beats quite well

Thor: I always do that. You can’t do anything about those beats. That’s all there is to it.