Phil Galfond and 'VeniVidi1993' Battle in the First Galfond Challenge Match
Phil Galfond and 'VeniVidi1993' Battle in the First Galfond Challenge Match

The ‘Galfond Challenge’ was back in action on Saturday, with Phil Galfond and ‘VeniVidi1993’ battling for more €100-200 PLO action on Run It Once Poker. After ‘VeniVidi1993’ booked a winning session on Friday, Galfond scored the victory on Saturday.

Early on, ‘VeniVidi1993’ was in the lead on Saturday, up around €50,000. Things turned for Galfond, though, and he fought back to take the lead and then extend it. When the session was done, Galfond had booked a €106,328.51 win.

The two played 393 hands on Saturday. Now, 19,363 hands through the 25,000-hand match, ‘VeniVidi1993’ has a lead of €154,287.93. Although ‘VeniVidi1993’ is still in front as the match moves into the home stretch, Galfond has cut the deficit down from more than €900,000 to its current figure.

The first all-in pot of the day was a €40,399 clash that saw ‘VeniVidi1993’ scoop the chips after Galfond shoved into his nut flush.

On the Jh7c3c flop, Galfond fired €1,187.67 into €3,599. ‘VeniVidi1993’ made the call to bring the pot to €5,914.96 as the 2c hit the turn. Galfond fired a pot-sized bet and ‘VeniVidi1993’ called to see the 8h land on the river. Galfond, who had €11,237.99 left in his stack, moved all in. ‘VeniVidi1993’ called.

Galfond had the AdTs8s5d and ‘VeniVidi1993’ had the Ac9h9s6c. ‘VeniVidi1993’ had the nut flush and pulled in the pot. to extend his early lead in the session.

Down just about €50,000 in the session, the following hand was when Galfond started to turn things around. It was a €41,597 hand that did it and it went Galfond’s way with a full house.

After Galfond checked the Ks6c5s flop, ‘VeniVidi1993’ bet €803.33 into a pot of €1,199. Galfond raised to €2,206.16 and ‘VeniVidi1993’ fired back with a reraise to €7,817.48. Galfond shoved for €20,199 and ‘VeniVidi1993’ made the call.

‘VeniVidi1993’ had the 9s8s7d4h and Galfond had the KhKc8c4d. The 3s on the turn gave ‘VeniVidi1993’ a spade flush, but the 3c on the river paired the board to give Galfond a winning full house.

From there, Galfond worked his way back to being down less than a buy-in on the session. That’s when the following hand came up in which he won another stack of ‘VeniVidi1993’ to move into the green on the day.

With €3,599 in the middle on the 7c2s2h6d board, ‘VeniVidi1993’ bet €1,835.49. Galfond made it €6,600 to go and ‘VeniVidi1993’ went all in for €19,197. Galfond called to create a €41,993 pot.

Galfond had the AcKs3d2d for trip deuces and ‘VeniVidi1993’ had the AdAhQh4h. The river was the Jd and Galfond shipped the pot.

The following handsome after Galfond fought his way back to being up on the session, and it’s one that signaled the start of him pulling away from ‘VeniVidi1993.’ The pot was worth €39,999 and Galfond had flopped a full house.

There was €10,799 in the middle on the Th5h5c flop. Galfond checked, ‘VeniVidi1993’ bet €2,200, and Galfond called. The turn was the Js and Galfond checked again. ‘VeniVidi1993’ moved all in for €12,400 and Galfond called.

‘VeniVidi1993’ had the AdAc8c3s and Galfond had the TdTs7s4d. The river was the 6c, keeping Galfond’s flopped full house as the best hand and giving him the pot.

Shortly after that, Galfond and ‘VeniVidi1993’ played another four-bet pot that resulted in a big one worth €39,999 in the end.

‘VeniVidi1993’ had made it €600 to go on the button, Galfond made it €1,800, and then ‘VeniVidi1993’ reraised to €5,400. Galfond called and the QcJs2s flop came out. After Galfond checked, ‘VeniVidi1993’ bet €10,799 for a pot-sized wager. Galfond moved all in and ‘VeniVidi1993’ called off his remaining €3,801.

Galfond had the AhQs9h7s and ‘VeniVidi1993’ had the AcKhKs2c. The turn was the 7d and the river was the 9s. Galfond finished with a spade flush and won the pot.

Galfond was up about four buy-ins (€80,000) as the two approached the 400-hand mark of the session. But, the session would never get to 400 hands. Galfond won a pot north of €65,000 by picking off a bluff from ‘VeniVidi1993’ and ‘VeniVidi1993’ called it quits on the session shortly thereafter.

With €21,809.94 in the middle on the 9h8s5sKd2h board, Galfond checked and ‘VeniVidi1993’ fired a pot-sized bet. Galfond tanked, then called to create a pot of €65,429.82.

Galfond had the 9d8d6c3c for two pair, nines and eights. ‘VeniVidi1993’ had the Tc8c7s4h for a pair of eights and Galfond won the pot.

Challenge Results To Date

Hands Played Daily Winner Amount Won
Day 1 (Jan. 22) 655 VeniVidi1993 €72,572.68
Day 2 (Jan. 23) 715 Phil Galfond €2,615.26
Day 3 (Jan. 24) 557 VeniVidi1993 €84,437.52
Day 4 (Jan. 25) 581 VeniVidi1993 €17,544.87
Day 5 (Jan. 27) 726 VeniVidi1993 €155,063.52
Day 6 (Jan. 28) 703 VeniVidi1993 €13.31
Day 7 (Jan. 30) 823 VeniVidi1993 €52,057.13
Day 8 (Jan. 31) 940 VeniVidi1993 €60,743.37
Day 9 (Feb. 1) 446 VeniVidi1993 12,706.51
Day 10 (Feb. 3) 696 VeniVidi1993 €100,993.30
Day 11 (Feb. 4) 741 VeniVidi1993 €15,647.36
Day 12 (Feb. 6) 622 Phil Galfond €87,940.91
Day 13 (Feb. 7) 470 VeniVidi1993 €267,949.70
Day 14 (Feb. 8) 593 VeniVidi1993 €48,473.73
Day 15 (Feb. 9) 659 VeniVidi1993 €102,593.34
Day 16 (Mar. 4) 574 Phil Galfond €183,481.38
Day 17 (Mar. 5) 582 VeniVidi1993 €21,571.51
Day 18 (Mar. 6) 555 Phil Galfond €27,198.94
Day 19 (Mar. 7) 638 Phil Galfond €26,018.41
Day 20 (Mar. 9) 566 Phil Galfond €92,803.89
Day 21 (Mar. 10) 576 Phil Galfond €3,766.94
Day 22 (Mar. 11) 556 VeniVidi1993 €88,465.60
Day 23 (Mar. 12) 598 Phil Galfond €23,821.05
Day 24 (Mar. 13) 628 Phil Galfond €19,099.65
Day 25 (Mar. 14) 664 Phil Galfond €139,485.78
Day 26 (Mar. 19) 539 Phil Galfond €110,752.58
Day 27 (Mar. 20) 645 VeniVidi1993 €76,026.05
Day 28 (Mar. 21) 503 Phil Galfond €140,979.28
Day 29 (Mar. 26) 642 Phil Galfond €85,271.31
Day 30 (Mar. 27) 777 VeniVidi1993 €26,992.32
Day 31 (Mar. 28) 393 Phil Galfond €106,328.51
Total 19,363 VeniVidi1993 €154,287.93

What’s Next for the Galfond Challenge?

Galfond and ‘VeniVidi1993’ were originally scheduled to resume play on Monday, March 30, following a day off, but according to social media posts from Galfond and Run It Once Poker, ‘VeniVidi1993’ has decided to take the next two sessions off. That means play will resume on Thursday, April 2.

It will be the 32nd session between the two and they’re 19,363 hands through their Galfond Challenge duel. That means just 5,637 hands to go.

Remember, Galfond is putting up €200,000 in side action to the €100,000 of ‘VeniVidi1993.’

Be sure to stay tuned to PocketFives for more on the Galfond Challenge.