“ActionFreak” bounced back in a big way on Day 9 of the Galfond Challenge. The online poker pro put a significant dent in Phil Galfond’s €434,000 lead as he scored a massive win.
The two poker pros are nearly midway through a 15,000-hand, high-stakes Pot-Limit Omaha competition. After the required number of hands at €150/€300 stakes, a winner will be crowned. That individual — either Galfond or “ActionFreak” — will receive a €150,000 payment from the other player.
Of course, the winner will also collect any profits earned during the event. Entering Monday’s session, it appeared Galfond was in the driver’s seat to win his second straight challenge — he defeated “VeniVidi1993” last month when he pulled off one of the most improbable comebacks in poker history.
But the tides have turned thanks in large part to a Day 9 heater from the challenger.
Galfond Challenge Tightens Up
The ninth session of the PLO competition was a rough one for Galfond. Viewers on the Run it Once Twitch channel witnessed the poker site owner lose €256,044 over 721 hands. In doing so, Galfond’s lead has dropped to €178,249 through 6,496 hands.
As “ActionFreak” showed on Monday, the swings in PLO are often massive. That means his current six-figure deficit could be shaved off within a matter of a few hours on Day 10. Or, it could go the other way and, perhaps, Galfond will extend his lead once again.
“ActionFreak” still has 8,504 hands in which to make up the deficit. To do so, he’ll need to profit approximately €21 per hand, on average.
On Monday, most of the big pots seemed to go “ActionFreak’s” way. In one hand, for example, on a rainbow board reading J-10-4-10-6, and with €26,887 in the pot, “Freak” moved all-in for €16,555 with A-10-9-8, and Galfond called with a weaker 10 (Q-10-8-2).
In another cooler, Galfond flopped top set with a flush draw on an 8-3-2 board, but ended up losing to “Freak’s” set of nines that hit on the turn. He lost over €30,000 in the hand. Galfond lost on another costly suck-out when his Q-J-8-4 on a Q-8-2 flop turned out to be no good. “ActionFreak” also had the Q-8 for two-pair, but he also had a flush draw, which he hit on the turn, helping him win a €66,000 pot.
It was that type of day for Galfond.
