The Online Railbird Report Vol. 25: Cole South and Ashton Griffin Bank Wins
The action at the Full Tilt Pot Limit Omaha tables has been fast and furious this week. We're not even a full week into August, and still, hundreds of thousands of dollars has changed hands. Ashton “theASHMAN103” Griffin is off to a blazing start to begin the month, up nearly $1 million in just a few days. Cole South has showed no signs of cooling off from his recent hot streak, banking nearly half a million in the last few days. Beginning August in the red are DIN_FRU, Gus Hansen, Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond, and Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies.
Ashton Ascends
The $200/400 PLO tables have been home to furious action lately. Ashton “theASHMAN103” Griffin has been the biggest beneficiary recently, at the expense of Full Tilt Pro, Gus Hansen. Griffin scooped a large pot when the table was three-handed, luckexpress10 being the third player in addition to Hansen. Griffin had the button and raised it to $1,610. From the small blind, luckexpress10 called and Hansen popped it to $6,650 from the big blind. Griffin and luckexpress10 came along as the flop ran out 6♣ 2♦ 8♦. Action was checked to Griffin who bet the pot of $20,160, prompting a fold from luckexpress10. Hansen called and when the 6♥ hit the turn, he shoved for $56,000. Griffin called all in for just over $42,000 and revealed 10♥10♦6♦2♣, well ahead of Hansen's A♦A♠10♣8♥. The river was the 7♥ and Griffin won the pot of about $146,000 with sixes full of deuces.
Griffin got the best of Hansen again with a nice turn card, when he had the button and raised to $1,610. Hansen bumped it to $5,440 from the small blind. Luckexpress10 folded and Griffin called; the virtual dealer delivered a 10♣ A♠ 4♠ flop. Hansen check-called a bet of $11,490 from Griffin and the turn brought the 6♣. Hansen led out for the pot of $34,470 and Griffin went all in for $52,448 total. Hansen called with A♣8♣9♥5♠ for multiple draws and top pair, while Griffin tabled A♦6♦7♦7♠ for two pair. The river was the 3♦ and Griffin dodged a ton of outs to rake in the $139,365 pot.
South Staying Hot
Cole South ended July on a high note and has stayed on key thus far in August. Playing heads up $200/400 PLO with Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies, South won a few pots to book a winning session. One hand in particular saw South open to $800 and Sahamies make it $2,400. South called and the flop fell J♣ 7♠ A♣. Sahamies bet the pot of $4,800 and South raised to $13,200. Sahamies then re-popped it to $44,800 and South put in yet another raise, having his man covered. Ziigmund called all in for about $51,000 total with A♠10♣9♠8♣ for top pair, a wrap, and a flush draw. South tabled K♥Q♣10♠4♣ for straight draws and a superior flush draw. He locked up the hand when the 5♣ hit the turn, to give him the better flush, sending the $108,000 pot his way.
Another hand between the two went five bets pre-flop. Each committed $34,220 to see the 4♠ 9♠ 5♣ flop. Ziigmund shipped it in for about $47,000 and South called all in for slightly less. The hands were K♣K♠8♥6♣ for Ziigmund and 6♠3♠5♦2♦ for South. Fourth street was the 8♣ and Ziigmund was still out in front, but South hit gin when the 3♥ found fifth street giving South a straight and the $153,000 pot.
Wild Wednesday
The $300/600 PLO tables were packed last night as several tables ran for hours. Big action seemed to follow Rafi "howisitfeellike" Amit. A big hand occurred at a four-handed table with Amit, Richard Ashby, Tom "durrrr" Dwan, and Phil Ivey. Ashby folded in the cutoff and Dwan called on the button. Ivey raised to $2,800 from the small blind and Amit called out of the big blind. Durrrr came along as well to see the flop run out 9♥ 2♦ 4♦. Ivey led out for $7,200 and Amit popped it to $30,400. Dwan folded and Ivey went into the tank. After a few moments, he went all in for just over $85,000 and Amit called all in for his stack of $83,535.50. Amit tabled A♦6♦Q♥7♥ for the nut flush draw, while Ivey had A♠Q♠9♦3♦ for top pair, a wheel draw, and an inferior flush draw. The J♥ turn card was no help to Amit and when the 3♠ fell on the river, the $175,869 pot was shipped to Ivey.
Amit did made up for the loss later in the night on a four-way all-in, also at $300/600 PLO. Di "Urindanger" Dang opened under the gun to $1,800 and was called by David Benefield (hijack), Tom Dwan (button), and Richard Ashby (small blind). Rafi Amit raised to $11,400 from the big blind and Dang called. Benefield then shoved his $27,900 stack into the middle and Dwan got out of the way. Ashby called, but Amit immediately went all in for $114,000 having the rest of his opponents covered. Dang called, as did Ashby, and the four-way all-in for $210,000 was set to go. The hands were:
Benefield: A♦A♣7♥6♣ (38%)
Dang: K♥K♠Q♥10♠ (24%)
Ashby: J♠7♠9♣8♣ (22%)
Amit: A♠Q♠J♥10♦ (13%)
As it stood Benefield was the favorite to win, but was only at 38% to do so. The flop came 8♥ Q♣ 6♦ and while Benefield's aces were still the best hand, Ashby became the favorite to win the pot. The 3♠ appeared on the turn as Benefield maintained the lead, but the river was theQ♦ and Rafi Amit made trip queens with an ace kicker to go from worst to first in the hand, winning the entire $210,000 pot.
Who’s Up, Who’s Down
So far this week’s biggest winners:
Ashton “theASHMAN103” Griffin (+$790,264)
Cole South (+$651,273)
This week’s biggest losers:
DIN_FRU (-$640,673)
Gus Hansen (-$510,339)
Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond (-$555,361)
Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies (-$443,564)
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