The Top Five Online Pots of 2009
One year ago, the record for the largest online poker pot ever played belonged to Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Di “Urindanger” Dang for the $723,938 pot Dang won in a six-handed $500/$1,000 no-limit hold’em game on October 26, 2008. Since then, that record has been broken a dozen times, all of those pots sharing one common denominator — Swedish phenom "Isildur1."
Before Isildur1's arrival on Full Tilt Poker, Dwan's was the name that appeared the most when it came to the largest online pots because he played six of last year’s top ten and won four of them.
Now, Isildur1 is the most ubiquitous name on that list, having won four of this year’s top ten, two of the top five, and played in every $750,000+ online pot ever recorded.
2009 was not only the year of Isildur1, but it was the year of pot-limit Omaha. In 2008, seven of the ten largest online pots were no-limit hold’em hands. Now only three of the 20 largest on record came in no-limit hold’em; the other 17 all unfolding at the $500/$1,000 PLO tables on Full Tilt Poker.
We told you we liked lists here at PokerNews HQ, and this probably won't be the last you'll see from us this year, so take a look at the top five online pots of 2009.
5. Isildur1 vs. Phil Ivey, November 21, 2009, $827,960
Phil Ivey: $661,938 10♣8♣7♠3♠
Isildur1: $412,980 Q♥J♥10♦9♣
Holding 10♣8♣7♠3♠ on the button, Ivey opened for $3,000 and Isildur1 three-bet to $9,000 with Q♥J♥10♦9♣. Ivey called and they saw a flop of 9♠6♠2♥, Ivey hitting a wrap draw and a flush draw while Isildur1 made top pair. Isildur1 tested the waters with a $15,000 bet and Ivey made the call. The 8♦ on the turn was a great card for Ivey, filling his straight while Isildur1 picked up a higher straight draw.
Fireworks naturally ensued, Isildur1 leading out for $42,000, Ivey raising to $157,000, Isildur1 shoving for $389,980 and Ivey making the call. The river, however, was a disaster for the seven-time bracelet winner, falling the 7♣ to make Isildur1 a jack-high straight.
4. Phil Ivey vs. Isildur1, November 21, 2009, $832,940
Isildur1: $415,970 6♦6♥3♥3♠
Phil Ivey: $621,401 A♠Q♣7♠3♣
The fourth-largest online pot of 2009 unfolded in that same session between Ivey and Isildur1. This time, Isildur1 led off the action for $3,000 with 6♦6♥3♥3♠, Ivey three-bet to $9,000 holding A♠Q♣7♠3♣, and Isildur1 made a light four-bet to $27,000. Ivey made the call, then checked the A♣6♣4♠ flop over to his opponent. Having flopped middle set, Isildur1 jumped right in, making it $42,000 to go, only to have Ivey come over the top, re-potting to $180,000 with top pair, a gutshot straight draw and the second-nut flush draw. Isildur1 shoved for the $389,470 he had behind and Ivey called. The J♦ on the turn was no help to Ivey, but he made his flush when the K♣ hit the river, earning him the $832,940 pot.
3. Patrik Antonius vs. Isildur1, November 16, 2009, $878,959
Patrik Antonius: $438,479 A♥Q♣9♠6♥
Isildur1: $449,994 A♠K♠Q♦10♥
It’s unlikely that Patrik Antonius will ever forget the night of November 16, 2009, when he not only won $2.9 million from Isildur1 in a nine-hour pot-limit Omaha match, but won what was then the largest pot in online poker history.
It started off innocently enough with a single $3,000 raise from Isildur1 and a call from Antonius. Holding A♥Q♣9♠6♥, Antonius hit the nut flush draw and a straight draw when the flop came downQ♠7♥5♥, while Isildur1 flopped top pair with A♠K♠Q♦10♥. Antonius went for a check-raise with his combination draw, making it $21,000 to go after Isildur1 put out a $5,000 continuation bet. Isildur1 called and the A♦ hit the turn, making him top two pair. Antonius fired again, betting $48,000, Isildur1 raised to $192,000 and Antonius moved all-in for $415,479. Isildur1 called, then watched in horror as the 8♦ fell on the river, making Antonius a winning nine-high straight. How do you say “Nice catch, donkey” in Swedish?
2. Isildur1 vs. Phil Ivey, November 23, 2009, $1,127,955
Phil Ivey: $563,477 ????
Isildur1: $637,457 K♣K♦5♥4♦
Phil Ivey makes his third appearance on this list with this pot, only we’ll be forever left to wonder what his hole cards were. Ivey got things rolling with a $3,000 raise from the button, which Isildur1 promptly three-bet to $9,000 with his K♣K♦5♥4♦.
Not one to stop there, Ivey came back over the top for $27,000 and Isildur1 flat-called, finally content to see the flop. And what a flop it was, coming down [Ks[]J♠J♦ to make Isildur1 the nut full house. Both players checked and the 10♦ came on the turn. Isildur1 checked again, Ivey bet $41,000 and Isildur1 re-potted to $177,000. Ivey called, and Isildur1 made a pot-sized bet of $408,000 as soon as the 5♦ hit the river, putting Ivey to a decision for the rest of his stack. Ultimately, Ivey called all-in for $359,977, but mucked in the face of Isildur1’s kings full of jacks.
1. Patrik Antonius vs. Isildur1, November 21, 2009, $1,356,947
Patrik Antonius: $1,258,450 A♥K♥K♠3♠
Isildur1: $677,973 9♠8♥7♦6♦
In the hand that presently holds the record for the largest online poker pot ever played, Patrik Antonius and Isildur1 shattered the record they set only five days eariler. On a night when Isildur1 lost $2.1 million to Antonius and another $1.2 million to Ivey, Antonius claimed the Internet’s first seven-figure pot.
Both players’ stacks were extremely deep, Antonius holding over 1,250 big blinds while Isildur1 sat with nearly 678. Isildur1 picked up 9♠8♥7♦6♦ on the button and raised to $3,000. Antonius reraised to $9,000 with A♥K♥K♠3♠, and Isildur1 four-bet to $27,000. Not fooling around, Antonius put in a fifth raise to $81,000 and Isildur1 called, $162,000 already in the pot as the flop came down5♣4♠2♥. Having flopped a wheel, Antonius led out for $91,000 and Isildur1 raised to $435,000 with his higher straight draw. It didn’t take long for Antonius to set his opponent all-in, making it $779,000 to go, and Isildur1 made the call for his remaining $162,473.
Antonius was a 55 percent favorite when the money went it, but his odds increased to 75 percent once the 5♥ hit the turn, giving him a flush draw to go with his straight. The river missed Isildur1, falling the 9♣, and Antonius raked in the monsterpotten of the year, totaling a mind-boggling $1,356,947.
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