The Online Railbird Report, Vol. 11: Hansen Plays the Rush
The high-stakes online cash games were still a bit less robust than usual this week, with players such as Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies, Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius and Sami “LarsLuzak” Kelopuro busy competing in the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo. Though Antonius managed to book some solid wins this week despite his tournament obligations, the two names at the center of this week’s action were Gus Hansen and Tom Dwan, the former riding week two of a huge upswing while the latter sustained some heavy blows, dropping over $2 million this week at the tables. Though Dwan had managed to pull himself out of the $4 million hole he was in two weeks ago, he is now down again for the year to the tune of nearly $2.8 million.
Hansen’s Hot Streak — $3 Million in Eight Days
Gus Hansen’s massive rush continues, with the Great Dane earning over $1.75 million this week as he took on all comers at his eponymous $500/$1,000 pot-limit Omaha tables on Full Tilt. Add that to the $1.8 million he earned in 24 hours last Saturday and that’s over $3 million in earnings in only an eight-day span.
On Sunday afternoon, Hansen clobbered David “MR B 2 U SON” Benyamine in a three-table heads-up match to the tune of $340,000 . Then, starting at about 11:30 EDT that evening, Hansen played an all-night heads-up match with Tom “durrrr” Dwan, starting on two tables of $500/1,000 PLO, growing to three after an hour, and then growing to four just after dawn. Hansen finished up close to $700,000 on Dwan that night. Though Hansen lost some of those earnings back to Dwan in a short session the following day — as well as about $125,000 to Brian Hastings, who took a shot at the nosebleed stakes — he roared back, winning over $366,000 from Dwan on Tuesday night, then bleeding him for another $167,000 on Wednesday afternoon. Benyamine challenged Hansen again on Thursday night, but ended up losing $188,000 in their three-table PLO match.
Hansen’s monsterpotten of the week came against Benyamine during their Sunday match. Playing $500/1,000 PLO, Hansen raised to $3,000 from the button and Benyamine called. The flop came down J♣5♣2♣, Benyamine check-raising Hansen’s $5,000 bet to $21,000. Hansen called and they went to the turn, the Q♦. Benyamine led out this time for a hefty $48,000 and Hansen flatted. The river paired the board, falling the 2♥ and Benyamine bet $113,000.
“wauw…QQ?” queried Hansen in the chat before calling all in for $104,405.
Benyamine turned up A♣9♣8♥3♣ for the flopped ace-high flush, but Hansen had rivered a boat, jacks full of deuces with J♥J♦8♠6♦, good for the $352,089 pot.
Antonius Crosses the $5 Million Mark in 2009 Earnings
In a week where most of his time was spent inside the Monte Carlo Bay Resort’s Salle des Etoilles playing in the EPT Grand Final, Patrik Antonius also managed to earn over $750,000 from online play on Full Tilt Poker, a good chunk of it coming from a successful Tuesday at the $500/1,000 HA tables where he won just under $400,000. Much of that profit came courtesy of fellow Finn Sami “LarsLuzak” Kelopuro, with whom Antonius tangled with in several of the night’s largest pots.
Playing heads-up during the Hold'em portion of the mix, Antonius min-raised to $2,000 from the button holding K♠K♦ , Kelopuro reraised to $6,000 from the big with his own pocket pair, the 7♠7♥, Antonius came back with a four-bet to $18,000 and Kelopuro called. Both players checked the J♣3♦2♦ flop, but went to war once the turn fell the J♦. After Kelopuro led out for $24,800, Antonius re-potted to $110,400, leaving himself only $3,398 behind. Kelopuro raised again and Antonius called, with Antonius’ pocket kings and king-high flush draw leaving Kelopuro drawing to only the two remaining sevens. The river was the 5♠, though, and Antonius raked in the $236,373 pot.
The two got their stacks in on the turn again in a later confrontation, again in hold’em. Kelopuro opened for $3,000 from the button and Antonius flat-called. Antonius checked the 9♣8♠3♣ flop, only to turn around and raise Kelopuro’s $4,000 bet from position to $16,000. Kelopuro made the call and they went to the turn, the 3♥. Antonius bet $38,000, setting Kelopuro all in and he earned the call, Kelopuro showing 9♣4♣ for top pair. Antonius, however, had him out-kicked with K♦9♥, the J♥ on the river doing nothing to change things. Antonius collected $113,998 on that hand.
With his cash game successes this week, Antonius crossed the $5 million mark when it comes to his overall 2009 winnings.
“Resoh” Wins $206,000 from Antonius in $1,000/2,000 LHE Battle
One of the few losses Patrik Antonius sustained this week came in a five-hour limit hold’em match against “Resoh.” Typically a short-handed and heads-up limit hold’em player at the $100/200 to $300/600 levels, Resoh took a shot at Antonius this week and emerged with $206,000 in winnings over the course of nearly 850 hands. Though this was limit poker, the pot sizes grew pretty hefty with hardly a hand passing without a three-bet.
Resoh was already up six figures on Antonius when this particular pot unfolded, Antonius opening with a raise from the button and Resoh making the call. Resoh check-raised the 6♥5♦2♠ flop leading to a capped round of betting. The turn paired the board with the 6♠ and Resoh check-raised again, Antonius flat-calling. The river was the 3♥ and Resoh led out, Antonius calling his value bet. Resoh flipped up two black fives for the full house and Antonius mucked, his opponent collecting the $24,000 pot.
Resoh picked up another $24,000 pot a few minutes later when he ended up rivering trip kings. Resoh opened with a raise from the button with K♠10♥ and Antonius made the call. Antonius liked the look of the K♥9♠5♦ flop and led out, only to be met with a raise. Antonius called and they went to the turn, the A♣. This time, Antonius check-raised Resoh’s $2,000 turn bet and was met with a flat-call. The river fell the K♦ and Antonius led out, Resoh putting in the river raise and earning a call. Upon seeing Resoh’s trips, Antonius mucked, conceding the pot.
Who’s Up? Who’s Down?
This week’s biggest winners: Gus Hansen (+$1.75 million), Patrik Antonius (+$757,000), Di “Urindanger” Dang (+$610,000)
This week’s biggest losers: Tom “durrrr” Dwan (-$2.05 million), David “MR B 2 U SON” Benyamine (-$782,000), Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond (-$598,000)
Top earners, April 2009: Patrik Antonius (+$2.16 million), Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies (+$1.57 million), Di “Urindanger” Dang (+$1.1 million)
Looking to get unstuck, April 2009: Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond (-$1.66 million), Sami “LarsLuzak” Kelopuro (-$884,000), David “MR B 2 U SON” Benyamine (-$691,000)
Top earners, 2009 to date: Patrik Antonius (+$5.08 million), Hac “trex313’ Dang (+$3.01 million), Gus Hansen (+$2.81 million)
Looking to get unstuck, 2009 to date: Tom “durrrr” Dwan (-$2.79 million), David “MR B 2 U SON” Benyamine (-$1.62 million), Sami “LarsLuzak” Kelopuro ($-1.43 million)
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