Poker Pros | Poker Blog

This past November, Ivan Demidov, Russian poker player, took the poker world by storm, making it to the final table in two World Series of Poker main events. He was seated at the November Nine with the second highest chip stack and ended up taking first place to Eastgate at the 2008 WSOP Main Event in Vegas, and earlier this year, he finished 3rd at the WSOP Europe. After the 2008 WSOP, his lifetime career tournament earnings total close to $2 million. This was an unprecedented feat before Demidov made both final tables. But even more exciting for Russia was that Demidov wasn’t the only Russian at the WSOPE final table. Stanislav Alekhin was seated at the table, as well, proving that poker in Russia is in an uprising.
Over the past 15 months, many Russian players have been successful at higher levels of play. Russia’s involvement in the poker scene began in 2003 with Moscow’s Kirill Gerasimov, the original Russian poker pro, who finished 2nd in the 2003 World Poker Tour $25K Championship Event, winning more than $500K. Since then Gerasimov has won 21 WSOP events which include 8 final table events giving him a total earnings of more than $2 million.
Since then, we have also seen Alexander Kravchenko win a WSOP bracelet and make it to the final table of the 2007 main event, Alexander Kostritsyn defeat Erik Seidel in a heads-up showdown at the 2008 Aussie Millions, Nikolay Evdakov make 10 cash outs in the 2008 WSOP, and Svetlana Gromenkova win the WSOP 2008 Ladies Event.
Apparently poker in Russia is currently in an up shift. Demidov is hopeful that poker will flourish in Russia. He says, “The Russian Federation recently said that poker is a sport. Now many card rooms are opening all over Russia, many in Moscow. The Russian poker community is small, but growing. I hope that it keeps growing.”
While Russia may not be the first country that comes to mind when the subject of European poker players come up in conversation, but Russia is an upcoming force in the industry. Russian players are showing up more and more at big money live events all over the world and making a place for themselves. What seems to be a quiet front might prove to be a forceful awakening as poker becomes more and more forthright in Russia, and Russian poker players begin showing up more frequently in events like the WPT and the WSOP.

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Wednesday night proved to be a night of big action on Full Tilt Poker. The biggest tables on the site were occupied by some of the greatest in the game. In the Ivey Thunderdome, Phil Ivey played Tom Dwan AKA Durrrr heads up at $500/$1000 Pot Limit Omaha, while a five handed game of No Limit Hold Em went on at the same limit, including Patrik Antonius, Tom Dwan and Ivey, LawsLuzak, who was up to a stack of $432k as we joined action, and top online pro Emil Patel AKA whitelime. Action didn’t take long, as Phil Ivey and Antonius engaged in a big pot in NLHE.

Sorry about these pics, the watermark process destroyed them and I lost originals.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9309482984: Table RailHeaven (6 max) - $500/$1000 - No Limit Hold’em - 22:58:12 ET - 2008/12/03
Seat 1: LarsLuzak ($447,751.50)
Seat 2: Brian Hastings ($43,268)
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius ($108,994)
Seat 4: whitelime ($47,000)
Seat 5: durrrr ($44,000)
Seat 6: Phil Ivey ($214,887.50)
Brian Hastings has 5 seconds left to act
Brian Hastings is sitting out
Brian Hastings has timed out
Patrik Antonius posts the big blind of $1,000
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
whitelime folds
durrrr folds
Phil Ivey raises to $3,000
LarsLuzak folds
Patrik Antonius has 15 seconds left to act
Brian Hastings has reconnected
Patrik Antonius calls $2,000
*** FLOP *** [Ks Jc 6c]
Patrik Antonius checks
Phil Ivey bets $5,000
Patrik Antonius has 15 seconds left to act
Patrik Antonius raises to $18,000
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey raises to $44,000
Patrik Antonius has 15 seconds left to act
Patrik Antonius raises to $105,994, and is all in
Phil Ivey calls $61,994
Patrik Antonius shows [Ac 5c]
Phil Ivey shows [Jd Kc]
*** TURN *** [Ks Jc 6c] [2c]
*** RIVER *** [Ks Jc 6c 2c] [7c]
Patrik Antonius shows a flush, Ace high
Phil Ivey shows a flush, King high
Patrik Antonius wins the pot ($217,985) with a flush, Ace high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $217,988 | Rake $3
Board: [Ks Jc 6c 2c 7c]
Seat 1: LarsLuzak (button) didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 2: Brian Hastings (small blind) is sitting out
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius (big blind) showed [Ac 5c] and won ($217,985) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 4: whitelime didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 5: durrrr didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 6: Phil Ivey showed [Jd Kc] and lost with a flush, King high

