December 13,2011 : Swedish phenom on another roller coaster ride
Viktor Blom, the youthful, talented but at times reckless Swedish online poker pro perhaps better known as Isildur1, is off on another roller coast ride of big wins and losses, lighting up the internet poker railbird forums.
In just three days over the weekend, Blom piled on the wins, earning $1.4 million after an absence of months from the online nosebleed tables at Pokerstars, but then went into a decline that saw him lose at least $700 000 of that as we went to press.
After starting his run with modest bets and a few losses Blom exploded into action on over 17,200 hands, winning repeatedly and building his bankroll at a good clip that saw him victorious in a variety of $100/$200 Pot-Limit Omaha matches against internet aces like Phil Galfond, Fake Love888, Jeans89, Terken89 and others.
One of his main involuntary benefactors, VietRussian lost over $240,000 in the frenetic action, helping Blom to a $650 000 black ink balance by the end of Saturday.
Sunday was a reprise as the Swedish wrecker returned, hammering his old adversary Brian Townsend for $180,000 in heads-up $100/$200 PLO and then beating Fake Love888 for a further $113 000 before taking $136,000 off Galfond.
Later in the day Blom was back to have another go at Galfond and the unfortunate VietRussian, taking them down for a total of just on half a million dollars in a fast-moving and marathon session before quitting for the weekend after what is generally regarded one of the most exciting at Pokerstars yet.
According to the High Stakes Database the only player who came anywhere near Isildur1 for positive results was Kanu7, who profited by $238 000.
The other side of the Isildur1 coin was on display after the weekend, however. Blom reappeared on Pokerstars, choosing the $200/$400 PLO tables. This time his penchant for aggressive, audacious action proved costly instead of profitable; after several thousand hands he went down by more than $700 000.
Isildur1 watchers are now speculating on whether the next Blom roller coaster will be dipping or rising….