Poker News

Daniel Negreanu has stunned Isildur1 in their SuperStar Showdown online poker rematch on PokerStars.

Kid Poker was $130,000 down at one point on Sunday night but fought back to take $25,500 off Isildur1, who had only lost once clash before in the heads-up online poker series two months ago.

A gravious Negreanu immediatedly paid tribute to the 20-year-old after his win at the four-table, 2,500-hand, $50/$100 match, calling the Swede 'awesome'.

Last week Negreanu, 36, admitted Isildur1 was the better online player after he took the maximum $150,000 off him in just four hours and 1,439 hands.

But he vowed to win back at least some of his stake last night - which he did in style after again spending long periods behind.

Isildur1 claimed a staggering 80% of Negreanu's bankroll within 1,300 hands and looked set to repeat last week's whitewash.

But Negreanu managed a 'sick' (by his own admission) turnaround turned it around in stunning fashion, mounting a comeback to finish well to the good and end Blom's five-game winning streak.

It didn't start well: Blom won nearly $28,000 in the first 350 hands. in the first big clash of the match, Blom's pocket kings held against Negreanu's A♠Q♣ and a few minutes later, Negreanu called Blom's three-bet shove on a T♣8♣6♣ flop with K♣T♠ only to be shown pocket queens.

Then, after Negreanu opened for $300, Blom three-bet to $1,000 and Kid Poker called. Isildur led out for $1,200 on the 5♥4♥2♥ flop, Negreanu raised to $3,100, Blom shoved and Negreanu called, turning up J♥8♥ for the flopped flush. Blom showed pocket jacks. The board paired with the 5♦ on the turn and in a gut-wrenching three-outer, tripped on the river with the 5♠, the $27,700 pot going to Blom with fives full of jacks.

As Blom's winnings passed the $40,000 mark, Negreanu picked up A♣K♥ and called Blom's preflop five-bet shove. A 3 to 1 favorite over Blom's A♠Q♠, Negreanu's bad luck continued as a dame landed on the flop and the $20,100 pot was lost.

All the money went in again soon after on a A♦J♣6♦ flop, Blom making the final raise and Negreanu calling all-in. Negreanu flopped top two pair with A♣J♠, but Blom's K♦3♦ turned a flush when the Q♦ hit. The river blanked with the 3♠ and another Negreanu buy-in sailed into Blom's stack, the damage now totaling $89,350 after 975 hands.

Down $119,600 by 1,279 hands, Negreanu was left with just $30,000 on three tables.

Then the sick turnaround started. Negreanu pocketed a $17,600 pot when he made a higher two pair, then did it again seconds later on Table 5 when his A♣8♥ caught an ace on the flop against Blom's pocket nines.

On Table 1, Blom tried to wrest control preflop, five-bet shoving for $27,550 over Negreanu's $2,400 four-bet. Holding J♣T♠, he clearly didn't want a call, but Negreanu happily pushed in $12,800 more with his pocket queens, which held up to win the $30,400 pot.

A little after the 1,500-hand mark, the money went in on a T♥7♠6♠ flop, Negreanu with 8♦9♥ for the twn-high straight and Blom drawing to the same with 5♠9♠. No disasters on the turn or river and Blom suddenly found his lead cut nearly in half.

Soon after Isildur called Negreanu's preflop four-bet with 7♥9♥, then shoved for $55,700 into the $4,400 pot when he hit middle pair on the T♣9♣4♦ flop. Negreanu called off the $9,550 he had behind with K♦K♣ and the overpair held, reducing Blom's lead to $55,000.

Only a few hands later on the same table, Negreanu made another preflop four-bet and Blom came along with Q♦J♥. Blom hit top pair on the J♠6♣5♣ flop. Blom checked, Negreanu bet $3,100, Blom raised to $7,650, Negreanu shoved, and Blom called off his remaining $17,700. Negreanu revealed A♥A♠ and picked up $56,300.

With 350 hands remaining, Negreanu pulled out to his first lead of the entire encounter. On a A♠7♣5♠6♥ board, Blom moved all-in for $6,400 holding 7♦8♦ for second pair and a straight draw and Negreanu called with A♥8♥ for top pair. The 8♣ on the river was enough for Negreanu to steal the $20k pot and a $9,150 overall lead.

isildur soon moved in with a set of fours on a T♠9♣4♦ flop only to run, with classically bad timing, into Negreanu's set of tens. The $36,300 pot put Negreanu in front by $15,350.

The last few hands saw only one all-in clash, Blom three-bet shoving on a Q♦4♠3♥ flop with A♦2♥ and Negreanu making the call with A♠Q♥. There was no miracle wheel on the turn or river, which safely fell the 4♦ and the 6♦ to give Negreanu the $20,000 pot.

Kid Poker managed to pick up a few more pots before the close to claw back $26,500 of the $150,000 he lost last week - to his obvious delight.

After his triumph, Negreanu Tweeted: "Thanks to @ReynoldsXO @nutsinho & Tom Marchese for coming by the house this week and going over last weeks match. VERY helpful."

In next week's SuperStar Showdown Isildur1 will take on Scott 'UrnotinDanger2' Palmer.