Noah Boeken – from Magic: The Gathering Legend to Poker Pro

In this article, we continue our Series: TCG Legends at the Poker Table with Part 7: Noah Boeken.
Remaining within the fascinating landscape of career paths shaped by Magic: The Gathering, today, we are looking at a truly remarkable figure. Very few international poker players can proudly claim to have once been a European Champion in Magic: The Gathering, yet Noah Boeken is one of them. In the year 2000, at the age of just 19, he captured the title and rose to the very top of the European scene in the collectible card game (CCG) world.

It’s the kind of victory that instantly puts someone’s name on the map, both in the Magic community and beyond. Wouldn’t it be amazing to rewatch that 2000 final match? And why exactly? Well, by the end of this article, you’ll see why that game carries such fascinating weight in hindsight.

How Does This Lead to Poker?

Noah Boeken’s journey from Magic TCG champion to professional poker player is a testament to how transferable the skill set of strategic card games can be. He first encountered poker through fellow veterans who were equally comfortable in both worlds, trading card games and high-stakes poker tables.

Among those who greatly influenced him was David Williams , himself a well-known figure who made the leap from Magic: The Gathering to poker success (as we explored in detail in the very first part of this series). Williams was a living example of how skills honed in the Magic TCG (mathematical reasoning, bluffing, metagame reading, and long-term strategy) can be adapted to the poker table.

The other pivotal figure in Boeken’s transformation was none other than Marcel Lüske, the Dutch poker legend affectionately nicknamed “The Flying Dutchman.” Easily recognized by his signature upside-down sunglasses, Lüske is much more than a stylistic icon; he’s one of the most respected European players of all time. It was Lüske’s mentorship, guidance, and recommendations that helped Boeken navigate the early stages of his poker career, offering both strategic insights and an understanding of how to survive and thrive in the professional circuit.

This support wasn’t trivial. Having Lüske in your corner was (and still is)a massive advantage. To put things in perspective, Marcel Lüske has amassed over $5 million in live tournament winnings and remains an active figure in the global poker scene. That level of experience and prestige meant that Boeken’s early steps into poker were guided by one of the true greats of the game. It’s no surprise, then, that Boeken transitioned so effectively from the world of competitive Magic to the equally competitive, though very different, environment of professional poker.

Noah Boeken’s story is another compelling example of how card games, whether Magic: The Gathering or poker, can develop critical skills like probability calculation, meta-analysis, and tactical adaptation. These competencies, once mastered, can prove invaluable across multiple competitive fields.

MCOP and EPT Milestones

Boeken first stepped into the spotlight of the international poker scene in 2003 at the Master Classics of Poker (MCOP) in Amsterdam. In the €200 No Limit Hold’em event, he placed 4th, his first significant live tournament success. To fully appreciate this, remember: this achievement came just three years after winning the Magic European Championship.

The next big milestone came in October 2004, when Boeken made the final table of the European Poker Tour (EPT) London Championship Event, finishing in 6th place and earning around £16,800. This was an important breakthrough: making a deep run in one of Europe’s most prestigious poker tournaments solidified his reputation as more than just a promising newcomer.

But the real game-changing moment came in January 2005 at the EPT Copenhagen Main Event. Boeken didn’t just make another final table, he won the entire event and pocketed more than $191,355 in prize money. This was his first major EPT title, a victory that cemented his place among Europe’s elite poker players.

To put this in perspective: today, nearly two decades later, the combined prize money for the top three finishers at a Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour event barely equals this figure. That contrast illustrates just how monumental a leap Boeken made from dominating the Magic TCG scene to establishing himself as a force in the poker world.

Big Wins and Career Highlights of Noah Boeken

The year 2005 proved to be pivotal for Noah, as it also marked his first cashes at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) , the most prestigious poker series in the world.

Impressively, he didn’t just manage this feat in one event but cashed in two separate formats: No Limit Hold’em and Limit Hold’em. This versatility highlighted his ability to adapt to different poker structures, a skill likely nurtured by years of playing diverse formats in Magic.

His upward trajectory continued, and in 2006, Boeken scored another significant victory by winning the British Poker Open Main Event, adding £50,000 to his growing bankroll. Beyond the financial gain, this triumph brought him considerable recognition and firmly entrenched him within the upper ranks of European poker.

One of Boeken’s most notable WSOP runs came in 2009, when he competed in the Main Event, the single most prestigious tournament in poker. Out of a staggering 6,494 players, Boeken finished 96th, taking home close to $50,000. While it wasn’t the ultimate win, this deep run once again demonstrated that Boeken poker career could hold its own against the very best in the toughest field imaginable.

But the story doesn’t end there. In November 2013, Boeken made a massive return to the Master Classics of Poker, the same event where he’d first made a name for himself, and he won the entire tournament, claiming €306,821. This was the largest single live tournament score of his career up to that point and pushed his total live earnings over the $1.7 million mark.

Even after that milestone, Noah Boeken kept adding to his accolades. In 2016, he once again claimed victory at an MCOP High Roller event, taking home over €200,000.

Fates and Ways

Looking at Boeken’s career, it’s clear that he stands as a prime example of how mastery in a strategic card game can translate to long-term success in poker. Over the course of more than two decades, Boeken has amassed over $3 million in live tournament winnings, making it clear that his decision to trade Magic tournament tables for poker’s green felt was not just creatively fulfilling but highly lucrative as well.

To truly appreciate this journey, let’s rewind for a moment. Back in 2000, Noah Boeken, a 19-year-old Magic: the Gathering player, won the European Championship, an event that came with a modest prize of about $11,500. But there’s an interesting twist here: his opponent in that final was Raphaël Lévy, who finished in second place.

Lévy chose a completely different path. Instead of pivoting to poker, he remained in the world of Magic, where he went on to build a legendary career. With six Grand Prix titles and an astounding 23 Top 8 finishes across multiple continents, Lévy etched his name deep into Magic history. His consistent performance earned him an induction into the Magic Hall of Fame in 2006, solidifying his status as one of the game’s all-time greats.

Contrast that with his modest poker record: according to Hendon Mob, Lévy’s live poker tournament earnings total around $6,000, a figure that pales in comparison to Boeken’s multimillion-dollar poker career. But in the Magic community, Lévy remains an icon.

When we view the 2000 European Championship final in this light, it becomes something far more profound than a single tournament match. It wasn’t just a battle between two rising talents—it was the divergence point of two careers that would define success in entirely different ways. One player, Boeken, took his skills to the poker arena and became a fixture in the European high-stakes scene. The other, Lévy, stayed true to Magic: the Gathering and became one of its most decorated competitors.

Which brings us back to our earlier thought: wouldn’t it be fascinating to watch that 2000 final now? With everything we know about the two players’ journeys, it becomes a symbolic clash of paths, one leading to the Magic Hall of Fame, the other to the bright lights of poker’s grandest stages. Fates and ways.

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