The Online Railbird Report: Ben Tollerene, Viktor Blom, and Phil Galfond Book Massive Wins

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Aug 17, 2012 7 min read

The high-stakes online action on PokerStars has been impressive over the last month, with hundreds of thousands of dollars changing hands weekly. For instance, last week Ben Tollerene won a healthy $343,000 and was the week��s second-biggest winner. He followed that up with an even more impressive $501,000 haul this week, making him the biggest winner.

Tollerene��s win, which came in 6,767 hands across 77 sessions, was the best showing, but four other players managed to pull in $300,000-plus �� ��Chung ho�� (+$488,077 in 3,890 hands/9 sessions), Phil ��MrSweets28�� Galfond (+$471,236 in 6,995 hands/67 sessions), Viktor ��Isildur1�� Blom (+$456,188 in 9,625 hands/128 sessions), and Ronny ��1-ronnyr3�� Kaiser (+4329,463 in 7,788 hands/126 sessions).

In regard to Blom, his big win came the same week he and PokerStars parted ways. It was a surprising development, with Blom citing his desire to focus on the game: "I��ve enjoyed my time as a Team Pro and I wish everyone at PokerStars the best. Now I just want to concentrate on playing poker." If this week is any indication, it just might prove a profitable decision for the Swede.

��EireAbu�� ended up the week��s biggest loser, dropping $549,494 (28,541 hands/303 sessions) after taking a shot at the $200/$400 games. Prior to that, he was up $3,417,786 on the year, and though it was a hefty hit, he��s still the biggest winner on PokerStars in 2012.

Gus Hansen Wins Big in Friday/Saturday $200/$400 PLO Action

Although he donated much of his winnings back by the end of the week, Gus ��broksi�� Hansen had a fine couple of days playing $200/$400 pot-limit Omaha, winning $548,000. The ��Great Dane�� took on some high-stakes regulars, including the man on top of the yearly leaderboard, ��EireAbu,�� who was taking his first shot at the $200/$400 stakes.

It was there that the biggest pot of the day occurred. It began at a six-handed table when action folded around to Hansen ($67,970) on the button and he raised to $1,400. ��EireAbu�� ($75,955) responded with a three-bet to $4,600 from the small blind, the big got out of the way, and Hansen made the call, bringing about the 8?Q?K? flop. ��EireAbu�� led out for $6,000, Hansen called, and the 6? turned. Again ��EireAbu�� led out, this time for $15,200, only to have Hansen move all in for $57,370. ��EireAbu�� made the call and the cards were turned up:

Showdown

��EireAbu�� was ahead with aces and a wrap, but Hansen held a wrap of his own. The 5? river completed the Hansen��s draw, and he was pushed the $136,335 pot.

In the second largest pot of the day, action was five-handed when Hansen ($87,315) raised to $800 under the gun. From there, ��Axelf82�� ($54,758.50) called from the cutoff, ��Gozoboro�� ($95,464.75) three-bet to $3,800 from the button, and both blinds got out of the way. Hansen made the call, ��Axelf82�� four-bet to $16,600, two calls ensued, and the flop came out 5?6?5?. Hansen checked, ��Axelf82�� moved all in for $38,158.50, ��Gozoboro�� folded, and Hansen made the call.

Showdown

��Axelf82�� pushed with aces and a gut-shot straight draw, but it was way behind the flopped full house of Hansen. Neither the 3? turn nor J? river helped ��Axelf82,�� and the $125,912 pot became part of Hansen��s stack.

Unfortunately for Hansen, he��d turn right around and lose $250,000 of his profits playing $1,000/$2,000 Omaha Hi/Lo against ��Chung Hu�� later that night, and as we mentioned before, the rest would disappear by the week's end.

Tollerene Thrives in Sunday Action; ��EireAbu��s�� Shot Results in $514,400 Loss

Over the first eight months of the year, Dutch pro ��EireAbu�� amassed $3.5 million in winnings without ever playing stakes higher than $50/$100. That changed this past week when ��EireAbu�� opted to take a shot at the lucrative $200/$400 PLO games �� a decision that would cost him $514,400 on Sunday.

Approximately $150,00 of that went to ��Gozoboro�� at the $100/$200 PLO tables, and almost $200,000 went to Ben ��Ben86�� Tollerene at the bigger stakes. It was in the latter match that the day��s biggest pot took place.

It began when ��EireAbu�� ($107,166.97) opened for $1,200 and then called when Tollerene ($118,702.13) three-bet to $3,600. The 9?6?3? flop saw Tollerene lead out for $5,600 and then call when ��EireAbu�� raised to $14,000. When the A? turned, Tollerene checked, ��EireAbu�� bet $24,800, Tollerene check-raised all in for $101,102.13, and ��EireAbu�� called off his remaining $64,766.98.

Showdown

��EireAbu�� had flopped top set, but Tollerene spiked an ace on the turn for a bigger set. The Q? river was of no consequence, and Tollerene took down the $214,332 pot.

