Is Online Poker Better Now That Isildur1 Has Bust?

Online poker sent 2009 off with a bang when Isildur1 ran up a profit of just over $5 million dollars at the highest stakes cash games against the likes of Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan only to lose it all and a little extra in a matter of hours against Brian Hastings. Isildur1 may try and reclaim some of these losses back as it was revealed Hastings was given analysis and hand histories from Brian Townsend who was subsequently banned from his status as a Red Pro at Full Tilt Poker. This is a side story to the actual wins and losses Isildur1 incurred in such a short space of time.

The online poker games played at those limits were staggering. Three times in as many days the world record for the largest ever real money cash pot was broken. The final record hand of $1.3 million smashed the largest cash pot before it and was, of course, featuring Isildur1. This player, believed to be a young man from Sweden called Viktor Blom, went from hero to zero busting his roll after an epic run. Even top players like Antonius admitted that he was not bankrolled for that sort of action and would prefer a bankroll of, and I quote, “500 million dollars to feel comfortable with those swings”. When every professional at that level is playing above their optimal betting limits it is a bad message to send to other poker players who need to be more responsible with their bankroll.

For any aspiring poker players who watched in awe should be aware of the errors of Isildur1 made at the cash game tables. Whilst he gained respect from the poker world for his fearless attitude (at one point playing Dwan, Ivey, Antonius and others simultaneously at massive stakes and winning) such swings were bound to risk his poker bankroll. Inevitably his good run turned to bad and he busted out of the game.

There are many stories like this and perhaps his epic run and amazing story will be turned into a movie but one does wonder why he did not cash out enough to secure his life when he was up by so much money. Even the best players know that winning $5 million in a short space of time is not likely to be repeated or that win rate sustained, yet he played and played until his luck turned and then tilted off his entire bankroll. It is not the first time.

This type of playing by Isildur1 sends out the wrong message to aspiring poker players. My title asks whether his removal from the nosebleed stakes poker games is a good thing for online poker. For promoting the responsible gaming we write about regularly on these sites it is a good thing because none of those players can really afford to play that high when you apply normal bankroll management concepts to the games.

The top professionals are playing for big money and the stakes involved trivialise the losses of $150,000 like it is a small amount of money. I read today that Durrrr lost $129,000 at online poker during play yesterday and when I read that I thought to myself that was a slow day for him and almost break even for Tom. How silly of me! $150,000 is a great deal of money and poker players should always know the value of it or risk ruin.

If Isildur1 had thought about the interest he could earn on $5,000,000 for the rest of his life then he may have been more responsible before losing everything. This type of loss whilst on tilt of his whole bankroll should be avoided at all costs. Good poker players are more than just talented; they are responsible, hard working and sensible. Hopefully if Isildur1 does come back and play the highest stakes games he exemplifies a little more of these qualities and he may return to the levels of success he enjoyed last month before his speedy decline into becoming a poker anecdote of what not to do when you play online poker and enjoy an early win. If he continues to be reckless he is better off staying away from online poker and maturing before he returns. Everyone who saw him play said he had talent; he now needs to learn the other aspects of mature poker and then return to take his place among pokers elite. He certainly has the stomach for it.

By Malcolm Clarke

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Tags: brain hastings, brian townsend, high stakes poker, isildur1, online poker, poker