Dutch Treat
The 2009 World Series of Poker $2,000 buy-in Limit Hold’em champion is Marc Naalden, from Antwerp, Belgium. He collected $190,770 for first place and was also awarded his first WSOP gold bracelet.
Naalden is a 40-year-old professional poker player who prior to pursuing his poker career, worked as a derivatives trader on the options exchange for ten years. He earned his college degree in economics. Naalden in fluent in Dutch, Flanders and English.
He has won nearly $800,000 playing tournament poker, with most of his winnings taking place in Europe. He has three major tournament wins – including The Master Classics (Amsterdam). Naalden was also the Belgium No-Limit Hold’em Champion in 2006.
This is the fourth year Naalden has attended the WSOP. Prior to his victory, he estimates that he played in about 65 WSOP tournaments. He has entered about 13 events so far this year.
According to official records, Naalden now has 1 win, 2 final table appearances, and 6 in-the-money finishes at the WSOP. He has also accumulated $303,488 in career WSOP winnings.
Naalden cashed in the 2007 WSOP Main Event, finishing in 406th place.
Naalden became only the second player from Holland to win a WSOP gold bracelet. The first was Rob Hollink, who accomplished his breakthrough victory last year in the Limit Hold’em World Championship.
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