Pokerstars SuperStar Showdown: Blom Dismantles Palmer in Part II for $66,607
On Sunday, April 10, 2011, PokerStars held the continuation of the SuperStar Showdown featuring Viktor “Isildur1” Blom and Scott “urnotindangr” Palmer.
If you recall, last week the two played the first part of their two-round match, with Palmer notching a modest $5,425-win after 2,500 hands. As it turned out, this week’s match was a completely different story as Blom raked in $66,607 over 2,500 hands to finish the two-part match $61,182 in the black.
SuperStar Showdown Breakdown Prior to the Match
| Date | Opponent | Profit/Loss | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 19, 2010 | Isaac "philivey2694" Haxton | -$41,701 | 0-1 |
| Jan. 2, 2011 | Antanas “Tony G” Guoga | +$44,280 | 1-1 |
| Jan. 30, 2011 | Daniel “w00ki3z” Cates | +$51,196 | 2-1 |
| Feb. 13, 2011 | Eugene “MyRabbiFoo” Katchalov | +$111,750 | 3-1 |
| March 20, 2011 | Daniel “KidPoker” Negreanu | +$150,000 | 4-1 |
| March 27, 2011 | Daniel “KidPoker” Negreanu | -$26,500 | 4-2 |
| April 3, 2011 | Scott “urnotindangr” Palmer | -$5,425 | 4-3 |
| Total SuperStar Showdown Profit: | $283,600 |
How It’s Played: While the SuperStar Showdown may conjure images of the “durrrr Challenge,” there are some differences. The SuperStar Showdown is designed as a one-time high-stakes match where challengers face Blom in a heads-up match of 2,500 hands (as opposed to the “durrrr Challenge," which is 50,000 hands and can last over many months — or years).
The match is played across four tables of $50/$100 or higher no-limit hold’em and/or pot-limit Omaha, depending on the competitor's preference. The winner is the player who shows a profit at the end of the match or who felts his or her opponent in the process. What’s more, the SuperStar Showdown matches are announced in advance, so poker fans can enjoy the action live on PokerStars, unlike the “durrrr Challenge," which has been inconsistent. In this particular match, Blom and Palmer continued to play four tables of heads-up no-limit hold'em.
The Outcome: Part I was characterized by swings that lasted right up to the conclusion of the match. It was during those late stages that Palmer managed to win a couple of pots and pulled into a slight lead. Things turned out quite different during Part II as Blom seized the lead early on, one that he would never relinquish. While things didn’t go Palmer’s way, he was able to battle back from Blom’s one-time lead of over $100,000 and ended up losing $66,607 ($61,182 total over both matches).
Here is a look at a few of the biggest and most notable hands from the latest Blom-Palmer match, according to the PokerStars Blog.
Out to an Early Lead: Blom ($10,800) managed to jump out to an early lead, one he would never give up, when Palmer ($11,200) raised to $300 preflop and then called Blom’s three-bet to $1,000, leading to a flop of K♥A♣K♠. Blom continuation bet $1,200, Palmer called, and the 10♣ appeared on the turn. Again Blom bet, this time $2,650, and Palmer called, leading to the Q♠ on the river. Blom pushed all-in for $5,950, Palmer called, and Blom rolled over A♠K♦ for a flopped full house. Palmer, who held Q♦J♠ for a turned straight, lost the $21,600 pot and never fully recovered.
Blom Goes Runner-Runner: While Palmer managed to win a few pots here and there, every time he took a step forward, he’d fall two back. It didn’t help that Blom was running well. In one hand, Palmer was all-in preflop with 10♦10♥ against the A♦9♠ of Blom. The 7♠2♦8♠ flop seemed harmless enough to Palmer, but the 6♦ turn gave Blom an open-ended straight draw. The draw was completed when the 5♦ spiked on the river, sending the $32,300 pot Blom’s way.
Things Not Going Palmer’s Way: Palmer ($25,700) raised to $300 on the button and Blom ($23,500) exercised his option in the big blind by making it $1,100 to go. Palmer made the call, the flop came down 8♦Q♥A♦, and Blom fired out $1,300. After a call, the Q♣ hit the turn. This time Blom bet $3,150, Palmer raised to $8,000, Blom made it $12,850, and Palmer called. Blom, who had $8,250 behind, moved all-in when the 2♥ was revealed on the river, which Palmer called. With $47,000 in the pot, Blom rolled over A♥Q♠ for a full house and it was good against the Q♦J♣ of Palmer.
A Little Recovery: With around 500 hands left, Palmer was down over $100,000 and was looking for any luck at all. He received a little when he was all-in preflop holding J♦J♣ against the K♥Q♥ of Blom. The board ran out 5♦3♦2♦Q♦5♣ and Palmer’s hand actually held up. A few more favorable hands saw Palmer recoup around $35,000, bringing his total losses down to $66,607 after the 2,500-hand mark was met.
Updated SuperStar Showdown Breakdown
| Date | Opponent | Profit/Loss | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 19, 2010 | Isaac "philivey2694" Haxton | -$41,701 | 0-1 |
| Jan. 2, 2011 | Antanas “Tony G” Guoga | +$44,280 | 1-1 |
| Jan. 30, 2011 | Daniel “w00ki3z” Cates | +$51,196 | 2-1 |
| Feb. 13, 2011 | Eugene “MyRabbiFoo” Katchalov | +$111,750 | 3-1 |
| March 20, 2011 | Daniel “KidPoker” Negreanu | +$150,000 | 4-1 |
| March 27, 2011 | Daniel “KidPoker” Negreanu | -$26,500 | 4-2 |
| April 3, 2011 | Scott “urnotindangr” Palmer | -$5,425 | 4-3 |
| April 10, 2011 | Scott “urnotindangr” Palmer | +$66,607 | 5-3 |
| Total SuperStar Showdown Profit: $350,207 |
Who’s Next?: That is a good question since the next challenger for the SuperStar Showdown has yet to be revealed, but when it is, rest assured PokerNews we'll let you know.
If you want to find out more details and hands from this installment of the PokerStars SuperStar Showdown, check out the PokerStars Blog.
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