Poker Blog & Poker Forum

For several weeks now a player using the username Isildur1 has been tearing up the high stakes games on Full Tilt Poker. Last weekend Isildur1 took Tom “durrrr” Dwan for a few million dollars, and was at the tables again doing the same thing to many other pros for several hundred thousands this past weekend. According to several sites, Isildur1 is up over $6 Million this month alone playing the high stakes cash games on Full Tilt Poker.

For weeks people have been trying to figure out exactly who Isildur1 is, and finally some more legitimate reports are starting to surface about his possible identity. According to a german blog, Isildur1 is a sweedish poker player named Viktor Blom (who also plays under the username Blom90).  Blom has a very interesting story.  According to this site, Blom went from $2,000 to $1.4 Million in just 3 weeks!  Blom is just 19 years old, and according to the translation of the German blog is still living with either friends or his parents in Gothberg, Sweden.  Blom is currently nominated for Rookie of the Year at the Scandinavian Awards for Sweedish players.

According to the blog that claims Blom is Isildur1, this information was confirmed by another sweedish player, Jesper ‘Kipster’ Hougaard.  Jesper learned that Blom was Isildur1′s neighbour Martonas while playing at the Master Classics of Poker in Amsterdam.

Regardless of who this player is I expect we will see a lot more of him on the poker tables given his recent success.  This young kid may become the next Tom Dwan, considering he has dealt a huge blow to Durrrr’s bankroll.

You can catch Isildur1 at the high stakes tables on FullTiltPoker.com.

(Image from pokerundgolf.wordpress.com)

I came accross this video called “Four Days with Phil Ivey” from an episode of ESPN’s E 60 where they follow around Phil Ivey for a few days to see what it is really like to live like Phil Ivey.  From huge swings at the craps tables, private jets accross the world and some of the most lavish treatment offered by casinos, Ivey truly lives like a rockstar.  I am really starting to wonder if Ivey even likes poker, or just uses it to fund his denegerate activities at the craps tables. Watch the videos below:

Four Days with Phil Ivey Part 1

Four Days with Phil Ivey Part 2

There’s already talk about some changes to next years’ WSOP, and the final table of the 2009 Main Event hasn’t even occurred yet.

First of all, the $40K Hold’Em event might be cancelled entirely.  This year, this event marked the 40th anniversary of the WSOP, and according to director Seth Palansky, was never meant to be an annual event.  “The $40k event was a good event.  It was a successful event.  But it made sense because it was the 40th annual World Series of Poker.  That buy-in amount or the event doesn’t really fit when you’re not in your 40th year” said Palanskly when questioned about the decision to drop it from the event roster.

This event was one of the few highlights of this past seasons series.  It attracted over 200 participants, all of which the best in the poker world, to compete for the nearly $1.9M first place payout.  And despite being well received by both players and event organizers, its doubtful if it will return in next years format.  “We announced them and intended them as one-year specials” Palansky stated earlier this month.  When it was announced, Palansky warned people that the tournament should not be viewed as an annual event, and despite his warning, industry people and players expected a return, especially since many other tournaments across the globe already feature high roller events of $25k or more.  When asked if there would be any kind of  high roller event in upcoming series, Palansky was doubtful at best, but didn’t shut the door on the idea completely.

“We didn’t want it to be ‘the pros’ no limit hold’em championship, and here’s one for everyone else”  (referring to the Main Event).

Reaction to the news is mixed.  Isaac Haxton, who finished rummer up to Vitaly Lunkin in the event this past year, believes Palansky is making a mistake by not having it return, especially considering the amount of rake an event such as this would bring in to Harrah’s.  Chris Ferguson also agrees it is a mistake to let this event die so quickly.  “I think this year proved that the $40k event is a great event, but no is going to call the winner of the $40k event the world champion of poker.  It doesn’t have nearly the prize pool of the main event.  I don’t think there’s any question as to who the real work champion is” Ferguson stated.

However, there are some players who agree with the decision.

Six time bracelet winner T.J. Cloutier, who didn’t play the $40k event this year stated there were already plenty of opportunities in the current schedule without the $40k, referring the the $50K HORSE event in particular.  “I don’t think there’s any need for it” referring to the $40Holdem Event.

There are other changes being discussed for next years WSOP as well.  For example, providing more $1000 buy in events (six more as per Palansky), as well as an earlier released schedule.  Last year’s scheduled was made public in late January, put there is talk about making it available as early as the November 9 game in 2009.

