Pot Limit Omaha | Poker Blog

THE FULL TILT FLIPS.

High stakes poker players have always been associated with being pure gamblers at heart, and for good reason. This showed more than ever with the introduction of the infamous ‘Full Tilt Flips.’ To understand why the flips occurred and still do occur, we should understand what they are. A well known Full Tilt Red Pro sat at the $200/$400 Pot Limit Omaha tables and introduced the now infamous idea of these controlled gambles. As a signed Full Tilt Pro, the players receive 100% rakeback as well as $35 for every hour they play on the site. This is the bases of the flips. What this player proposed was that if the players moved all in dark every single hand before the flop, and committing themselves to reach a certain cap on every single hand, regardless of their cards. Why would anyone do this, you ask? Simply put, the player had an elaborate idea that based on if the players did these flips over a period of time, they should, in theory, break even. However, over this period of time, they would lose no rakeback and would receive their $35 an hour, which would add up. The theory is that if the players do this continuous flipping hands, they will not lose money at all due to the rakeback deal with the site, and they would roll in the $35 an hour they would make from the website. The arguments here are often debated as if the strategy carries positive expectation value (+EV) or not. It is hard to argue against this system, although it would need to be played a number of times to even hope to break exactly even over time. Most people attribute the willingness of these pros to ‘flip’ to their pure, degenerative nature. Even pros such as Tom ‘durrrr’ Dwan have agreed to these flips, without being a signed Full Tilt Pro, meaning he has no edge over the game and even over time would lose money due to the rake taken out of every pot. The original flips took place on Capped $200/$400 Pot Limit Omaha games, capped at $16,000. The players would cap the game preflop on every single hand. Meaning, the players agreed to risk $16,000 every hand without looking at their cards. This immediately, of course, garned a ton of attention from railbirds. The word of these flips spread quickly, and soon players from Dwan to Oppenheim to Juanda were taking part in these flips. The games also varried with the players. Sometimes the games happened at No Limit tables where the cap was upped to $20,000. Also, players who weren’t naturally a part of these games joined in on the fun. Tuesday night saw players not known to many sit in and request to flip. Of course, with the unusual nature of these flips, unusual things were bound to happen when they were going on. For instance, as Tom Dwan, David Oppenheim, and John Juanda were flipping for $16,000 each at a Capped Pot Limit Omaha hand when a new player sat in the game and requested to flip. As all of the nature of the flips relied on the players honesty to pot and repot until the cap was hit regardless of the cards, the player unknown to all was rejected: Dwan said that since he was unfamiliar with the player, he was not comfortable potting it to $1400 not trusting that the new player would reraise the pot regardless of his whole cards. The player had a solution to the problem: as a ransom in case of angle shooting, the player transfered $8000 from his account to Dwan’s, to be split amongst the players if the player used any sort of dishonest angle shooting. All went well, and the players continued their gambling until another player sat in and requested to flip, except this time, only for $8000. Oppenheim, Juanda, Dwan, and the newcomer agreed to do this. Again, however, new problems were presented to the players, the table cap remained at $16,000. This meant that every pot was raised to $1400, then raised to $3400, allowing one player to reraise to $8000 even. Every player called, and would check the flop, turn, and river regardless of their cards. This was just another twist to the legend that is growing, known as the Full Tilt Poker High Stakes Flips. The Flips are no where close to ending, at least one would think not, with the gambling nature that the players have shown us up until now. In order to see these flips take place live and in person, be sure to browse the $200/$400 Pot Limit Omaha games on Full Tilt Poker.

