The Online Railbird Report: Ilari Sahamies Wins $643,000, Recoups Half of Year's Losses

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Mar 30, 2012 6 min read

In last week’s Online Railbird Report, Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies was the year’s biggest loser, down $1,160,551. Things were bleak for the man who finished as PokerStars’ biggest winner of 2011, but thanks to an upswing, Sahamies managed to recoup more than half his losses.

It took just 5,671 hands spread across 39 sessions for Sahamies to win $643,895, making him far and away the biggest winner of the week. In fact, his closest competition was Ronny “1-ronnyr3” Kaiser, who won $190,724 in 39 sessions of 2,466 hands.

Unfortunately, not everyone had as good a week as Sahamies and Kaiser. The biggest loser of the week ended up being “blodder03,” who dropped $315,614 in 67 sessions of 5,200 hands. Ben “milkybarkid” Grundy (-$191,046 in 38 sessions/3,120 hands), Gavin “gavz101” Cochrane (-$164,774 in 47 sessions/4,540 hands), and Phil “takechip” D’Auteuil (-$163,563 in 55 sessions/3,216 hands) all had less than spectacular weeks, as well.

Galfond Banks $117,000 in 90 Minutes

On Saturday, Phil “MrSweets28” Galfond played just 90 minutes of $50/$100 pot-limit Omaha and banked $117,000. That win brings his yearly total to $900,000 in the black, which is impressive considering that he hit a $1.5 million upswing in the last month to rebound from what was a disastrous start to 2012.

There weren’t many significant pots for Galfond, whose biggest pot was $36,500. It began when Galfond ($37,854.59) opened for $269.20 from the button, Jarred “Try__An__Hit” Graham ($18,208) three-bet to $967.60 from the small blind, and “Gozoboro” (+$19,954.59) folded the big. Galfond then four-bet $1,935.20, Graham called, and the flop fell 9?10?3?.

From there, Graham check-called a bet of $1,850 and then checked the 5? turn. Galfond took the opportunity to bet $3,750, but this time Graham moved all in for $14,422.79. Galfond made the call and the cards were turned up.

Showdown

Galfond was well out in front with his flopped set of threes, which is where he stayed as the 6? blanked on the river.

Galfond finished as the day’s biggest winner, with his closest competition being Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky, who won $42,000.

A Winning Day for Sahamies

After finishing 2011 as the year’s biggest winner on PokerStars, Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies was off to a terrible start in 2012, dropping over $1 million. As of late, it seemed that Sahamies was destined to lose every time he logged on, but that changed on Sunday when he finally booked a winning session and finished as the day’s biggest winner with $143,000 in profit.

He amassed that amount playing four and a half hours of $50/$100 and $100/$200 PLO. In one of the more notable hands, action was four-handed at a $50/$100 table when Sahamies ($34,695.25) opened for $430 under the gun and cleared the field all the way around to Ben “Ben86” Tollerene ($23,554) in the big blind. He made the call and then checked the 4?10?8? flop, opening the door for Sahamies to bet $987. Tollerene then woke up with a check-raise to $3,250, Sahamies called, and the 6? peeled off on the turn.

Tollerene led out for $5,250, Sahamies called, and the 7? appeared on the river. Tollerene moved all in for $14,624, Sahamies called and Tollerene rolled over 10?10?2?K? for a king-high flush. Unfortunately for him, Sahamies revealed A?Q?A?J? for the nut flush and the $47,195 pot.

In another hand, action was four-handed at a $100/$200 PLO table when Sahamies ($42,608) opened for $400 under the gun. Benny “toweliestar” Spindler ($21,896.25) responded with a three-bet to $1,400 from the small blind, Sahamies called, and the flop came down J?7?9?. Spindler was first to act and fired out $2,000, which Sahamies called. When the K? was put out on the turn, Spindler check-raised all in for $18,496.25 after Sahamies had bet $4,000. Sahamies made the call and the cards were turned up:

Showdown

Both players held a straight, but Sahamies' king-high straight was best. The 4? river was of no consequence, and the $43,988 pot was pushed to Sahamies.

It’s also worth noting that Phil “takechip” D’Auteuil was the day’s biggest loser after dropping $86,700 to Sahamies.

Sahamies Keeps the Ball Rolling

On Monday, Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies was back in action and played more than 1,100 hands of PLO against some stiff competition. When the dust settled, Sahamies added $277,000 to his bankroll, making him the day’s biggest winner; meanwhile, Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky (-$180,000) and “Fake Love888” (-$82,000) ended up the biggest losers.

In one of the day’s more interesting hands, action was three-handed at a $100/$200 PLO table when Sulsky ($74,461.60) opened for $400, Sahamies ($174,764.79) called from the small blind, and Ronny “1-ronnyr3” Kaiser ($27,782) three-bet to $1,600 from the big. Two calls ensued, followed by the 4?2?K? flop, and Sahamies led out for $3,200. After Kaiser called, Sulsky raised to $11,111 and just Sahamies made the call.

