The Online Railbird Report: Berndsen Wins $352K; "EireAbu" Extends 2012 Lead
While the 2012 World Series of Poker is winding down in Las Vegas, the high-stakes online poker games are going strong. Last week we told you about “ChaoRen160’s” big win of $225,777, as well as “PimpyLimpy” becoming the biggest loser after dropping $152,950.
This week, the action was a bit scarce, but when it happened there was plenty of excitement. As it turned out, Sander “Berndsen12” Berndsen had the best week of anyone, winning $352,808 in 7,661 hands spread across 106 sessions, while “EireAbu” was close behind, extending his yearly winnings by $303,827 in 7,084 hands spread across 89 sessions.
Terje “Terken89” Augdal emerged as the week’s biggest loser after dropping $372,027 in 2,214 hands over 34 sessions. He was joined in the losing bracket by “TheMatadorCC” (-$196,980 in 20 sessions/4,759 hands) and “PimpyLimpy” (-$192,886 in 78 sessions/10,867 hands).
“EireAbu” Brings Yearly Total Up to $2.85 Million
It’s been one heck of a year for the mysterious “EireAbu,” who has sat on the top spot of PokerStars’ yearly leaderboard for most of 2012. On Sunday, “EireAbu” added $151,000 to his profit, bringing his yearly total up to $2.85 million, which is already ahead of Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies’ end-of-year $2.18 million from 2011.
Sunday’s good showing came courtesy of “ChipUniter” and Dušan “nasud 11” Valenta, winning $128,000 from the former while the rest came from the latter. In the biggest pot of the day, played at $50/$100 pot-limit Omaha, “EireAbu” ($55,296.33) raised to $300 on the button only to have Valenta ($52,585.98) three-bet to $900. “EireAbu” responded with a four-bet to $2,700, Valenta called, and the flop came down 3♣7♥6♣.
Valenta checked, “EireAbu” bet $3,200, and Valenta check-raised to $14,998. From there, “EireAbu” three-bet $50,392 and Valenta called off his remaining $34,887.98.
Showdown
| Valenta | K♣8♣J♥8♣ |
| “EireAbu” | 9♥4♥7♣5♣ |
“EireAbu” had flopped the nuts with a straight-flush redraw, but Valenta held a king-high flush draw. Luckily for “EireAbu,” neither the 6♠ turn nor 5♥ river changed a thing and he was pushed the $105,170 pot.
In the second biggest pot of the day, which was played at the same stakes, “EireAbu” ($38,907.26) raised to $300 on the button and then called when Valenta ($39,873.33) made it $900 to go from the big blind. The K♥9♠6♦ flop saw Valenta lead out for $1,312.53, “EireAbu” raise to $3,600, and Valenta three-bet to $12,598. “EireAbu” responded by moving all in for $38,007.26 and Valenta called the additional $25,409.27.
Showdown
| Valenta | A♣K♣K♦4♠ |
| “EireAbu” | Q♠9♣9♦10♥ |
It was quite the cooler as “EireAbu” had run middle set into top set, but all hope was not lost as the 8♥ turn gave him a gut-shot straight draw. The 7♥ spiked on the river to complete that draw and in an improbable turn of events, “EireAbu” took down the $77,813 pot.
Valenta had run up an early $100,000 lead at the beginning of his match with “EireAbu,” but the latter was able to erase that and then some by the time they concluded their match. From there, “EireAbu” dismantled “ChipUniter” and went on to become the day’s biggest winner, while his opponent dropped $148,000 on the day and became the biggest loser.
Also on Sunday, “wilhasha” and “mickan1984” played an hour of $50/$100 no-limit hold’em, with the former taking $35,000 from the latter. In their biggest hand, “mickan1984” ($37,182.94) min-raised to $200 from the small blind and “wilhasha” ($33,553.34) made it $700 to go from the big. A call was made, the flop fell Q♥8♦6♦, and “wilhasha” checked to his opponent, who bet $900. “Wilhasha” then woke up with a check-raise to $3,778.19, “mickan1984” called, and the 9♥ appeared on the turn.
“Wilhasha” proceeded to bet $6,715.80, “mickan1984” called, and the 4♣ peeled off on the river. “Wilhasha” moved all in for his last $22,359.34, and “mickan1984” made the call only to muck when his opponent rolled over Q♣6♣ for two pair. "Wilhasha" raked in the $67,105 pot.
Sander “Berndsen12” Berndsen Cleans Up on Wednesday
The Dutch certainly know how to play poker, as evidenced by Vincent van der Fluit’s bracelet win in Event #11: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha this year’s World Series of Poker. It was also proven this past Wednesday when Sander “Berndsen12” Berndsen finished as the day’s biggest winner after scoring a substantial $291,000 win.
