Galfond Challenge: Galfond Up Small on Kornuth After Two Days

September 24, 2020Mo Nuwwarah

After a few months of quiet during the summer while several online poker tournament series took over the headlines, the Galfond Challenge is back, with Phil Galfond against Chance Kornuth underway on WSOP.com.

The parameters this time around: 35,000 hands of pot-limit Omaha at $100/$200 with the Run It Once Poker founder laying a mighty price to his fellow coach: €1 million against Kornuth’s €250,000.

The rounds was good to the Chip Leader Coaching boss. Kornuth booked a $33,500 win on Day 1. However, Galfond struck back in slightly greater force on Day 2, taking Kornuth for about $45,000 to grab a small lead.

Day 1

Galfond collected the first big pot of the challenge about an hour in, when he was already ahead something like $10K. Kornuth three-bet and then came out with $1,800, half pot, on . Galfond called, bringing a . Kornuth barreled again for $5,400 and a completed the board. There was just under pot to play left, $16.5K.

Kornuth opted to shove and Galfond didn’t need too long before calling with for the second nuts. Kornuth had an airball with .

Kornuth worked his way back though, and a seemingly boring hand developed where Kornuth raised, Galfond three-bet, and Galfond continued small for $1,200 on . Kornuth called and the checked through to a river. Galfond checked and Kornuth bet $3,000. Galfond sprang to life with a pot-sized reraise to $15K, and Kornuth put the last $3K in. Galfond tanked until his bar was nearly exhausted before calling with fours full of nines, but Kornuth had the quads.

Galfond continued to bleed cash on that table as Kornuth built up to $100K, and they reset the stacks after Galfond got a double in a four-bet pot when the flop came . Galfond had binked top two with while Kornuth had for a flush draw plus backdoors. He turned the for additional outs but improved no further.

One of the biggest pots of the day developed awhile later when Kornuth got the four-bet in preflop and Galfond led out small for $2,400 on . Kornuth called, bringing the . Galfond bet again with $7,800, half the pot. Kornuth peeled again and the river was the . Galfond stuck in the last $12,484 and Kornuth tanked a long time before calling with for just aces with the nut blocker. It was good, though, as Galfond didn’t have so much as a single diamond: .

Galfond did close out strong, winning a $26K pot when he turned kings full and got a pot-sized river raise paid after a turn slowplay. Plus, he won a four-bet pot on the other table, potting the flop and forcing a fold. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome his earlier losses as he posted an estimated tally of -$33,500.

Hands Played: ~750
Results: Chance Kornuth +~$33,500
Full session video

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Day 2

No archived video exists for this match, but Galfond was in a hole after the first hour or so, as Kornuth built a lead of around $40,000.

Awhile after that, they played for stacks. Galfond opened on the button and called a three-bet, seeing a flop. Kornuth continued small with $1,200 and Galfond peeled, bringing a . This time, Kornuth potted for $6K and Galfond called again, setting up pot to play on the river. Kornuth shoved for just under $17K effective. Galfond went deep into the tank and finally clicked call just a bit before his time ran dry. Kornuth showed for two nut blockers and kings, and Galfond took it with for queens up.

That hero-call, worth about a $52K pot, got Galfond close to even.

Galfond continued to win medium-sized pots and before long, he had about $55K on both tables and Kornuth was back down to his starting $20K buy-ins. Galfond then opened up a decent lead when he nailed the nuts on the river with a nine-high straight and got a pot-sized bet of $7K paid.

Another huge pot went to Galfond in a single-raised pot when flopped. Kornuth bet the flop in position, Galfond check-raised, Kornuth three-bet and Galfond shoved. A call created a pot of $42K.

Galfond:
Kornuth:

Kornuth missed the turn and the river gave Galfond quads.

After getting his teeth kicked in for awhile, Kornuth struck back on a board of . Galfond sprung a check-raise to $12,000 and faced a shove worth just under $22K. Deciding he was committed, Galfond called with for a combo draw. Only the hearts were live as Kornuth held for a made straight with an identical higher draw. A river meant a $46K pot for Kornuth.

He kept the momentum going, getting thin value with a ten-high flush and a pair blocker, potting river for $7K and getting called light by an unknown hand. Then, Galfond potted for $12K on a flushing river on an ultra-coordinated board after the turn checked through. Kornuth shoved and got through and appeared to be roughly even with that win.

Galfond righted the ship by picking off a couple of sizable bluffs, both times when he flopped huge hands and Kornuth went for check-raises and barreled turns and rivers.

After five hours of play, they called it a session with Run It Once later tweeting that Galfond had won $45K.

Hands Played: ~850
Results: Phil Galfond +~$45,000

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