The biggest change though, other than the loss of the $40K event, is the resolution to the issues concerning Day 1D of the Main Event this past summer, where it sold out quickly and had hundreds if not thousands of players fuming.   The WSOP is again reconsidering pre assigning play days to players upon registration, a policy they abandoned awhile ago, but now in light of the last season’s debacle, may be returning again.

Can you throw this out?

The November Nine have been decided now, and one of the lucky players to return to the final table of the Main Event in the 2009 WSOP is Jeff Shulman, editor of CardPlayer magazine.  This is his second final table at a Main Event final table, the first happening a number of years ago that left him humbled (more on that another time though).

What makes his return to this years’ final table however, is the statement he made should he win the event (currently he sits at 19.58million in chips, third behind Darvin Moon and Steven Begleiter).  Jeff stated that should he win the event, he would ‘throw the bracelet in the garbage’.

Speculation is that this is due primarily to the bad blood between CardPlayer magazine and Harrahs, host of the WSOP, stemming from the selling of media rights to the events a couple of years ago.  CardPlayer was once the number one resource in updating major events, however when Harrahs bought the rights to hold the WSOP, they decided to take bids from other resources, and CardPlayer elected not to bid.  Some say this is the primary reason for the blood feud happening between the two organizations.

However, Jeff Shulman points out that this is indeed not the case.  Harrahs may hate CardPlayer, but moreso over issues of fairness of play in the events, and the fact that Harrahs insists on practising favouritism for certain individuals and groups.  For example, Phil Hellmuth was given a penalty this year in one of the events, and immediately went to the Jeffery Pollack to get it overturned, thereby not having to suffer a loss at the table.  There is no doubt in my mind that if any average Joe player were to attempt this, they would not be as successful as Phil was, only because of his celebrity status.  This is not the only example Shulman provided, as many of the players sponsored by SpadeClub.com (CardPlayer’s own poker learning site) were literally removed from their earned VIP seats at an event in and offered to other unknown celebrities.  It seems that Harrahs has a real hate on for CardPlayer, doesn’t it?  Shulman has called the bracelet itself “tacky” and he would never wear it, and therefore if he would win the Main Event Final Table in November, he would toss the jewerly into the trash can.  Since then, he has recanted a bit and offered four alternatives:

1. Auction off the bracelet and give the money to charity
2. Hold a tournament for all players shut out of the main event and award the bracelet to the winner
3. Give the bracelet away in a SpadeClub.com tournament
4. Give the bracelet to Stephen Colbert ( a comedian of some caliber that I have never heard of)

Auctioning it off for charity is a good alternative, as is awarding it as a prize in a SpadeClub tournament, however awarding to those who couldn’t get their asses in gear to prequalify for the Main Event is just wrong in my opinion, but it would be HIS to do with as he sees fit, so I won’t begrudge him doing that either.  I mean, should he win the Final Table, a task he even admits himself he has a slim chance of doing at all, he would have earned the bracelet and therefore could do whatever the hell he wanted to do with it, including tossing into the closest garbage can (can you imagine the dumpster diving fiasco should he do that…there WILL be blood).  However, should he win it, I would ask him to reconsider his decision and accept the award.

First of all, its the STANLEY CUP of poker…as the World Cup is to soccer, the bracelet is to poker.  Every poker player in the entire world wants it, dreams of winning it, and would kill to get it, but I’m hoping that 99.9% of them would rather EARN it than buy it in an auction.  At least I would.  He wouldn’t have to wear it, or even display it if he chose not to (Shulman admits he never keeps trophies either), but its the iconic symbol of the game, the brass ring that every player reaches for in their poker career, be they newbie donks or experienced pros.  Its the epitomy of the reaching the highest level in this game we love, and it carries a lot of weight and more importantly, respect, in the poker industry.  Not to mention its value is estimated at $30,000!!!  Okay, so compared to the $8.5million for first place, that isn’t a lot, but $30grand is still $30grand!!  To treat this as garbage is an insult not to Harrahs, as he might seem to think, but to the poker industry and all the players world wide that respect it so.

Jeff Shulman…should you win this contest in November, I truly hope you do what is best for the game as a whole, and not for some petty exhibition to examplify your personal conflicts.

Day 1d at the 2009 WSOP Main Event had a lot of hostility surrounding it this year.  More than 500 potential players were turned away from the tournament because  the final day had reached maximum capacity of about 3000 participants.