Ivey made up for it, though, on the PLO table against Dwan, taking the following pot for over $100,000.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9309598098: Table Ivey Thunderdome - $500/$1000 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 23:05:34 ET - 2008/12/03
Seat 1: Phil Ivey ($53,296.50)
Seat 2: durrrr ($296,673)
Phil Ivey posts the small blind of $500
durrrr posts the big blind of $1,000
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Phil Ivey raises to $3,000
durrrr calls $2,000
*** FLOP *** [8s 2s Jd]
durrrr bets $4,800
Phil Ivey raises to $16,000
durrrr raises to $54,000
Phil Ivey calls $34,296.50, and is all in
durrrr shows [2d 6d As Qs]
Phil Ivey shows [8h 8d Kc Tc]
Uncalled bet of $3,703.50 returned to durrrr
*** TURN *** [8s 2s Jd] [7c]
*** RIVER *** [8s 2s Jd 7c] [3c]
durrrr shows a pair of Twos
Phil Ivey shows three of a kind, Eights
Phil Ivey wins the pot ($106,592.50) with three of a kind, Eights
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $106,593 | Rake $0.50
Board: [8s 2s Jd 7c 3c]
Seat 1: Phil Ivey (small blind) showed [8h 8d Kc Tc] and won ($106,592.50) with three of a kind, Eights
Seat 2: durrrr (big blind) showed [2d 6d As Qs] and lost with a pair of Twos

Antonius engaged in another big No Limit Hand, this time against ‘LarsLuzak.’ Antonius put in a sizable four bet preflop and a $35,000 bet on the flop won him the following hand.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9309648836: Table RailHeaven (6 max) - $500/$1000 - No Limit Hold’em - 23:08:52 ET - 2008/12/03
Seat 1: LarsLuzak ($487,748.50)
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius ($210,982)
Seat 4: whitelime ($37,000)
Seat 5: durrrr ($49,500)
Seat 6: Phil Ivey ($127,381.50)
LarsLuzak posts the small blind of $500
Patrik Antonius posts the big blind of $1,000
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
whitelime folds
durrrr raises to $3,000
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey folds
LarsLuzak has 15 seconds left to act
LarsLuzak raises to $11,111
Patrik Antonius has 15 seconds left to act
LarsLuzak has been disconnected
Patrik Antonius raises to $32,000
LarsLuzak has reconnected
durrrr folds
LarsLuzak has been disconnected
LarsLuzak has 15 seconds left to act
LarsLuzak has reconnected
LarsLuzak has 15 seconds left to act
LarsLuzak has requested TIME
LarsLuzak calls $20,889
*** FLOP *** [Kh Jc 5c]
LarsLuzak has 15 seconds left to act
LarsLuzak checks
Patrik Antonius has 15 seconds left to act
Patrik Antonius bets $35,000
LarsLuzak folds
Uncalled bet of $35,000 returned to Patrik Antonius
Patrik Antonius mucks
Patrik Antonius wins the pot ($66,997)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $67,000 | Rake $3
Board: [Kh Jc 5c]
Seat 1: LarsLuzak (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius (big blind) collected ($66,997), mucked
Seat 4: whitelime didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 5: durrrr folded before the Flop
Seat 6: Phil Ivey (button) didn’t bet (folded)

