The Online Railbird Report: Phil Ivey and Ilari Sahamies Flip for Close to a Million
Although nowhere near where it was last month, action in the high-stakes cash games on Full Tilt Poker was kicked up a notch this week, with $500,000 pots, $400,000 ��flips�� and some heavy losses for Ilari ��Ziigmund�� Sahamies. Meanwhile, Ashton ��theASHMAN103�� Griffin continued to ride a hot streak for the ages, while David Benyamine banked over $430,000 in earnings thanks to his success at Full Tilt��s new mixed hold��em tables.
Benyamine scores against Sahamies in mixed-limit hold��em
Although these two typically meet at the pot-limit Omaha tables, Ilairi ��Ziigmund�� Sahamies sat in with David Benyamine for a session of mixed-limit hold��em this week but ran into some serious turbulence against the Frenchman. The two played a 600-hand session of $2,000/$4,000 limit hold��em and $500/$1,000 no-limit hold��em, Benyamine finishing the session a $387,000 winner. Most of those earnings came from two massive no-limit hold'em pots, both cracking the $200,000 mark.
In the first monsterpotten, Sahamies opened for $3,000 and Benyamine called. Benyamine checked the A?7?4? flop over to Sahamies, who bet $6,000. Benyamine called and they went to the turn which saw the 9? fall. Benyamine led out for $44,000, Sahamies moved all-in for $124,982, and Benyamine called, having him covered. Sahamies had turned two pair with 9?7?, but Benyamine had the better two pair, flopping aces up with A?4?. The river was the 10? and Benyamine raked in the $292,000 pot.
Later on, Benyamine limped in on the button and called Sahamies�� $3,000 raise from the big blind. The flop came down 10?2?2? and Benyamine called Sahamies�� $6,000 lead bet. The turn came the 5? and Sahamies fired again, this time for $18,000. Benyamine looked him up and they went to the river, which saw the Q? fall. Sahamies moved all-in for $76,000 and Benyamine made the call, having rivered a flush with K?8?. Sahamies�� 5?8? was toast and the $206,000 pot was shipped to Benyamine, leaving Sahamies felted yet again.
No end in sight for Ashton Griffin��s hot streak
Twenty-year-old Ashton ��theASHMAN103�� Griffin has been on a massive heater all summer, earning more than $3.5 million over the last two months. This week, he managed to add another $609,000 to the till, the majority of it coming from a successful night at $100/$200 and $200/$400 pot-limit Omaha, where he banked over $366,000. Although the pots were nowhere near the size of some we witnessed this week, a few cracked the $100k mark, including this $122,000 pot Griffin played against ��FakeMonies.��
Playing three-handed $100/$200 pot-limit Omaha, Griffin opened for $790, "FakeMonies" called from the small blind, and "OnTheRize" raised to $3,250 from the big. Griffin called, only to have FakeMonies four-bet to $13,090 behind him. "OnTheRize" called and Griffin called. With $40,000 already in the pot, the flop came down 10?10?4?. FakeMonies made a pot-sized bet of $39,360, OnTheRize folded, and Griffin moved all-in for $41,148. FakeMonies called, turning up A?K?K?9? for kings and tens, while Griffin showed J?9?8?7? for a flush draw and a backdoor straight draw. The turn was the 3?, the river was the A? and FakeMonies took down the $121,655 pot.
Griffin was able to reclaim some of those lost chips in a later pot against Ilari Sahamies. Playing heads-up $200/$400 PLO, Griffin opened for $800, Sahamies raised to $2,400, Griffin four-bet to $7,200 and Sahamies called. The flop brought the K?10?8? and Sahamies check-called a $14,400 bet from Griffin. With the turn came the 5? and Sahamies led out for $43,200, setting Griffin all-in. He made the call, turning over K?K?Q?3? for top set while Sahamies showed 10?9?8?6? for two pair and a gutshot. Griffin hit the case king on the river, making quads (always the best revenge) and taking down the $108,000 pot.
Antonius scores a $581K pot from Dwan
On Monday night, the high-stakes regulars were gathered around three tables of $500/$1,000 no-limit hold��em �� Tom ��durrrr�� Dwan, Di ��Urindanger�� Dang, Phil Ivey, and Patrik Antonius �� all taking shots at David ��POKERBLUFFS�� Eldar and newcomer ��kingsofcards.�� Antonius emerged as the session��s biggest winner, due in no small part to a $581,000 pot he won off Tom ��durrrr�� Dwan. After Antonius opened for $3,500, Dwan smooth-called from the button and they saw a 6?5?4? flop. Antonius led out for $7,000 and Dwan called. Antonius fired again when the turn came the 8?, betting $18,000. Dwan raised to $52,200, Antonius three-bet to $116,000 and Dwan called. Antonius shoved for his remaining $167,936 when the K? hit the river and Dwan made the call. Antonius had flopped the nut flush with A?8? and dragged the $561,000 pot as Dwan mucked his hand.
Dwan was able to reclaim some of those chips in a $334,000 pot that unfolded a short time later. After Antonius opened for $3,500, Dwan three-bet to $12,800 and Antonius made the call. Dwan checked the 10?5?3? flop to Antonius, who bet $15,000. Dwan raised to $41,300, Antonius moved in for $168,970, and Dwan called for less, turning over Q?Q?, crushing Antonius�� top pair with K?10?. The turn was the 7?, the river was the J? and Dwan took down the pot.
Sahamies and Ivey ��flip�� for over a million
When Ilari Sahamies is on a downswing, it��s not uncommon to see him ��flip�� other players for their stacks��getting them all-in before the flop and letting the cards fall. After a heads-up session with Phil Ivey in which he lost two massive pots, both of them clocking in at over $200k apiece, Sahamies asked him for a few flips and Ivey, ever the gambler, obliged. The largest of the flips came in at $400,000, Sahamies and Ivey putting in $200k each before the flop. Sahamies held 10?9?9?5? while Ivey showed 8?6?5?3?, the board running out 7?2?5?K?4? to make Ivey an eight-high straight. Sahamies won a bit back in a $200,000 flip when he hit a ten-high straight, but lost another when Ivey hit two pair over Sahamies�� pair of aces. By the end of the session, Sahamies had lost $835,000 to Ivey, including the flips.
Who��s Up? Who��s Down?
This week��s biggest winners (9/10-9/16): Ashton ��theASHMAN103�� Griffin (+$609,000), David Benyamine (+$431,000), Phil ��OMGClayAiken�� Galfond (+$334,000)
In the red: Ilari ��Ziigmund�� Sahamies (-$339,000), Tom ��durrrr�� Dwan (-$260,000), Chau Giang (-$245,000)
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