Poker Blog and Poker Gossip

A lot has been said about Isildur1.  He burst onto the scene in 2009,
and quickly went to the highest stakes of Full Tilt’s tables, facing
off against some of the biggest names in live and online poker.  PhilIvey, Patrik Antonius, Tom Dwan and many more have traded blows regularly with Isildur1, so much so that Isildur1 has become known for his wild swings as much as his mysterious real life identity.

He is generally accepted, and referred to as “the Swede” on Bankrollboost and other publications, but over the last year and a half it has been suggested his identity is Todd Brunson, Jonas Danielsson.  No one knows for sure who he is, but Viktor Blom the 19 year old Swede is first on most peoples lips, and it seems for good reason.  Luke “FullFlush” Schwartz, a fellow high stakes player has come out as “confirming” Blom is Isildur1.  This is what he said with regard to the question is Viktor Blom Isildur1?

Yes,
yes, yes. He’s probably one of the best – if not the best – no-limit
heads-up player in the world but he can still go broke every single
time he opens the laptop. He’s younger than me, he’s 19 so that’s going
to happen to him for a few years. I’ve matured as a player and I’m not really looking to have the hugest swings at the moment.   He’s only ever got a maximum of 20 buy-ins for any game he’s playing and [because] he doesn’t ever quit he can’t book a win. That’s a massive problem some players have. Isildur1
can play a 48-hour session, be up $5m at one point, but then in the
last two hours it’s all gonna go. He’s obviously got degenerate
problems like that but he’s also got a big heart for the game, likes to
gamble and he’s very, very good.

That’s a far cry from Viktor publicly confirming his identity, but appears to put on record that most people who play against both Isildur1 and Blom can pick up similarities in their game play.  It seems that the general opinion in the professional poker world is that it’s Blom…now he just needs to confirm it. 

I love me some newbies, especially at a table i’m playing at.  They’re
(usually) an easy source of money, and typically easy to bully or goad
into or out of a pot.  If you happen to be new to online poker, or new
to the game in general, have a look through the following list to see
what your opponents might be on the look out for.  If you are an old
hand at the game, maybe throw some of these tricks in to catch an
opponent at a silly bluff.

1. Looking at your cards as soon as you get them

Seasoned
players know that there are a lot of tells that happen when you first
see your hand.  Players will often wait until the action is on them
before glancing down at their cards.  That way, if the action is weak,
or you have good position (late, close to the dealer) you can make a decision based on what the other players are doing rather than the perceived
strength of your cards.  An example would be, if you’re on the button
(dealer) and holding a weak pocket pair (i’m thinking 66), and at the
moment 2 players have limped (only put the big blind into the pot). 
You will have a good gauge that theyaren ‘t that strong, and can raise
it a few times the pot.  This way you’ll only be playing with a much
fewer number of players, or maybe pay for your blinds for the next few
rounds.  Moral of the story: Wait until the action is on you to look at
your cards, you might give yourself an opportunity to steal the pot!

2.  Bad chip tricks / fumbling with the chips
I’ll
admit it, when i first started playing poker, i loved the rush of the
game, but MAN were those chip tricks cool.  I use to sit at my computer
playing online and practising the chip riffle, and other random tricks
that look awesome to newbies (by the time you’re a seasoned player,
you’ll still do it, but you wont be thinking about it).  So, spotting a
newbie at your table in this way is easy.  If someone is watching your
chip tricks and asking for advice…maybe try and bluff them out a
bit..or goad them into pushing all in with their pocket jacks after the
king hit on the flop.

3. Not knowing how the blinds work, or asking “how many blue ones did you put in the middle?”
If
a player is THIS new to the game, i likely wont fuck with him.  it’s
rude, and he’ll likely be the guy who takes a whack load of your money
because he justdoesn’t know how to fold.  But, if a player is asking questions that any poker player wouldn’t be caught dead asking (the “middle” is the pot dude…) he’s probably new. really new. new enough that you could scar his poker experience forever.  I leave the choice up to you.

4. Over betting the Pot
This
just makes me plain angry. I hate it when there is 300 bucks in the
pot, the average chip stack is 1500 and some jackass in early position trys
to “buy” it with a silly $800 or $1000 bet.  Then, when everyone folds
they say something like “oh wow, that was easy! no one wants to play
with me?” with a shit eating grin on their face.  No dude, i don’t want
to play with your obvious top set or over pair, but i will play when
you’re trying to hit that top set on the turn..and you’ll let me
because you’ll check/call the turn and the river..and then give me all
your money.  (i play with a lot of newbies in a local bar game… )

Well it appears that Estonia, which garnered headlines in recent months for legalising and legislating online casino and poker websites, has made the move to start blocking any online gaming sites who do not comply with their new Gambling Act.  This is the first step in a 2 tier strategy to implement the new legislation, and the block only applies to websites that do not yet have the licenses to operate in Estonia.  Currently the only group to be granted a local license is the Olympic Group (Playtech-powered casino), and so Estonian gamers are facing low traffic to the sites, fewer games and low profit potential for the tax man.

Estonia made the decision to legalise online gambling / poker to help out their struggling economy, and as part of their battle to keep Estonian money flowing into the government coffers, have closed Estonian gambling right until 2011.  In 2011, Estonia’s gambling market will be opened up to foreign investors, and i would imagine that Estonian’s will then see “Estonian state online poker portal, now sponsored by Party Poker Gaming!”  Their decision has drawn criticism from the European Commission, EU trade legislation as regards gambling are particularly vague and so Estonia’s decision is likely to proceed without any outside interference. Estonia is also claiming that its protectionist policy is temporary and necessary to iron out the precise details and rules required to operate a successful and legitimate international online gaming operation.

