Two years ago, if you were asked to name a handful of top Scandinavian poker stars, you might have been left scratching your head at the size of the task in front of you. Of course, Denmark’s Gus Hansen has been a big feature in the poker world for sometime now – but who else? Today, the invasion of players from Nordic shores is growing at a fast and furious rate. From Sweden, Erik Sagstrom and Bengt Sonnert have torn up the form book with their astonishing rise through the online ranks. Norwegian star Johnny Lodden has earned a similar reputation for his ultraaggressive style, while Finland’s Patrik Antonius is now a regular at the Big Game in Las Vegas and is widely considered to be one of the most feared live players on the planet.

Aggressive Scandinavian play has become something of a poker cliché over the past few years, thanks in part to the phenomenal success of the fearless Hansen.