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Brian Hastings and Ziigmund screen name of Ilari Sahamies played the $200/$400 Pot Limit Omaha game on Full Tilt Poker. Joining them were a lot of the regulars including Phil Gandolph and Hac Dang. Newly signed Full Tilt Pro Brian Hastings, formerly LucLongley, was coming off a monster six digit win the day before. However, a heads up game with Ilari Sahamies playing two heads up tables could always change that, especially when multiple pots topped $75,000. Two or three different tables were simultaneously going off, meaning that Hastings and Sahamies just couldn’t sit out on all the action. With five tables of the big game going off at the same time, there were obvious big hands as well as big winners and losers. The day, however, started off with an even bigger than normal game with Phil Gandolph and Ilari Sahamies playing $300/600 No Limit Hold Em. The following monster pot took place late in the game. A series of raises went all in on a flop of Ace-Nine-Deuce. This was the biggest hand of the day, topping $160,000. Sahamies revealed two pair with Aces and Deuces, but was very behind to Gandolph’s Aces and nines. A miracle deuce, however, was good for the pot for Sahamies.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5595668018: Table Halbert (heads up) - $300/$600 - No Limit Hold’em - 18:12:02 ET - 2008/03/11
Seat 1: OMGClayAiken ($80,399)
Seat 2: Ziigmund ($122,390.50)
Ziigmund posts the small blind of $300
OMGClayAiken posts the big blind of $600
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Ziigmund raises to $1,800
OMGClayAiken has 15 seconds left to act
OMGClayAiken calls $1,200
*** FLOP *** [9d Ac 2d]
OMGClayAiken bets $3,000
Ziigmund has 15 seconds left to act
Ziigmund raises to $12,000
OMGClayAiken has 15 seconds left to act
OMGClayAiken has requested TIME
OMGClayAiken raises to $27,000
Ziigmund has 15 seconds left to act
Ziigmund has requested TIME
Ziigmund raises to $120,590.50, and is all in
OMGClayAiken calls $51,599, and is all in
Ziigmund shows [Ad 2h]
OMGClayAiken shows [9s As]
Uncalled bet of $41,991.50 returned to Ziigmund
*** TURN *** [9d Ac 2d] [2s]
*** RIVER *** [9d Ac 2d 2s] [8s]
Ziigmund shows a full house, Twos full of Aces
OMGClayAiken shows two pair, Aces and Nines
Ziigmund wins the pot ($160,797.50) with a full house, Twos full of Aces
OMGClayAiken adds $12,000
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $160,798 | Rake $0.50
Board: [9d Ac 2d 2s 8s]
Seat 1: OMGClayAiken (big blind) showed [9s As] and lost with two pair, Aces and Nines
Seat 2: Ziigmund (small blind) showed [Ad 2h] and won ($160,797.50) with a full house, Twos full of Aces

Sahamies’s luck didn’t run out there. Another monster pot was headed his way in the following hand when quad tens were good for a pot worth over $68,000.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5595726734: Table Oboe (heads up) - $200/$400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 18:16:38 ET - 2008/03/11
Seat 1: Ziigmund ($40,400)
Seat 2: Brian Hastings ($50,599.50)
Brian Hastings posts the small blind of $200
Ziigmund posts the big blind of $400
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Brian Hastings: if not i can always grind some 50/100 more
Brian Hastings raises to $1,200
Ziigmund raises to $3,600
Brian Hastings calls $2,400
*** FLOP *** [Th Td Ks]
Ziigmund checks
Brian Hastings checks
*** TURN *** [Th Td Ks] [Tc]
Brian Hastings: luclonglye
Ziigmund bets $7,200
Brian Hastings calls $7,200
*** RIVER *** [Th Td Ks Tc] [8c]
Ziigmund bets $21,600
Brian Hastings has 15 seconds left to act
Brian Hastings calls $21,600
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Ziigmund shows [9h Kc Ts Js] four of a kind, Tens
Brian Hastings mucks
Ziigmund wins the pot ($64,799.50) with four of a kind, Tens
Brian Hastings adds $21,800.50
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $64,800 | Rake $0.50
Board: [Th Td Ks Tc 8c]
Seat 1: Ziigmund (big blind) collected ($64,799.50)
Seat 2: Brian Hastings (small blind) mucked

Ziigmund was, however, stuck in a tough spot in the following hand. On the river, facing a pot bet, Sahamies revealed his hand, claiming to have nines full. Hastings playfully responded, and Sahamies eventually made the tough call and caught the bluff of Hastings for over $50,000.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5596024029: Table Oboe (heads up) - $200/$400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 18:39:48 ET - 2008/03/11
Seat 1: Ziigmund ($39,199.50)
Seat 2: Brian Hastings ($90,198.50)
Ziigmund posts the small blind of $200
Brian Hastings posts the big blind of $400
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Ziigmund raises to $1,200
Brian Hastings raises to $3,600
Ziigmund calls $2,400
*** FLOP *** [9c Kh 9h]
Brian Hastings checks
Ziigmund checks
*** TURN *** [9c Kh 9h] [Ac]
Brian Hastings bets $6,000
Ziigmund calls $6,000
*** RIVER *** [9c Kh 9h Ac] [Qh]
Brian Hastings has 15 seconds left to act
Brian Hastings bets $17,200
Ziigmund has 15 seconds left to act
Ziigmund has requested TIME
Ziigmund: KKK
Ziigmund: i have a9Q
Brian Hastings: callfoldcallfold
Ziigmund calls $17,200
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Brian Hastings shows [8c Tc Qd 6d] two pair, Queens and Nines
Ziigmund shows [7c Qc 9s Ah] a full house, Nines full of Aces
Ziigmund wins the pot ($53,599.50) with a full house, Nines full of Aces
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $53,600 | Rake $0.50
Board: [9c Kh 9h Ac Qh]
Seat 1: Ziigmund (small blind) showed [7c Qc 9s Ah] and won ($53,599.50) with a full house, Nines full of Aces
Seat 2: Brian Hastings (big blind) showed [8c Tc Qd 6d] and lost with two pair, Queens and Nines