“Right now, I’m in shock.  It’s way beyond disappointment” said Mickey Appleman, who hasn’t missed a Main Event since it began.  Even several pros were denied entry, including Patrik Antonius, TJ Cloutier, Layne Flack, Ted Forrest, Brandon Adams, and Richard Ashby.  The foyer must have been close to an all out riot, as several hundred players didn’t understand why they weren’t being allowed to play.

Okay, so lets see how this works out.  There are four Day 1′s in the Main Event, and Jeffery Pollack, the WSOP committee, and Harrah’s Casino where the event is actually being held, opened registration for this tournament on March 1 2009.  March…April…May…June…more than FOUR months ago!!  Players were given their choice of starting days to play of the four Day 1′s available.  Seating capacity for each day is 3000, which potentially means the field for this event could have been as high as 12,000 players. 

So, with 12,000 seats available, what was the total number of entries this year?  6,494!  Just over half!!  So why are these few hundred so upset, so much so that some are even considering pursuing legal action against Pollack, the WSOP, and Harrah’s? 

Day 1a had a total seating of 1,116.  Day 1b only 873 players participated, and Day 1c 1,696, all well below the capacity.  Players either didn’t consider, or didn’t expect, a sell out on Day 1d.  When the limit was reached, the gaming license would have been in jeopardy should these 500+ be allowed to play, and Harrah’s had to cut off entries.  The risk outweighed the advantage, I’m sure Harrah’s didn’t want to risk losing their license.

There are several reasons why these players didn’t pre register, but all of them are moot to say the least.  This is THE BIGGEST POKER EVENT in the world!  Leaving it to the last possible minute is just poor planning, especially for the displaced pros.  There is absolutely no excuse I can think of that justifies why any player wanting to play in this event can’t pre register literally months ahead of time to ensure their spot.  Yes, a lot of players prefer to play on the last Day 1 session, and move into Day 2 with minimal interuption to their game play, but you can pre register to play in the last day way ahead of time.  Why in the world would players wait?  Its procrastination at its finest. 

Some of the hundreds of players stated they had waited until the last minute in the past to register and never had an issue.  Okay, fair enough, but you were gambling then and won.  This time, you lost.  Take your beat like a poker player.  No one to blame but yourselves. 

Some suggested having a Day 1e, or some other logistically impossible nightmare created to include these lackers in the game.  I’m sure if Jeffery Pollack or Harrah’s had suspected such a turnout on the last day in advance, even as short as a week ago, I’m sure they could have accomodated them.  However, this being last minute, the amount of work required to set up another Day 1, and move the rest of the days around to accomodate, would be impossible.  And not only that, I’m sure the other players playing on the other days would feel like they were being penalized for being far more organized than their late coming brothers and sisters.  Not everyone is going to be happy with whatever decision made anyway.

Look at the other Day 1 turnouts…there was plenty of room left in ANY of those days.  Does playing in the last day mean THAT much?  Hell, I would be honoured and priviledged to play in ANY Day 1 myself, but is the advantage of  wanting this particular day make that much of a difference?  In this game of any other?  I find it hard to imagine it myself, but if there is an advantage, it certainly wouldn’t outweigh the possibility of not playing at all.

The truth of the matter is simple.  PLAYERS NEED TO PLAN AHEAD!  I find it hard to fathom that poker players can literally spend thousands of hours planning an indepth play by play, blind level by blind level strategy in advance of a tournament, but can’t actually registering for it in the first place.  You had FOUR MONTHS to sign up.  That’s an entire quarter of a year, and yet can’t find time to make a simple phone call or send a simple email to book? 

Jeffery Pollack even went so far as to publically apologize to the angry mob forming, but I for one don’t think he should have had to apologized for a damn thing.  He did his best by providing ample time to register, ample choice for players to choose a specific day to start their game, and even considered other alternatives before apologizing.  Yet he still took it like a champ and apologized to a unhappy mob for their own arrogance and lack of planning skills. 

I think in future events, the right for players to choose their starting day should not be permitted.  When you register, you get your starting day given to you and you MUST be there on that day, or be blinded out.  Any available seating prior to game start can then be filled on a first come first served basis only.  It would level the days much better as far as equal number of players each day, and yet not cause such a hellish situation as it had this year.

Lesson learned here, players…PLAN AHEAD…and avoid disappointment later.