Pieter de Korver

Dutch pro Pieter De Korver decided to quit his day job to play poker full time in 2007. It was a brave decision, but one that would pay off beyond all expectations just two years later. First he won the Poker Champion of Holland event - a popular Dutch TV show sponsored by PokerStars. It was a major turning point in his career, but soon his lifetime winnings and profile were to go in to overdrive.

One of the biggest and most prestigious live poker events in the world, the European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo Grand Final is the kind of title that any serious poker player would love to win. The respect that comes with it, not to mention the huge cash prize, can make a player’s whole career. And in 2009 it was Peter who would take all the riches. He cut his way through a strong field of 935 players to make it to the final table. Then, short stacked and down to just three big blinds at one point, he made one of the greatest come backs in EPT history and won, walking away with the title and a huge cash of $3,024,167. His good run has continued since, with cashes at the 2009 World Series of Poker*, the Belgium Open Poker Championships, the Master Classics of Poker and EPT Prague. He also picked up another huge payday when he won a side event at the 2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA), taking home $110,050 for taking down a $1,000 No Limit Hold’em tournament.

Now set for life with a bankroll that most poker players can only dream of, Pieter has already secured his place in the history of the game. Whatever comes next will be a bonus, but don’t rule out him appearing at the final table of more big name tournaments soon. Pieter plays online at PokerStars using the screen name ‘PeteDeKorver’.