Ziigmund’s luck really did run out as Hastings won this following hand. $75,000 went his way when top two pair beat the naked aces of Sahamies.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5595964691: Table Phys (heads up) - $200/$400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 18:35:29 ET - 2008/03/11 (partial)
Brian Hastings mucks
Brian Hastings wins the pot ($7,199.50)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $75,999 | Rake $0.50
Board: [Kc Ah 4s 8h 3c]
Seat 1: Brian Hastings (big blind) showed [Ks As 9c 2c] and won ($75,998.50) with two pair, Aces and Kings
Seat 2: Ziigmund (small blind) showed [Ac Tc Th 8d] and lost with two pair, Aces and Eights

Brian Hastings had an extreme luck of luck and had a big win the day before this game took place. Here, we see Hastings turn two pair and rivering a full house to take down a pot worth over $50,000.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5595843761: Table Phys (heads up) - $200/$400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 18:25:44 ET - 2008/03/11
Seat 1: Brian Hastings ($104,399)
Seat 2: Ziigmund ($40,400)
Brian Hastings posts the small blind of $200
Ziigmund posts the big blind of $400
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Brian Hastings raises to $1,200
Ziigmund raises to $3,600
Brian Hastings calls $2,400
*** FLOP *** [Jh Ac 5h]
Ziigmund has 15 seconds left to act
Ziigmund checks
Brian Hastings has 15 seconds left to act
Brian Hastings checks
*** TURN *** [Jh Ac 5h] [3s]
Ziigmund bets $7,200
Brian Hastings calls $7,200
*** RIVER *** [Jh Ac 5h 3s] [3h]
Ziigmund checks
Brian Hastings has 15 seconds left to act
Brian Hastings bets $17,600
Ziigmund calls $17,600
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Brian Hastings shows [Qd 5c Qh 3c] a full house, Threes full of Fives
Ziigmund mucks
Brian Hastings wins the pot ($56,799.50) with a full house, Threes full of Fives
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $56,800 | Rake $0.50
Board: [Jh Ac 5h 3s 3h]
Seat 1: Brian Hastings (small blind) collected ($56,799.50)
Seat 2: Ziigmund (big blind) mucked

Hastings won another big hand here when he made top pair and called Sahamies bluff on the river to take down another big hand.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5596137999: Table Oboe (heads up) - $200/$400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 18:48:49 ET - 2008/03/11
Seat 1: Ziigmund ($50,396.50)
Seat 2: Brian Hastings ($78,996)
Brian Hastings posts the small blind of $200
Ziigmund posts the big blind of $400
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Brian Hastings raises to $1,200
Ziigmund raises to $3,600
Brian Hastings calls $2,400
*** FLOP *** [Ks 8s 8d]
Ziigmund checks
Brian Hastings bets $5,600
Ziigmund calls $5,600
*** TURN *** [Ks 8s 8d] [6d]
Ziigmund checks
Brian Hastings checks
*** RIVER *** [Ks 8s 8d 6d] [Tc]
Ziigmund bets $18,400
Brian Hastings has 15 seconds left to act
Brian Hastings calls $18,400
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Ziigmund shows [3h 6c 7s 5s] two pair, Eights and Sixes
Brian Hastings shows [5c Ad 5d Kd] two pair, Kings and Eights
Brian Hastings wins the pot ($55,199.50) with two pair, Kings and Eights
Ziigmund adds $17,203.50
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $55,200 | Rake $0.50
Board: [Ks 8s 8d 6d Tc]
Seat 1: Ziigmund (big blind) showed [3h 6c 7s 5s] and lost with two pair, Eights and Sixes
Seat 2: Brian Hastings (small blind) showed [5c Ad 5d Kd] and won ($55,199.50) with two pair, Kings and Eights

