Preben Stokkan

Preben Stokkan was born in Harstad, a town in northern Norway, and currently resides in London, England. He has pursued a professional poker career that has taken him across the globe. While his Hendon Mob profile clearly identifies him as Norwegian, tournament databases have occasionally listed a US hometown of Corvallis, Oregon—likely a residue from early WSOP registrations or tax arrangements. This dual identity occasionally leads to confusion among followers, but Stokkan is firmly recognized as one of Norway's poker ambassadors.

Stokkan's live tournament earnings total $2,440,019 according to The Hendon Mob. His best single cash is $324,650, a testament to his ability to succeed in high-stakes fields. He holds the 8th position on the Norway All Time Money List, a ranking that includes many of the country's most celebrated players. On the global scale, he ranks approximately 1,005th, placing him among the elite tournament competitors worldwide. Stokkan has also been honored with the GPI National Player of the Year award, a recognition that highlights his consistent excellence within the Norwegian poker community. Additionally, he has crossed the $2,000,000 milestone, an achievement that underscores his longevity and profitability in a challenging environment. With 68 recorded live cashes tracked by The Hendon Mob, his results span a variety of tournament formats and buy-in levels.

Perhaps the most celebrated episode of Stokkan's career came during the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event. The tournament was massive, attracting 8,569 entries, and by the time the money bubble burst, 1,286 players remained. Stokkan had navigated the early days successfully and emerged as the Day 3 overall chip leader. However, Day 4 presented a severe test. At the first break of the day, his stack had dwindled to a single 5,000-chip—a mere fraction of the 400,000 average stack. Most players would have folded their way to a min-cash, but Stokkan mounted a phenomenal recovery. By the end of Day 4, he had reclaimed the chip lead with 2,184,000 chips, far exceeding the average of 400,000 and the median of 316,000. He was listed as the top chip leader among the Pacific Northwest contingent (due to his Corvallis registration), with the next closest PNW player, Allen Nielson, holding 909,000 chips. This dramatic turnaround showcased Stokkan's exceptional resilience, sharp decision-making, and ability to thrive under pressure. It remains one of the most talked-about deep runs in recent Main Event history.

As of 2025, Preben Stokkan continues to be a prominent figure in international poker. His 8th-place standing on Norway's all-time money list cements his status among the country's finest. The GPI National Player of the Year award and the $2,000,000 earnings milestone are testaments to his career achievements. While he may not be as widely known as some Scandinavian superstars, his consistent results and the memorable 2019 WSOP Main Event run have earned him a dedicated following. Stokkan remains active in tournaments, and his presence at any event is taken seriously by opponents.

The listing of Preben Stokkan's hometown as Corvallis, Oregon in certain tournament databases stems from common registration practices. According to a contemporary report on Pacific Northwest players in the 2019 WSOP Main Event, "It’s not unusual for the WSOP player database to have incorrect or just old info, or for non-US players to claim a US hometown because they were in the US when they first played the WSOP or tax reasons (or even for players from different states to have not updated their info: looking at you, Nick Getzen). That’s why Annie Duke and Esther Taylor-Brady are still at the top of the Oregon leaderboard on Hendon Mob." Stokkan's Norwegian identity remains undisputed, and the Corvallis listing is a quirk of database history rather than a reflection of his actual residence.

During Day 4 of the 2019 WSOP Main Event, Stokkan was not the only player from the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region making a deep run, but he was the chip leader among them. Other notable PNW competitors with their chip counts at the end of Day 4 included: Allen Nielson (Mercer Island, WA) with 909,000; Jacki Burkhart (Boring, OR) with 819,000; Ian Pelz (Eugene, OR) with 773,000; Shane Abbott (Seattle, WA) with 596,000; and Glenn Ward (Salem, OR) with 579,000. The median stack among all remaining players was 316,000, and the average was 400,000, putting these PNW players well above average. Stokkan's commanding lead of 2,184,000 placed him atop the entire tournament field as well as the PNW group.