The Online Railbird Report: Galfond Does Work; "patpatman" Wins Nearly $300,000
The Aussie Millions Poker Championship is in full swing in Melbourne, Australia, but that doesn't mean the online high-stakes action is taking a breather.
Phil “MrSweets28” Galfond was in action, winning $101,903 in 62 sessions of 4,084 hands, as was “Fake Love888”, who won $196,068 and is rumored to be Patrik Antonius (currently in Melbourne for the Aussie Millions). “RaiseOnce,” who has long been believed to be Phil Ivey, ended up losing $154,682 this weekend.
The week's biggest winner, “patpatman,” profited $299,820 over 28 sessions of 2,607 hands. Close on his heels was “BiatchPeople,” who banked $278,594 in 17 sessions of 2,270 hands.
On the other end of the spectrum, “Kanu7” was the biggest loser, dropping $313,428 in 10 sessions of 1,826 hands. Also ending the week in the red were Viktor “Isildur1” Blom (-$293,280 in 41 sessions/3,533 hands), Sander “Berndsen12” Berndsen (-$177,170 in 124 sessions/12,479 hands), and the aforementioned RaiseOnce (-$154,682 in 25 sessions/1,969 hands).
Here’s a look at some of the more notable stories and hands of the week.
Galfond & Boukai Dominate Sunday
As the clock rolled over from Saturday night to Sunday morning, Phil “MrSweets28” Galfond was locked in a heads-up match against Sander “Berndsen12” Berndsen. The two were playing $100/$200 pot-limit Omaha, and by the time they quit, Galfond was up $200,000. He ended up losing a little back later in the day, meaning he finished atop the leaderboard with $165,000.
In one of their hands, which actually took place at a $200/$400 table, Galfond ($135,636) opened on the button for $1,064 and Berndsen ($48,766) three-bet to $3,352. Galfond made the call, leading to the 9♣2♣10♥ flop, and Berndsen’s bet $5,146. Galfond made the call and the 6♥ appeared on the turn, inspiring Berndsen to bet $9,600. Again Galfond called, and the 2♠ was put out on the river. Berndsen wasted little time in moving all-in for $30,868 and Galfond called. Berndsen’s 6♣2♦3♣4♦ for a full house bested Galfond’s 9♠8♣6♦4♣ for two pair. Berndsen raked in the $97,932 pot.
In another hand, this time at $100/$200 PLO, Berndsen ($37,195) was on the button and opened for $600, which Galfond ($155,854) called. When the flop fell 7♠K♦8♦, Galfond checked, Berndsen bet $958, and Galfond check-raised to $3,300. Berndsen made the call and watched as Galfond led out for $6,200 on the 10♣ turn. Berndsen responded by raising to $26,478, Galfond three-bet, and Berndsen called off his remaining $6,817.
Showdown
Berndsen: J♣J♥K♣10♦
Galfond: J♦10♥9♣2♦
Berndsen had turned top two, but Galfond had hit the nut straight. The A♥ river didn’t change a thing, and Galfond took down the $74,388 pot.
Sunday proved to be a profitable day for Galfond, but it was also kind to Rami “arbianight” Boukai, who took on Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky in $100/$200 PLO and emerged a $130,000 winner. By day’s end, Boukai had raised that total to $150,000, making him the day’s second biggest winner.
In the battle against Sulsky, Boukai managed to snag the two biggest pots of the match. In the first, Boukai ($42,937) opened for $600 on the button and Sulsky ($29,611) exercised his option in the big blind with a three-bet to $1,800. Boukai made the call and then both players checked the 3♥J♠8♥ flop, leading to the 6♥ turn. Again Sulsky checked, but this time Boukai bet $2,400, which Sulsky check-raised to $9,250. Boukai called, and then also called Sulsky’s all-in bet of $18,561 on the 7♥ river, creating a pot worth $59,222. Sulsky rolled over K♥9♥K♠8♦ for a king-high flush, but it was no good against Boukai's A♥5♥7♦7♣ ace-high flush.
In the other big hand between the two, Boukai ($30,834) opened for $600, Sulsky ($21,796) three-bet to $1,800, and Boukai called, bringing about the 5♥2♣9♠ flop. From there, Sulsky led out for $2,150, Boukai raised to $10,048, Sulsky moved all-in for $19,996 total, and Boukai called.
Showdown
Boukai: A♦2♦7♥2♠
Sulsky: A♣9♣6♦5♦
Sulsky had flopped top-two pair, but was in bad shape against Boukai’s set of deuces. The K♠ turn was of no consequence, and neither was the Q♥ river. Boukai’s set held and he won the $43,590 pot.