On the six handed tables, player ‘FinddaGrind’ took a big hand off Sahamies and busted him out of a buy in of $40,000. Sahamies instantly rebought for another $40,000 though, so no action was lost.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5596173742: Table Pantheon (6 max) - $200/$400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 18:51:35 ET - 2008/03/11
Seat 3: Ziigmund ($40,200)
Seat 4: lets_TILT ($8,000)
Seat 6: FinddaGrind ($104,992.50)
Ziigmund posts the small blind of $200
lets_TILT posts the big blind of $400
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Ziigmund: hu please
FinddaGrind raises to $1,400
Ziigmund: morob
Ziigmund raises to $4,600
lets_TILT folds
FinddaGrind raises to $14,200
Ziigmund calls $9,600
*** FLOP *** [9d 6h Th]
Ziigmund bets $26,000, and is all in
FinddaGrind calls $26,000
Ziigmund shows [8d 8h Qc Kh]
FinddaGrind shows [2h Ah Jh Ac]
*** TURN *** [9d 6h Th] [3d]
*** RIVER *** [9d 6h Th 3d] [6d]
Ziigmund shows two pair, Eights and Sixes
FinddaGrind shows two pair, Aces and Sixes
FinddaGrind wins the pot ($80,799) with two pair, Aces and Sixes
Ziigmund is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $80,800 | Rake $1
Board: [9d 6h Th 3d 6d]
Seat 3: Ziigmund (small blind) showed [8d 8h Qc Kh] and lost with two pair, Eights and Sixes
Seat 4: lets_TILT (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: FinddaGrind (button) showed [2h Ah Jh Ac] and won ($80,799) with two pair, Aces and Sixes

Hastings continued his winning when he rivered a straight to take another big pot from Sahamies to defeat his two pair.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5596253701: Table Oboe (heads up) - $200/$400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 18:57:51 ET - 2008/03/11
Seat 1: Ziigmund ($34,999.50)
Seat 2: Brian Hastings ($166,792)
Brian Hastings posts the small blind of $200
Ziigmund posts the big blind of $400
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Brian Hastings raises to $1,200
Ziigmund raises to $3,600
Brian Hastings calls $2,400
*** FLOP *** [2d 5d 8c]
Ziigmund bets $7,200
Brian Hastings raises to $28,800
Ziigmund calls $21,600
*** TURN *** [2d 5d 8c] [Th]
Ziigmund bets $2,599.50, and is all in
Brian Hastings calls $2,599.50
Ziigmund shows [Tc 8d Jc Qc]
Brian Hastings shows [9d 5s 7h 4h]
*** RIVER *** [2d 5d 8c Th] [Js]
Ziigmund shows two pair, Jacks and Tens
Brian Hastings shows a straight, Jack high
Brian Hastings wins the pot ($69,998.50) with a straight, Jack high
Ziigmund is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $69,999 | Rake $0.50
Board: [2d 5d 8c Th Js]
Seat 1: Ziigmund (big blind) showed [Tc 8d Jc Qc] and lost with two pair, Jacks and Tens
Seat 2: Brian Hastings (small blind) showed [9d 5s 7h 4h] and won ($69,998.50) with a straight, Jack high

Ziigmund didn’t continue his losing for long, however, as he won this next pot by rivering two pair against ‘FinddaGrind’ and won a full buy in of $40,000 to win the pot worth over $80k.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5596496015: Table Pantheon (6 max) - $200/$400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 19:16:55 ET - 2008/03/11
Seat 1: trex313 ($9,600)
Seat 2: Ziigmund ($40,600)
Seat 3: BlueWolff ($4,597)
Seat 4: smask ($8,000)
Seat 6: FinddaGrind ($151,782)
trex313 posts the small blind of $200
Ziigmund posts the big blind of $400
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
BlueWolff folds
FinddaGrind raises to $1,400
trex313 folds
Ziigmund raises to $4,400
FinddaGrind raises to $13,400
Ziigmund calls $9,000
*** FLOP *** [3c 5s 7h]
Ziigmund bets $27,000
FinddaGrind raises to $54,000
Ziigmund calls $200, and is all in
FinddaGrind shows [Ac Ah Kd 4h]
Ziigmund shows [9s 3s Kc Qd]
Uncalled bet of $26,800 returned to FinddaGrind
*** TURN *** [3c 5s 7h] [8c]
*** RIVER *** [3c 5s 7h 8c] [Kh]
FinddaGrind shows a pair of Aces
Ziigmund shows two pair, Kings and Threes
Ziigmund wins the pot ($81,398) with two pair, Kings and Threes
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $81,400 | Rake $2
Board: [3c 5s 7h 8c Kh]
Seat 1: trex313 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: Ziigmund (big blind) showed [9s 3s Kc Qd] and won ($81,398) with two pair, Kings and Threes
Seat 3: BlueWolff didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 4: smask is sitting out
Seat 6: FinddaGrind (button) showed [Ac Ah Kd 4h] and lost with a pair of Aces

