QMunir
Marcel Luske
Marcel Luske is one of the most stylish professional poker players; he's always seen in a suit and he wears his sunglasses upside down. He's been known to break into song at the table, but behind the comedic facade is one of the sharpest players in the world. In fact, he's earned the European Player of the Year award twice (in 2001 and 2004).
Marcel Luske's nickname is "The Flying Dutchman", and he got started playing the game in Amsterdam's cafes after he finished his nightclub job. He eventually was able to open his own card room, and he hit the European poker circuit with great success. He won three tournaments within two weeks, netting $85,000, and was soon regarded as one of Europe's best players. Luske's poker success allowed him to quit his job and pursue the game full-time.
Marcel Luske also won the British Open and Amsterdam's Masters Classic, and was named 2001's Player of the Year. However, it was the 2003 WSOP that put Luske on the map. He finished fourteenth at the main event, earning himself $65,000 and various business opportunities.
The next year, The Flying Dutchman Luske had another good run at the Main Event, finishing tenth and winning $373,000. Some of his other big wins are those at the Five-Star World Poker Classic and the Hall of Fame Poker Classic. Marcel Luske is a mentor to some of the world's best players, such as David Williams, Kirill Gerasimov and Noah Boeken.
Luske is a founder and the director of the International Poker Federation, which is a group that aims to implement standard rules at all tournaments. Despite his busy lifestyle, he still has plenty of time to spend with his wife and his two children.