In another notable hand between the two, Tollerene ($173,666.98) opened for $1,200, ��EireAbu�� ($52,006.13) three-bet to $3,600, a call was made, and the flop came down J?5?A?. Tollerene proceeded to call a bet of $4,400 and then bet $12,798.39 when ��EireAbu�� checked the 6? turn. The latter responded with an all-in check-raise to $44,006.13, and Tollerene made a quick call, creating a pot worth $104,010. The 8? was put out on the river and Tollerene showed A?J?Q?4? for two pair, which was no good against the A?Q?7?4? rivered straight of ��EireAbu.��

Tollerene went on to become the day��s biggest winner (+$203,600), followed closely by ��Gozoboro�� ($176,800) and Ronny ��1-ronnyr3�� Kaiser ($172,500); meanwhile, ��EireAbu�� finished as the week��s biggest loser with a $549,000 loss, though he is still atop the yearly leaderboard with $2.9 million in profit.

Galfond��s Monday Return Results in a $402,000 Win

The last time we saw Phil ��MrSweets28�� Galfond at the virtual felt was before this year��s World Series of Poker, that is until he made his return on Monday. Galfond was looking for action and took to Twitter to find willing opponents:

Eventually a numer of players took him up on his offer and a $50/$100 PLO game was spread. Galfond played for 13 hours, putting in 4,400 hands, and increased his bankroll by $402,100, enough to make him the day��s biggest winner.

In his biggest pot, which was one of only two six-figure pots on Monday, action was six-handed when Galfond ($51,957) raised to $440 from the hijack, Benny ��toweliestar�� Spindler ($9,810) three-bet to $1,590 from the button, and Gus ��broksi�� Hansen ($57,420) four-bet to $5,380 from the big blind. Two calls were made, the flop fell 5?7?7?, and Hansen led out for $2,200. Only Galfond made the call, bringing about the 3? turn. Hansen kept the pressure on with a $20,705 bet, and then called when Galfond moved all in for $44,377.

Showdown

Hansen had turned a straight and was ahead, but the 6? spiked on the river to give Galfond a bigger straight and the $109,419 pot.

The other six-figure pot was actually at the $200/$400 tables, and it was the biggest of the day. Ronny ��1-ronnyr3�� Kaiser laid claim to the $150,000 monster by getting there on the river against Ilari ��Ilari FIN�� Sahamies. Here��s a look at the hand:

Kaiser went on to finish as the day��s second biggest winner with $283,500 in profit while Scott ��urnotindangr�� Palmer took home biggest loser honors with a $208,200 loss.

Blom Versus ��EireAbu�� in Tuesday $100/$200 PLO Action

On Tuesday, Viktor ��Isildur1�� Blom showed that, patch or no patch, he was a force to be reckoned with as he won $202,000 in an 11-hour match against ��EireAbu.��

The pair played more than 8,000 hands across four tables, and even though he had an up-and-down day, Blom held a lead pretty much the whole match. He lost it toward the end of the match, but then managed to catch a rush of cards at just the right time. In fact, it was during this time that the biggest pot of the day occurred.

It began when Blom ($62,130) raised to $600 on the button and ��EireAbu�� ($53,442) three-bet to $1,880 from the big blind. Not to be outdone, Blom four-bet $5,720, but ��EireAbu�� simply pushed back to the tune of $17,240. Blom put in the six-bet to $51,800, and the call the additional $1,642 when ��EireAbu�� seven-bet all in.

Showdown

Blom held aces, and won the $106,882 pot as the board ran out 5?9?7?8?7?.

In the second biggest pot of the day, the action was the same as the aforementioned hand up to the five-bet of $17,240, at which point Blom ($39,998) opted to call. The 3?5?3? flop saw ��EireAbu�� move all in for $32,760, and Blom called off his remaining $22,718.

Showdown

��EireAbu�� got it in with trips and was primed to take down the $79,994 pot, especially when the 9? blanked on the turn, but the 4? spiked on the river to give Blom a wheel and the win. Blom finished as the Tuesday��s biggest winner with $285,400 in profit, and ��EireAbu�� earned the opposite title by dropping $169,900.

Biggest Weekly PokerStars Winners/Losers

Week��s biggest winners (8/9-8/15): Ben ��Ben86�� Tollerene (+$501,375), ��Chung ho�� (+$488,077), Phil ��MrSweets28�� Galfond (+$471,236), Viktor ��Isildur1�� Blom (+$456,188), Ronny ��1-ronnyr3�� Kaiser (+$329,463)

Week��s biggest losers: ��EireAbu�� (-$549,494), ��mikki696�� (-$358,488), Rui ��PepperoniF�� Cao (-$273,102), ��patpatman�� (-$207,308)

Year-to-date winners: ��EireAbu�� (+$2,933,176), Ben ��Sauce123�� Sulsky (+$2,188,598), Jens ��Jeans89�� Kyll?nen (+$1,596,610), Phil ��MrSweets28�� Galfond (+$1,500,241), ��bernard-bb�� (+$1,480,658), Alex ��Kanu7�� Millar (+$1,351,485)

Year-to-date losers: ��Zypherin�� (-$2,840,746), Benny ��toweliestar�� Spindler (-$1,133,306), Viktor ��Isildur1�� Blom (-$1,104,599), ��1Il|1Il|1il|�� (-$759,718), Ilari ��Ilari FIN�� Sahamies (-$737,519), Gavin ��gavz101�� Cochrane (-$677,640), ��VietRussian�� (-$643,158)

_{*Picture courtesy of nl.pokernews.com.}

_{Data, hands and replayer obtained from HighStakesDB.com}

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