Ziigmund won another big hand, this time on the heads up table with Hastings. A straight was good enough for one of the bigger pots of the day and nearly $95,000.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5596521871: Table Phys (heads up) - $200/$400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 19:19:00 ET - 2008/03/11
Seat 1: Brian Hastings ($148,185.50)
Seat 2: Ziigmund ($75,384.50)
Ziigmund posts the small blind of $200
Brian Hastings posts the big blind of $400
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Ziigmund raises to $1,200
Brian Hastings raises to $3,600
Ziigmund raises to $6,000
Brian Hastings calls $2,400
*** FLOP *** [Qc 8h 7d]
Brian Hastings checks
Ziigmund has 15 seconds left to act
Ziigmund checks
*** TURN *** [Qc 8h 7d] [3h]
Brian Hastings bets $10,800
Ziigmund has 15 seconds left to act
Ziigmund calls $10,800
*** RIVER *** [Qc 8h 7d 3h] [9s]
Brian Hastings has 15 seconds left to act
Brian Hastings bets $30,400
Ziigmund has 15 seconds left to act
Ziigmund has requested TIME
Ziigmund calls $30,400
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Brian Hastings shows [5h 8d Qh 6d] a straight, Nine high
Ziigmund shows [Th 6h Qs Ks] a straight, Ten high
Ziigmund wins the pot ($94,399.50) with a straight, Ten high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $94,400 | Rake $0.50
Board: [Qc 8h 7d 3h 9s]
Seat 1: Brian Hastings (big blind) showed [5h 8d Qh 6d] and lost with a straight, Nine high
Seat 2: Ziigmund (small blind) showed [Th 6h Qs Ks] and won ($94,399.50) with a straight, Ten high

Brian Hastings used his two pair to take some of his money back from Sahamies in this hand, worth $64,000.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5596554624: Table Phys (heads up) - $200/$400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 19:21:32 ET - 2008/03/11
Seat 1: Brian Hastings ($100,785.50)
Seat 2: Ziigmund ($122,784)
Ziigmund posts the small blind of $200
Brian Hastings posts the big blind of $400
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Ziigmund raises to $1,200
Brian Hastings raises to $3,600
Ziigmund has 15 seconds left to act
Ziigmund calls $2,400
*** FLOP *** [2h Qd 3s]
Brian Hastings checks
Ziigmund bets $7,200
Brian Hastings calls $7,200
*** TURN *** [2h Qd 3s] [8h]
Brian Hastings checks
Ziigmund checks
*** RIVER *** [2h Qd 3s 8h] [Td]
Brian Hastings checks
Ziigmund bets $21,600
Brian Hastings calls $21,600
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Ziigmund shows [Ts 8c 5d 4d] two pair, Tens and Eights
Brian Hastings shows [Qs 9s 8d Th] two pair, Queens and Tens
Brian Hastings wins the pot ($64,799.50) with two pair, Queens and Tens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $64,800 | Rake $0.50
Board: [2h Qd 3s 8h Td]
Seat 1: Brian Hastings (big blind) showed [Qs 9s 8d Th] and won ($64,799.50) with two pair, Queens and Tens
Seat 2: Ziigmund (small blind) showed [Ts 8c 5d 4d] and lost with two pair, Tens and Eights

On the day, Hastings went on to win money… again. He ended up nearly $100,000 between his two heads up tables with Sahamies, who himself did very well in the six ring games. The losing was spread out between different players including Hac Dang, but no monster loser was recorded on the day.

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