This brings up an interesting point. Lithuania has recently legalised online poker, and we have yet to see any of this type of action from them, but to be fair, Estonia did this months ago, and is only now coming out and blocking the competition.  Could Estonia be leading the way yet again, and by acting in such a protectionist way be setting the standard?  Will this be how all online “legalisation” will go, and you’ll only be allowed to play online poker against people in your own geographic area to satisfy the Government tax situation? Could that limit the games, or the competition? It’s an interesting take on the matter.

Estonian professional poker player Imre Leibold said:

“The possibility that online poker gaming could be restricted is not good news for us. If things get tough, one may have to consider moving residence or start working abroad like Estonian builders in Finland.”

Lithuania has become the first country to break ground on turning poker into a legitimate sport.  On March 20th the official ruling body of Lithuanian sports issued and official decree recognising the Lithuanian sports poker federation as an official sports federation.  What this essentially means is that in Lithuania it is now “Legal” for the LSPF to organise non-commercial poker tournaments outside of the casinos in Lithuania.  This also, apparently, includes the online world. 

Andrius Tapinas, President of the LSPF said “This is extremely important step in our work, We are receiving congratulations from many of our colleagues abroad and I know that we are breaking thick ice with our progress for similar international initiatives.”

With this step Lithuania is hoping to boost the popularity of the game of poker, as well as blaze trail for other countries currently on the fence about legalising online poker.  Those countries include: most of the rest of Europe and the United States where the UIGEA is set to come into effect on June 1st if no one steps in to repeal it.  But now that health care has passed, i’m sure that’s next on Obama’s list of things to do.

What is not clear is if Lithuania will be going the route of taxing online / non-casino poker when the LSPF does set up their freshly legal poker games.  I’m sure in this world economy the Department of Physical Education and Sports in Lithuania (the body that passed the decree) had an idea of how to make this aslucrative as they could, and i’m sure we’ll be hearing more about how in the coming weeks.

So, who’s moving to Lithuania??

The way Isildur1 plays, it almost seems like he doesn’t care.  Last week, he was up 2.1 million on his Pot Limit Omaha skills.  This week however, his bankroll took a giant $1,790,744 hit, and most of it to the man who took $4.2 million from him last year.

Isildur1 was up $845,000 at the close of the weekend, but then sat down at the table with Brian Hastings.  The two have a long history (4.2 mil last year to Hastings; Isildur took some of his 2.1 last week from Hastings), and when they start playing usually a lot of money switches hands.  Isildur1 was down $150,000 in the first 1500 hands of $500/$1000 PLO, and over the next 1200 hands Isildur1 dropped $1.6 million to Hastings.  But he wasn’t done yet.

Isildur1 sat down with Ilari Sahamies and while initally looking good and wining %65,000 on $200/$400 stakes, when they made the switch to $300/$600 stakes Isildur1′s cards ran cold and he dropped $350,000 to his opponent.  At this point Isildur1 dropped down in stakes and played Cole South on the $25/$50 tables, and again was bested.  This time for a paltry $30,000 (i’m kind of being sarcastic there…30,000 is what a lot of people live on in a year…that blows my mind.)

With his total losses nearing 2 million, i’m wondering if we’re going to see another hiatus for Isildur1.  When he lost his 4.2 million last year, he disappeared from the tables for a while.  If he does take a break, i’m sure it wont be for long.  The man likes to throw his money around.

In 2006, WSOP decided to put a stop to their annual Tournament of Champions and discontinued the $1,000,000 free roll tournament indefinitely.  

Thankfully, this year Harrah‘s Entertainment (WSOP Owners) have decided to “reinvent” and revive it starting this year.  The tournament will take place this June 27, at The Rio.  They will play down to a final table of 9, and then reconvene July 4th to play out the final table.  It will be broadcast on ESPN.  This year, first place will pay $500,000, the runner-up gets $250,000, third place earns $100,000 and the fourth through ninth place finishers will earn $25,000 each.

“The Tournament of Champions brand has heritage in delivering the big moments,” said Harrah‘s VP Ty Stewart.  “We’re thrilled to reinvent it around a model that should elevate the game by engaging millions of poker fans.” 

Entry into the event is a little different than it has been in the past, focusing more on popularity than on win rate, however usually the most popular poker players are guys with a personality and a good win rate! All living WSOP bracelet holders are eligible for votes on WSOP.com, and voting happens between March 15 – June 15.  The top 20 vote getter’s will have free entry into the tournament.  Five players will not need to get any votes, however.  Annie Duke, Mike Matusow, Mike Sexton, Joe Cada and Barry Shulman.  All have either won a TOC, a World Series of Poker Main event, or a European Main event.  2 Other seats are up for grabs, but full details on how to get those seats are still being released (it looks like they will go tosponsors, who will likely give them out in contests…) 

“Tournaments like the Tournament of Champions help elevate poker to the level it deserves and I am honored to participate,” said winner Annie Duke. “Winning the Tournament of Champions marks one of the most memorable events in my poker career and I’m ecstatic that the WSOP is hosting this prestigious event.”