Phil Ivey took the following hand in Pot Limit Omaha with a good river bet in a good sized pot.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9309945185: Table Ivey Thunderdome - $500/$1000 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 23:27:39 ET - 2008/12/03
Seat 1: Phil Ivey ($146,585.75)
Seat 2: durrrr ($203,372.75)
durrrr posts the small blind of $500
Phil Ivey posts the big blind of $1,000
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
durrrr raises to $3,000
Phil Ivey calls $2,000
*** FLOP *** [2s 4s 5d]
Phil Ivey checks
durrrr checks
*** TURN *** [2s 4s 5d] [9h]
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey bets $5,000
durrrr has 15 seconds left to act
durrrr raises to $15,400
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey calls $10,400
*** RIVER *** [2s 4s 5d 9h] [7s]
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey bets $35,000
durrrr has 15 seconds left to act
durrrr folds
Uncalled bet of $35,000 returned to Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey mucks
Phil Ivey wins the pot ($36,799.50)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $36,800 | Rake $0.50
Board: [2s 4s 5d 9h 7s]
Seat 1: Phil Ivey (big blind) collected ($36,799.50), mucked
Seat 2: durrrr (small blind) folded on the River

‘LarsLuzak’ and Phil Ivey got involved in a very big pot in the No Limit Hold Em game. A large river bet was called by Ivey, which went to ‘LarsLuzak.’

Full Tilt Poker Game #9309983925: Table RailHeaven (6 max) - $500/$1000 - No Limit Hold’em - 23:30:10 ET - 2008/12/03
Seat 1: LarsLuzak ($437,242.50)
Seat 2: HeWasADonk ($50,000)
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius ($202,477)
Seat 4: whitelime ($79,689)
Seat 5: durrrr ($70,297)
Seat 6: Phil Ivey ($162,875.50)
Phil Ivey posts the small blind of $500
LarsLuzak posts the big blind of $1,000
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Patrik Antonius has 15 seconds left to act
Patrik Antonius raises to $3,500
whitelime folds
durrrr folds
Phil Ivey calls $3,000
LarsLuzak calls $2,500
*** FLOP *** [Ts 9h Kh]
Phil Ivey checks
LarsLuzak bets $8,888
Patrik Antonius folds
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey calls $8,888
*** TURN *** [Ts 9h Kh] [5s]
Phil Ivey checks
LarsLuzak bets $21,111
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey calls $21,111
*** RIVER *** [Ts 9h Kh 5s] [Ks]
Phil Ivey checks
LarsLuzak has 15 seconds left to act
LarsLuzak bets $57,000
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey has requested TIME
Phil Ivey has been disconnected
Phil Ivey has 45 seconds to reconnect
Phil Ivey has reconnected
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey calls $57,000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
LarsLuzak shows [8s Js] a flush, King high
Phil Ivey mucks
LarsLuzak wins the pot ($184,495) with a flush, King high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $184,498 | Rake $3
Board: [Ts 9h Kh 5s Ks]
Seat 1: LarsLuzak (big blind) collected ($184,495)
Seat 2: HeWasADonk is sitting out
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius folded on the Flop
Seat 4: whitelime didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 5: durrrr (button) didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 6: Phil Ivey (small blind) mucked

