Both hands on the GGPoker Network
While the poker world is focused on the 2020 World Series of Poker Online on GGPoker at the moment, the cash games on the same network are making history. In the span of just over a week, the record for the largest online No-Limit Hold’em cash game pot was broken not once, but twice on sites on the GGPoker Network.
The first happened on August 11 on the site Natural8, when Wiktor Malinowski took down a $842,438.62 pot against Michael Addamo. Fortunately for Addamo, it was a cash game, so he had a chance to win his money back, and he did just that. Over the course of the rest of the session, he scored a number of sizable pots to regain much of the money he lost.
The $974,631 pot is now the largest No-Limit Hold’em cash game pot in online poker history.
Eight days later, on August 19, Ali Imsirovic beat Tan Xuan, who was at the table in the first record-breaking hand, for nearly a million dollars. The $974,631 pot is now the largest No-Limit Hold’em cash game pot in online poker history.
Malinowski coolers Addamo
The first game was $500/$1,000 with a $1,000 ante. The game was a VIP, invitational-only session; in addition to Malinowski and Addamo, the other players were Chris Brewer, the aforementioned Xuan, and “UnderO.”
UnderO was in the small blind and Addamo was in the big blind. Malinowski, who some playfully call the “High Stakes Poker End Boss,” raised to $2,000. Addamo re-raised to $14,000, only to see Malinowski four-bet it up to $43,500. Addamo then took it to $108,000 and Malinowski made the call. The pot was already massive.
On the flop of 5d-7h-2c, Addamo bet $71,775 and Malinowski called. The turn was 9c, prompting Addamo to bet another $100,146.50, followed by another call from Malinowski.
With the river 5s, Addamo moved all-in for $140,547.80 and Malinowski called. There was a reason the pot got so big pre-flop: Addamo had two black Kings and Malinowski had two black Aces for a gigantic cooler.
Imsirovic comes from behind
That was on Natural8. A week later on the network’s flagship site, GGPoker, that pot was beaten by more than $100,000. The game was $500/$1,000/$200 six-handed No-Limit Hold’em with a $2,000 straddle. Malinowski was also at the table, as were Jacob Schindler, Chi Zhang, and Chris Brewer.
Xuan bet $4,278 pre-flop, Imsirovic raised to $21,000, and Xuan called to bring on a flop of 5d-5h-9s. Imsirovic opened the betting for $15,425, Xuan raised to $53,700, and Imsirovic called. The turn was Js and this time, Imsirovic checked, Xuan bet $101,046, and Imsirovic made the call.
On the river 8s, Imsirovic checked again and Xuan pushed for $309,719. It was a perfect runner-runner for Imsirovic, as he easily called with As-Ks, good for the nut flush. Xuan held 9d-7d and watched his opponent scoop a $974,631 pot.
The two hands broke a 12-year-old record. According to HighStakesDB.com, the old record for a No-Limit Hold’em pot was $723,941, won by Tom “durrrr” Dwan on Full Tilt Poker. The overall record for an online poker cash game pot is $1,356,946.50, also on Full Tilt, won by Patrik Antonius over Viktor “Isildur1” Blom in November 2009.