Sebastian Ruthenberg

Sebastian Ruthenberg was born on February 6, 1984, in Hamburg, Germany, and studied IT at university. He turned professional poker player in 2006, initially gaining experience in online poker before gradually moving to live events. In 2006 and 2007, he won approximately $100,000 and $440,000 in tournament prize money respectively, laying the foundation for his later success.

The 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) was the first peak of Ruthenberg's career. He finished 68th in the $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed event ($4,655), then defeated professional player Chris Ferguson to win the gold bracelet and $328,762 in the $5,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo World Championship, becoming the fifth German to win a WSOP gold bracelet.

In the same year (2008), Ruthenberg won the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona Main Event, emerging victorious from 619 players to earn €1,361,000 (~$1,941,401). In the heads-up match, he held a 5:1 chip advantage over Fintan Gavin and sealed the win in just three hands. This victory made him the champion of EPT Season 5, and he subsequently joined Team PokerStars Pro.

Additionally, he finished 3rd in the 2007 EPT Dortmund (€220,000) and 9th in the 2008 EPT Prague (€42,800).

2011 was another highlight year for Ruthenberg: he placed 55th in the WSOP Main Event ($130,997), 16th in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship ($108,503), and finished runner-up in the EPT Berlin €10,000 Eight-Handed No-Limit Hold'em side event ($163,668).

As of 2011, his total live tournament earnings exceeded $3.4 million. According to authoritative databases, his lifetime live tournament winnings stand at $3,476,684, ranking him 25th on the German all-time money list.

Ruthenberg's online alias is "taktloss47". His playing style is based on solid fundamentals with aggressive elements, skilled at making sound decisions in complex situations. He is particularly adept at mixed games like Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo, while also performing well in No-Limit Hold'em.

Ruthenberg gained widespread attention for his 2008 double achievement (WSOP gold bracelet + EPT title). He participated in global events as a member of Team PokerStars Pro. Although his public results have been fewer in recent years, he remains one of the most representative German poker players.