Memories from the Full Tilt nosebleed games
Now that nosebleed games have been removed at Full Tilt, we look back at some of the most iconic high stakes matches in online poker history.
The durrrr Challenge
Few things caught railbirds' imaginations like when Tom Dwan offered a challenge to anyone in the world (except Phil Galfond) that he could beat them four-tabling high stakes No Limit and/or PLO over 50,000 hands, offering $1.5 million to their $500,000.
Was the bet +EV? Who would challenge him? Who would win? These were the questions we all had. Eventually Patrik Antonius took on the task, followed by Daniel Cates.
Sadly this was an event which never lived up to its anticipation, as both challenges never completed and look like they never will (So much so that Cates has called Dwan out on his refusal to pay him).
Rail Heaven
PokerStars always had the edge in traffic, but Full Tilt always had the biggest games and the biggest names. This became abundantly clear in 2008 when Rail Heaven was introduced.
The six max $500/$1,000 No Limit table was the biggest game in online poker and perhaps the first time that the virtual game overtook its live counterpart in terms of action.
No longer was Bobby's Room in Vegas the Mecca of cash game poker and this was where the biggest winners and losers in online poker history earned their status.
Hastings wins $4 million in four hours
When he wasn't making his name for multi-accounting, Brian Hastings was making his name for sharing hand histories. In this instance, however, he was also remembered for having the biggest winning day in online poker history.
In 2009 Hastings played heads-up vs Isildur1 for four hours and after 2,858 hands, won $4.2 million and caused the Swede to quit. Nobody has ever won as much money in a single day (Let alone four hours).
Sadly the story had a sinister twist, as it was revealed Hastings gained an edge by reviewing hand histories Brian Townsend had played with Isildur1.
Who is Isildur1?
Poker had its very own Who Shot JR? style mystery at the end of 2009 when an unknown Swede called Isildur1 challenged anybody and everybody at the biggest games online.
He faced the likes of Patrik Antonius, Tom Dwan and Phil Ivey, often at the same time, over lots of tables. Most notably a lengthy battle with Tom Dwan where he took durrrr for over $5 million.
It was a fascinating time for online poker because nobody knew who this fearless online player was, but we couldn't stop watching.
Eventually, of course, he was revealed to be Viktor Blom.
The biggest pot of all time
In 2009 the biggest games in the world were on Full Tilt, and the action all revolved around Viktor Blom, so it is no surprise that Isildur1 was involved in the ten biggest pots in online poker history (All between November and December 2009).
Blom has won four of them, Phil Ivey won one, and Patrik Antonius has won the other five. Most notably this pot from November 2009, where he won $1,356,947 from Isildur1.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing of all is that this record has not been beaten in almost six years, and perhaps never will.
Which iconic moments did we miss? Let us know in the comments.