When the 10? hit the turn, Sahamies checked, Sulsky bet $30,337, and Sahamies check-raised all in. Sulsky called off his remaining $31,413.59 and the cards were turned up.

Showdown

Sulsky was ahead with a set of kings but needed to dodge the straight and flush draws of Sahamies. Much to the latter’s delight, the 6? spiked on the river to give him the flush and $153,758 pot.

In another hand, action was four-handed when Sulsky ($71,252.50) opened for $600 under the gun, Sahamies ($108,283) called from the button, and “Fake Love888” ($8,265.79) three-bet to $2,760 from the small blind. After the big got out of the way, Sulsky pushed back with a four-bet to $9,840, Sahamies call, and “Fake Love888” called off his remaining $5,505.80.

Sulsky proceeded to bet $27,060.79 on the A?5?3? flop, Sahamies called, and the K? appeared on the turn. This time Sulsky moved all in for $34,351.69 and again Sahamies called.

Showdown

Everybody had a piece of the flop, but “Fake Love888” was ahead with two pair. A lot could happened on the river and did when the 7? peeled off, giving Sahamies a straight and the $151,006 pot.

Sulsky ($65,305.25) was getting beat up pretty bad, but he did manage to snag a big pot of his own. It happened when he opened for $400 on the button, Sahamies ($285,880.40) three-bet to $1,520 from the small blind, and Kaiser ($69,729.75) folded the big. Sulsky made the call and then watched Sahamies fire out $2,600 on the 7?2?Q? flop. Sulsky responded by raising to $7,111, Sahamies three-bet $24,688, and Sulsky moved all in for $63,745.25. Sahamies made the call and the cards were turned on their backs.

Showdown

Sahamies held top pair and a flush draw but was behind the flopped set of Sulsky. Neither the 4? turn nor 6? river changed a thing, and Sulsky took down the $130,846 pot.

Sahamies Makes It $750,000 in Three Days

Ilari "Ilari FIN" Sahamies found good fortune on Tuesday, as well, winning $270,000, bringing his three-day total to nearly $750,000. Again he was playing $50/$100 and $100/$200 PLO, putting in approximately 2,500 hand, which began with a heads-up match against Ben “milkybarkid” Grundy. Sahamies managed to win $115,000 in about 420 hands, including a win in the biggest hand of the match.

It happened when Grundy ($38,970.27) opened for $300 on the button and Sahamies ($47,627.63) three-bet to $940. Grundy made the call, and then watched Sahamies lead out for $1,918 on the Q?7?9? flop. Grundy opted for a raise to $6,406.11, Sahamies three-bet $11,700, Grundy called, and the 3? appeared on the turn. Sahamies fired out $25,318, Grundy moved all in for $26,310.27, and Sahamies called the additional $1,012.27.

Showdown

Both players had flopped a flush, and it was a bit of a cooler as Grundy had run the second nut flush into the nut flush of his opponent. The inconsequential 10? was put out on the river and Sahamies was pushed the $77,939 pot.

In the biggest hand of the day, Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky ($56,269) was squaring off against Sahamies ($101,446) when the former opened for $600 on the button and the latter three-bet to $1,880 from the big blind. Sulsky made the call and then bet $1,888 after his opponent checked the 5?4?3? flop. Sahamies then woke up with a check-raise to $9,502, Sulsky called, and the 8? appeared on the turn. Sahamies led out for $22,842, Sulsky moved all in for $44,887, and Sahamies made the call.

Showdown

Sulsky held a six-high straight with a flush redraw, but both were inferior to the straight and flush draw of his opponent. The 5? river changed nothing, and Sahamies took down the $112,536 pot.

Biggest weekly winners/losers all on PokerStars

Week’s biggest winners (3/23-3/29): Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies (+$643,895), Ronny “1-ronnyr3” Kaiser (+$190,724), “Kipu” (+$141,645), “Stwasi” (+$116,936)

Week’s biggest losers: “blodders03” (-$315,614), Ben “milkybarkid” Grundy (-$191,046), Gavin “gavz101” Cochrane (-$164,774), Phil “takechip” D’Auteuil (-$163,563), Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo (-$152,504), “Fake Love888” (-$134,773)

Year-to-date winners: Jens “Jeans89” Kyll?nen (+$1,247,799), “bernard-bb” (+$1,054,075), Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky (+$942,824), Phil “MrSweets” Galfond (+$862,455), “patpatman” (+$685,623)

Year-to-date losers: “Zypherin” (-$620,497), “long90110” (-$557,059), Ilari “Ilari FIN” Sahamies (-$557,059), “julia753” (-$488,796), “Fake Love888” (-$483,108), “1Il|1Il|1il|” (-$468,450), Viktor “Isildur1” Blom (-$455,483)

_{Data and hands obtained from HighStakesDB.com}

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