Martin De Knijff

Born on 2 October 1972 in Gothenburg, Sweden, Martin de Knijff took his surname from his Dutch father; his mother is Swedish. The family moved to Falkenberg when he was five, and in 1992 he moved to Stockholm before eventually settling in Las Vegas, where he still lives. He started playing poker at 15, beginning with five-card draw before falling for Omaha and Texas Hold'em. He has called Doyle Brunson's Super/System the best poker book ever written. Before poker became his profession, he worked in banking—a detail behind one of his nicknames, "the Banker." He is also a professional sports bettor.

De Knijff first made a name for himself with a 13th-place finish in the 2002 World Series of Poker Main Event, earning $60,000. That deep run announced a new Scandinavian threat on the global tournament circuit. Over the next two years he would convert that promise into one of the most memorable runs of the mid-2000s. His WSOP record shows three money finishes and a best Main Event finish of 13th, though he never captured a WSOP bracelet.

His defining achievement came at the World Poker Tour Championship. In the first edition of the WPT Championship, he finished 15th for $26,664. A year later he won the same tournament, taking home a then-record $2,728,356 at the Five-Star World Poker Classic. That payday remains his best live cash and earned him 1,000 WPT points. In all, he recorded 32 WPT cashes, with total WPT earnings of $2,967,515, including one title and one final table.

Less than a month after the WPT victory, De Knijff finished second in the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em event at the 2004 World Series of Poker, collecting $210,100. The European Poker Awards recognized his year by naming him winner of the Outstanding Tournament Performance of the Year award for 2004. The 2003–2004 season remains the strongest stretch of his career, establishing him alongside the leading tournament pros of his generation.

His recorded live tournament earnings stand at $3,897,972, with a best live cash of $2,728,356; he ranks 721st on the all-time money list and 281,712th in the Poker Index. By his last recorded cash of 2008, his live winnings had passed $3,370,000. He later reappeared at high stakes with a 2014 runner-up finish in the Aria $50,000 Super High Roller eight-handed event for $404,250. Other notable results include an 11th-place finish in the 2008 WPT Doyle Brunson Classic for $72,060 and a single European Poker Tour money finish.

Known as "The Knife," "The Iceman," and "The Banker," De Knijff brought a patient, tight-aggressive style to the tables. He was admired for precise hand-reading, thoughtful bet sizing, and a nearly emotionless facade. "The Iceman" captured his refusal to be rattled, while "The Knife" played off his surname. His calculated approach, likely sharpened by years in banking, made him a difficult opponent in high-pressure tournament situations.

Away from poker, De Knijff is an avid contract bridge player and finished second in the 2008 Blue Ribbon Pairs, a major North American Bridge Championship. He also wrote a 2005 Card Player magazine article encouraging tournament backers to reveal themselves, which drew mixed reactions from professionals. His 2004 WPT title was a landmark for Swedish and European poker, and his career total of nearly $3.9 million places him among the most successful European tournament players of the early 2000s. He remains a respected figure across poker, bridge, and sports betting.