He played a mix of pot-limit Omaha and no-limit hold'em at $25/$50 and $50/$100, but it was at the heads-up no-limit hold’em tables where he did the most damage. He squared off against the likes of “Gozoboro” and Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies, but $184,000 of his profit came courtesy of “PimpyLimpy,” who finished as the day’s biggest loser.
In one of Berndsen’s more notable hands, action was three-handed at a $50/$100 PLO game when “Gozoboro” ($9,610) raised to $250 on the button and Berndsen ($26,793) three-bet to $910 from the small blind. Sahamies ($27,795.66) made the call from the big, “Gozoboro” folded, and action was heads-up to the 7♦9♣Q♣ flop. Berndsen was first to act and led out for $1,595.25, which Sahamies quickly raised to $6,912.75. Not to be outdone, Berndsen three-bet to $18,877.11 and then called when Sahamies moved all in for $26,865.66 total.
Showdown
| Sahamies | A♣10♣7♠2♠ |
| Berndsen | Q♥Q♦J♣10♦ |
Sahamies had flopped the nut-flush draw, which he would need to hit if he hoped to overcome Berndsen’s set of queens. The 9♦ turn actually improved Berndsen to a full house and guaranteed him the $53,853 pot, but just for good measure, the 7♣ was put out on the river to give Sahamies flush.
In another notable hand, the game was the same but action was heads-up between Sahamies ($46,733.75) and Berndsen ($26,515.75). The former opened for $340 and then called a three-bet to $1,060, which brought about the 2♣Q♥J♠ flop. Berndsen bet $1,618.50, Sahamies raised to $3,237, and Berndsen three-bet to $7,900. Sahamies responded by making it $29,095 to go, and Berndsen called off his remaining $17,555.75.
Showdown
| Berndsen | Q♠Q♦3♦9♠ |
| Sahamies | J♣J♥5♣8♦ |
Both players had flopped a set, but Berndsen’s queens had him out in front. The 2♦ turn gave both a full house, but if Sahamies wanted to win the $53,030 pot, he needed to hit a one outer on the river. Unfortunately for him, the 6♣ bricked and Berndsen was pushed the pot. Interestingly, Wednesday’s score allowed Berndsen to move out of the red and into the black for 2012. Sahamies ended up losing $92,000 and finished as the day’s second-biggest loser.
Even though those were both juicy pots, they weren’t even close to the largest of the day. In that hand, the game was heads-up $50/$100 PLO when “mtvdeuem” ($46,942) opened for $300 and then four-bet to $2,700 when “PauleAdler” ($67,500.50) three-bet $900. The latter wasn’t done there as he put in a five-bet to $8,100, “mtvdeuem” called, and the flop came out K♦3♣2♦. “PauleAdler” didn’t hesitate to lead out for $9,000, and then called when “mtvdeuem” moved all in for $38,842, creating a pot worth $93,882.
Showdown
| “mtvdeuem” | 10♦5♦7♠2♠ |
| “PauleAdler” | A♦A♥7♥9♣ |
“PauleAdler” was ahead with aces, but needed to dodge “mtvdeuem’s” pair and flush draws. He wasn’t able to do it as the 9♦ appeared on the turn, and just like that “PauleAdler” was drawing dead. The meaningless Q♦ was put out on the river and “mtvdeuem” laid claim to the large pot.
Biggest Weekly PokerStars Winners/Losers
Week’s biggest winners (7/5-7/11): Sander “Berndsen12” Berndsen (+$352,808), “EireAbu” (+$303,827), “mtvdeuem” (+$208,380), “altiFC” (+$156,102), “forhayley” (+$130,425)
Week’s biggest losers: Terje “Terken89” Augdal (-$372,027), “TheMatadorCC” (-$196,980), “PimpyLimpy” (-$192,886), “h4tefulltilt” (-$150,983)
Year-to-date winners: “EireAbu” (+$2,955,715), Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky (+$2,245,335), “bernard-bb” (+$1,441,943), “Phisherman36” (+$1,313,823), Alex “Kanu7” Millar (+$1,144,790), Terje “Terken89” Augdal (+$1,125,607), Phil “MrSweets” Galfond (+$1,029,005), Niklas “ragen70” Heinecker (+$1,026,198)
Year-to-date losers: “Zypherin” (-$2,708,561), Viktor “Isildur1” Blom (-$1,477,197), Benny “toweliestar” Spindler (-$770,054), “1Il|1Il|1il|” (-$761,767), Gavin “gavz101” Cochrane (-$692,008), Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies (-$641,667), “VietRussian” (-$562,061)
Data and hands obtained from HighStakesDB.com
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