Emil Patel made his impact known in the following hand with Phil Ivey in No Limit Hold Em. An all in shove on the river won Patel the following hand.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9310095246: Table RailHeaven (6 max) - $500/$1000 - No Limit Hold’em - 23:37:29 ET - 2008/12/03
Seat 1: LarsLuzak ($518,350.50), is sitting out
Seat 2: HeWasADonk ($49,000)
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius ($226,362)
Seat 4: whitelime ($67,189)
Seat 5: durrrr ($64,997)
Seat 6: Phil Ivey ($76,673.50)
HeWasADonk posts the small blind of $500
Patrik Antonius posts the big blind of $1,000
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
whitelime raises to $3,500
durrrr folds
LarsLuzak has reconnected
Phil Ivey calls $3,500
HeWasADonk folds
Patrik Antonius folds
*** FLOP *** [Tc 7h Ad]
LarsLuzak has been disconnected
whitelime has 15 seconds left to act
LarsLuzak has reconnected
whitelime bets $5,500
Phil Ivey calls $5,500
*** TURN *** [Tc 7h Ad] [8s]
LarsLuzak has been disconnected
LarsLuzak stands up
Urindanger adds $50,000
whitelime has 15 seconds left to act
whitelime bets $10,500
Phil Ivey calls $10,500
*** RIVER *** [Tc 7h Ad 8s] [Kc]
whitelime has 15 seconds left to act
whitelime bets $47,689, and is all in
Phil Ivey folds
Uncalled bet of $47,689 returned to whitelime
whitelime mucks
whitelime wins the pot ($40,497)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $40,500 | Rake $3
Board: [Tc 7h Ad 8s Kc]
Seat 1: LarsLuzak is sitting out
Seat 2: HeWasADonk (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: whitelime collected ($40,497), mucked
Seat 5: durrrr didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 6: Phil Ivey (button) folded on the River

‘LarsLuzak left the No Limit game, and took all the money. ‘Urindanger’ took the open spot, and the game continued. Ivey and Dwan continued their big game at Omaha with the following hand.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9310214596: Table Ivey Thunderdome - $500/$1000 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 23:45:18 ET - 2008/12/03
Seat 1: Phil Ivey ($191,680.75)
Seat 2: durrrr ($158,269.25)
durrrr posts the small blind of $500
Phil Ivey posts the big blind of $1,000
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
durrrr has 15 seconds left to act
durrrr raises to $3,000
Phil Ivey calls $2,000
*** FLOP *** [3s 3h 5d]
Phil Ivey checks
durrrr has 15 seconds left to act
durrrr bets $4,800
Phil Ivey calls $4,800
*** TURN *** [3s 3h 5d] [Ah]
Phil Ivey checks
durrrr has 15 seconds left to act
durrrr bets $12,700
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey raises to $34,000
durrrr has 15 seconds left to act
durrrr calls $21,300
*** RIVER *** [3s 3h 5d Ah] [6c]
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey checks
durrrr checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Phil Ivey shows [4s 7c 5c Qs] a straight, Seven high
durrrr mucks
Phil Ivey wins the pot ($83,599.50) with a straight, Seven high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $83,600 | Rake $0.50
Board: [3s 3h 5d Ah 6c]
Seat 1: Phil Ivey (big blind) collected ($83,599.50)
Seat 2: durrrr (small blind) mucked

All the short stacks in NLHE meant a lot of big pots as players tried to accumulate chips. This following hand between Ivey and ‘Urindanger’ is the perfect example of such.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9310226092: Table RailHeaven (6 max) - $500/$1000 - No Limit Hold’em - 23:46:04 ET - 2008/12/03
Seat 1: Urindanger ($57,897)
Seat 2: HeWasADonk ($52,997)
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius ($220,362)
Seat 4: whitelime ($71,586)
Seat 5: durrrr ($83,591)
Seat 6: Phil Ivey ($47,773.50)
Patrik Antonius posts the small blind of $500
whitelime posts the big blind of $1,000
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
durrrr folds
Phil Ivey raises to $3,000
Urindanger calls $3,000
HeWasADonk calls $3,000
Patrik Antonius folds
whitelime folds
*** FLOP *** [Th Kh 2d]
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey bets $8,000
Urindanger folds
HeWasADonk has 15 seconds left to act
HeWasADonk calls $8,000
*** TURN *** [Th Kh 2d] [5d]
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey bets $18,000
HeWasADonk raises to $41,997, and is all in
Phil Ivey calls $18,773.50, and is all in
HeWasADonk shows [Tc Qd]
Phil Ivey shows [Ah Kc]
Uncalled bet of $5,223.50 returned to HeWasADonk
*** RIVER *** [Th Kh 2d 5d] [5h]
HeWasADonk shows two pair, Tens and Fives
Phil Ivey shows two pair, Kings and Fives
Phil Ivey wins the pot ($100,044) with two pair, Kings and Fives
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $100,047 | Rake $3
Board: [Th Kh 2d 5d 5h]
Seat 1: Urindanger folded on the Flop
Seat 2: HeWasADonk (button) showed [Tc Qd] and lost with two pair, Tens and Fives
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: whitelime (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: durrrr didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 6: Phil Ivey showed [Ah Kc] and won ($100,044) with two pair, Kings and Fives

