Mads Andersen

Birthplace
Nykobing, Denmark

Hometown
Copenhagen, Denmark

Birthday
October 8

Total Winnings
$435,895

By the end of day one, Mads Anderson was ill. Traveling from Denmark had taken its toll, and the professional gambler (poker, backgammon) was feeling the effects. He even received a visit from the casino doctor. Still, there was nothing keeping him away from this tournament. Anderson was second in chips coming into day four, but his stack tumbled until the last two hands of the night. That's when he exploded with knockout wins against Haralabos Voulgaris and Justin Bonomo to suddenly shoot up the standings, finishing the day in second, just T36,000 behind chip leader Daniel Negreanu. Anderson is no stranger to high-level competition, winning numerous backgammon events and the European Poker Tour held in his native Copenhagen earlier this year. Now, he's the lone non-North American playing at the final table of the Five Diamond. One has to think he's feeling a little better.