Tollerene Trying to Right the Ship
Ben “Ben86” Tollerene dug himself a $300,000 hole during the first two weeks of January but managed to pull a little closer to even on Monday when he finished as the day’s biggest winner with $109,000 in profit, making him the only six-figure winner of the day.
In one of his hands, which came during a two-hour morning session, Tollerene ($12,547.75) was playing against “JackRich” ($11,324) at the $50/$100 no-limit hold’em tables when the latter player opened for $200 on the button. Tollerene made it $700 to go, JackRich called, and the flop came down 9♣6♦Q♠.
Tollerene proceeded to check-call a bet of $825, and then checked the 2♠ turn. JackRich fired again, this time $2,150, and Tollerene called, leading to the 7♠ river. Again Tollerene checked, JackRich moved all-in for $7,649, and Tollerene called. JackRich rolled over K♦10♠ for a missed straight draw, while Tollerene took down the $22,648 pot with J♠J♥.
In a $50/100 PLO session later that afternoon, Tollerene squared off against Sander “Berndsen12” Berndsen and continued to win. In one of their notable hands, Tollerene ($19,829.50) was on the button and brought it in for a raise to $300, which Berndsen ($20,236.70) three-bet to $920. After a call by Tollerene, the flop fell 6♥3♣J♠, prompting Berndsen to bet $1,439.59. Tollerene then raised to $3,450, Berndsen called, and the 8♥ appeared on the turn.
This time Berndsen checked, Tollerene bet $8,819.50, and Berndsen moved all-in for $15,846.70. Tollerene called off his remaining $6,620 and the cards were turned up:
Showdown
Tollerene: K♦K♥3♥J♣
Berndsen: K♣A♥A♦2♥
Both players had turned flush draws, but Tollerene’s two pair was in the lead. Berndsen needed an ace, six, eight, or heart on the river, but he could not catch as the 7♠ bricked, giving Tollerene the $39,659 pot.
“BiatchPeople” Destroys 2-7 Triple Draw to Become Tuesday’s Biggest Winner
When you think of high-stakes online cash games, you undoubtedly think of PLO and a little no-limit hold'em. Well, on Tuesday, the biggest games were found in the 2-7 triple draw variation at the $500/$1,000 and $1,000/$2,000 limit tables. It was there that BiatchPeople won $150,000, becoming the day’s biggest winner.
The victims of those games were Rami “arbianight” Boukai (-$89,000), Eugene “oogee” Yanayt (-$42,000), and RaiseOnce (-$18,000). Boukai actually went on to become the biggest loser of the day, dropping $100,000 in total.
The 2-7 games were big, but they didn’t account for the biggest pot of that day. That pot came at a $100/$200 NLHE table in a heads-up match between Phil “takechip” D’Auteuil and Sander “Berndsen12” Berndsen. In the hand, Berndsen ($81,832) opened for $500, D’Auteuil ($50,784) three-bet to $1,800, Berndsen called, and the flop came out 5♣8♥10♣. D’Auteuil was first to act and led out for $2,200, Berndsen raised to $5,800, D’Auteuil three-bet $13,300, and after a few more raises, D’Auteuil got all of his chips in the pot.
Showdown
D’Auteuil: J♠J♥
Berndsen: K♣4♣
Berndsen had flopped a flush draw while D’Auteuil was ahead with the overpair. The 5♦ turn improved D’Auteuil to two pair, and the 2♠ river missed Berndsen. D’Auteuil raked in the $101,566 pot.
Biggest weekly winners/losers all on PokerStars
Week’s biggest winners (1/13-1/19): patpatman (+$299,820), BiatchPeople (+$278,594), Fake Love888 (+$196,068), Phil “takechip” D’Auteuil (+$140,418)
Week’s biggest losers: Kanu7 (-$313,428), Viktor “Isildur1” Blom (-$293,280), Sander “Berndsen12” Berndsen (-$177,170), RaiseOnce (-$154,682)
Year-to-date winners: Sander “Berndsen12” Berndsen (+$554,946), patpatman (+$527,339), bernard-bb (+$461,812), Niklas “ragen70” Heineckerragen (+$419,133), BiatchPeople (+$310,520)
Year-to-date losers: GVOZDIKA55 (-$476,008), Viktor “Isildur1” Blom (-$360,902), long90110 (-$234,687), diggidave (-$215,675), Try__An__Hit (-$212,628), Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies (-$202,396)
Data and hands obtained from HighStakesDB.com
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