Ivey and Durr continued their epic showdown with the following hand reaching over $175,000.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9310471193: Table Ivey Thunderdome - $500/$1000 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 0:02:20 ET - 2008/12/04
Seat 1: Phil Ivey ($260,474.75)
Seat 2: durrrr ($89,466.75)
durrrr posts the small blind of $500
Phil Ivey posts the big blind of $1,000
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
durrrr raises to $3,000
Phil Ivey calls $2,000
*** FLOP *** [4c Ts 7d]
Phil Ivey bets $5,000
durrrr has 15 seconds left to act
durrrr raises to $15,400
Phil Ivey has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey raises to $40,000
durrrr raises to $86,466.75, and is all in
Phil Ivey calls $46,466.75
durrrr shows [7c 5c Tc Ks]
Phil Ivey shows [7s 4s Qd 4d]
*** TURN *** [4c Ts 7d] [As]
*** RIVER *** [4c Ts 7d As] [9d]
durrrr shows two pair, Tens and Sevens
Phil Ivey shows three of a kind, Fours
Phil Ivey wins the pot ($178,933) with three of a kind, Fours
durrrr adds $50,000
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $178,933.50 | Rake $0.50
Board: [4c Ts 7d As 9d]
Seat 1: Phil Ivey (big blind) showed [7s 4s Qd 4d] and won ($178,933) with three of a kind, Fours
Seat 2: durrrr (small blind) showed [7c 5c Tc Ks] and lost with two pair, Tens and Sevens

The No Limit game picked up a little bit when another Full Tilt Pro joined the game. The Great Dane of poker, Gus Hansen, joined the action, buying in for a short stack. Patel took a pot off Dwan in the following hand with an all in move at the right time.

Full Tilt Poker Game #9310609126: Table RailHeaven (6 max) - $500/$1000 - No Limit Hold’em - 0:11:55 ET - 2008/12/04
Seat 1: Urindanger ($170,078.90)
Seat 2: Gus Hansen ($57,897)
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius ($222,256)
Seat 4: whitelime ($45,538.55)
Seat 5: durrrr ($62,291)
Seat 6: Phil Ivey ($71,990.10), is sitting out
Urindanger posts the small blind of $500
Gus Hansen posts the big blind of $1,000
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Patrik Antonius folds
whitelime has 15 seconds left to act
whitelime raises to $2,500
durrrr calls $2,500
Urindanger has 15 seconds left to act
Phil Ivey has reconnected
Urindanger calls $2,000
Gus Hansen calls $1,500
*** FLOP *** [2d Kc 7s]
Urindanger checks
Phil Ivey has returned
Gus Hansen checks
whitelime checks
durrrr has 15 seconds left to act
durrrr bets $5,400
Urindanger calls $5,400
Gus Hansen folds
whitelime has 15 seconds left to act
whitelime calls $5,400
*** TURN *** [2d Kc 7s] [Qc]
Urindanger checks
whitelime checks
durrrr has 15 seconds left to act
durrrr bets $11,400
Urindanger folds
whitelime has 15 seconds left to act
whitelime has requested TIME
whitelime raises to $37,638.55, and is all in
durrrr folds
Uncalled bet of $26,238.55 returned to whitelime
whitelime mucks
whitelime wins the pot ($48,997)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $49,000 | Rake $3
Board: [2d Kc 7s Qc]
Seat 1: Urindanger (small blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 2: Gus Hansen (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 3: Patrik Antonius didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 4: whitelime collected ($48,997), mucked
Seat 5: durrrr folded on the Turn
Seat 6: Phil Ivey (button) is sitting out