Peter Eastgate, the 22-year-old professional poker player from Odense, Denmark, has only been playing poker for three year and has just four prior cashes on his resume, all from European tournaments.
His previous biggest payday came when he placed ninth in the 2007 Paddy Power Irish Open - No Limit Hold'em Event and took home $46,714. But Peter Eastgate has already made twenty times that amount as a member of the November Nine – and hopes to win even more.
If Eastgate were to go all the way, taking home the $9 million first place prize money, he would break Phil Hellmuth's record and become the youngest player ever to win the WSOP Main Event
Eastgate was not a household name going into this year's WSOP, but the Danish pro is well known in his home country where he is ranked as one of the top five online pros, playing primarily on Ladbrokes Poker and PokerStars. His specialty is short-handed and heads-up, high-limit cash games up to the $200/$400 level.
Words used to describe Eastgate's playing style include fearless and volatile. Fellow Danish poker pro Jacob Rasmussen was asked if Peter Eastgate was the next Gus Hansen, Denmark's most famous poker player. He said, "Not really. It's more like Gus Hansen is the first Peter Eastgate."
Eastgate is more self-effacing, responding to that compliment modestly, "I think Gus Hansen will still be the only representative for Denmark. I could win the tournament and it wouldn't change that."
Eastgate has already had a brief stint before the cameras when he played in Poker Million heats on British TV, finishing second in 2006 and third in 2007, just missing the finals both times. Eastgate's only other major live tournament finish was back in February, when he finished in 32nd place at the EPT Scandinavian Open in Copenhagen, which brought him just over $16,000.
Eastgate, who goes also by the nickname "Isser," graduated from high school, then went on to college to study Economics. He dropped out soon after to concentrate on playing poker full time. He started in online poker rooms, breaking even for his first year and then starting to win so he could build a bankroll that allowed him to consider poker his full time job. Eastgate has occasionally been mistaken for another online poker player 'Halfrek' because both come from Odense, but that rumor has been squelched repeatedly by bloggers from Denmark who claim to be in the know.
On his way to the final table, Eastgate peaked at the right time. He eliminated Brandon Cantu with Ace of diamonds , Queen of hearts , when a favorable board gave him an ace-high flush against Cantu's pocket nines, dominated Tiffany Michelle's A-J with pocket aces and then sent Anthony Scherer home as well when his kings held up against Scherer's suited A-8 of clubs. He also tangled with many of the other big stacks in the tournament.
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