![Germany [DEU]](/assets/images/flags/1x1/de.svg "Germany [DEU]"){kind=small}
Hossein Ensan is an Iranian-German professional poker player best known for winning the 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. A “Triple Crown” threat and one of the most successful European pros of the last decade, Ensan is celebrated for his late-career surge and his historic achievement as the second German champion in the history of the World Series.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
With total live tournament earnings surpassing $14,790,000 (according to The Hendon Mob), Ensan is currently ranked #7 on Germany’s All-Time Money List. His career-defining score of $10,000,000 came from his victory in the 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. Ensan is a WSOP bracelet winner and a prestigious European Poker Tour (EPT) champion, having won the 2015 EPT Prague Main Event for €754,510. He has maintained consistent results into 2025 and 2026, recently finishing 5th in the 2025 PLO Grand Slam Malta €10k Championship for $151,749. His massive world championship prize and frequent high-roller scores contribute to an estimated poker net worth of over $15 million.
Biography & Poker Background
Born in 1964 in Ahwaz, Iran, Ensan moved to Germany at the age of 25. He studied civil engineering at the University of Münster but worked various jobs—including stints as a taxi driver and waiter—to support his family before finding success in poker. Unlike many of his younger peers, Ensan was a “late bloomer” in the professional scene, only recording his first major live results in his late 40s. He first caught the poker world’s attention in 2014 when he won the EPT Barcelona Seniors Event and finished 3rd in the Main Event just days later. His 2019 world title at age 55 made him the oldest Main Event champion in 20 years, a feat that endeared him to the global poker community as a representative of the “older guard” of grinders. Today, he remains based in Münster and is known as one of the friendliest and most humble ambassadors in the game.
Play Style & Strategy
Ensan is renowned for a “disciplined, patient, and highly observant” play style that emphasizes mental stamina over raw aggression. While he respects modern GTO (Game Theory Optimal) study, he often describes himself as a “feel” player who prioritizes psychological reads and table dynamics. His strategy is characterized by an exceptional ability to maintain focus over long tournament structures, a trait that allowed him to enter the 2019 WSOP Main Event final table with a massive chip lead and never relinquish control. He is a master of the “small ball” approach, utilizing pot control and thin value bets to minimize risk while maximizing the mistakes of his opponents. This technical balance has allowed him to excel in both high-stakes No-Limit Hold’em and increasingly in Pot-Limit Omaha championships across the EPT and World Poker Tour (WPT) circuits.
Social Media & Online Presence
Want to follow the 2019 World Champion as he continues to compete in major international events? You can find his profiles here:
Video Highlights:
Watch the final moments of Hossein Ensan’s clinical $10 million World Championship victory:
