01/08/2012 : ISILDUR1 VICTORIOUS IN CARIBBEAN HIGH ROLLER POKER EVENT
Online phenom shows that he has what it takes in the live arena
The $100 000 buy-in High Roller event at the Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure tournament generated plenty of excitement in the Bahamas over the weekend, with thirty big-money players entered and the mercurial internet ace Viktor ‘Isildur1' Blom emerging triumphant.
It was Blom's biggest live victory yet, eclipsing his World Series of Poker Europe cash in 2010 and boosting his bank balance by a handy $1,254,000.
Blom outplayed an impressive list of registrants that included Erik Seidel, Jason Mercier, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, Isaac Haxton and 2011 Bluff Player of the Year Eugene Katchalov, Scott Seiver, Mike "Timex" McDonald and Humberto Brenes before the final table of five was reached.
Facing each other across the felt on that table were Isildur1, Dan Shak, reigning PCA main event champion Galen Hall, World Series of Poker reigning champ Jonathan Duhamel and ace internet and live tournament pro Daniel Negreanu. With the lowest payout set at $250,990, the final table positions had been fiercely contested, with Scott Seiver busting out in sixth position as the bubble boy.
Ultimately Blom busted all the final table players, and it came down to a heads up between him and Dan Shak when Hall was eliminated in third place for $470,400.
Blom held a 3 to 2 chip advantage at the start of the heads up, managing to retain this and then build up a more convincing 6 to 1 lead before finally taking the match and the main prize.
Shak's second placing was worth $846,700.
The main event of the Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure was well underway as InfoPowa went to press, with the promise of exciting action from a good turnout of top players.
Another interesting element in the internet action surrounding this year's PAC is the attempt by Randy ‘nanonoko' Lew to set a new Guinness World Record for the most overall profitable online poker hands played in eight hours.
Pokerstars has increased its limit of 24 tables played simultaneously for the attempt, which is scheduled for today (Sunday).
Online railbirds who want to follow the event can do so through Lew's website at nanonoko.com from 1 p.m. EST until 9 p.m. EST, whilst participants in the live tourney in the Bahamas will also be provided with real-time access.