Phil Galfond is a skilled poker player with over twelve years of experience in online pot-limit Omaha (PLO) matches. Yet, some people believe that they can beat him easily.
A trained poker dealer used to low-stakes games decided to try PLO games and battle it out with Galfond. The dealer uses the name "ChristIsLord" on WSOP.com, and he required divine intervention to beat the poker pro in the $50/$100 pot-limit Omaha. But, some poker enthusiasts claimed that it was a small one-off tournament.
The dealer uploaded a video on YouTube claiming that this would be the highest stake competition in his life. He used the screen name "ZefaPoker" on YouTube and sold 37 percent of the $20,000 he had budgeted in purchasing two $10,000 buy-ins.
Galfond Is Snap-Called After Sending Out a Bait
Galfond sent a bait on Twitter intending to get heads-up action, and he baited a rival, a dealer who often shot-takes. The poker pro was in streaming WSOP.com action that day when he noticed ChristIsLord. The dealer had joined his $50/$100 PLO table and was waiting for another player.
The pro didn't recognize the dealer's screen name fast since he was a regular low-stakes player who isn't experienced in high-stakes games. He admitted that he didn't know the meaning of ChristIsLord, but he knows Jesus Christ.
Galfond asked his rail whether they knew his opponent, who initially made a $10,000 buy-in. He spent $6,300 from his pocket to make the purchase and was ready to spend up to $20,000 in the competition. So, he would lose $12,600 at most, the same amount he would have dealt in a World Series of Poker (WSOP) game.
The Dealer Was a Tough Opponent
A recap video of ZefaPoker and another poker player called "OMGClayAiken" indicated that the former wasn't a novice without experience in PLO. He came to play as a shot-taker.
The board had in one hand, and none of the players held a pocket pair, hence being unlikely to get a full house. But, ChristIsLord put a straight in the hole while Galfond held.
Galfond admitted that he had been value-owned after seeing ChristIsLord's cards. Even so, he was curious about one aspect of his rival's game as he limp-folded preflop several times.
ChristIsLord stated that the stakes largely influenced his decisions while analyzing hands. He avoided three betting pocket kings as they would make him lose more after odds turned against him. The poker dealer added that he failed to three-bet K-K-10-9 like he normally does in low stakes because it would cause him $900, a reason that would have shown that he ought not to have played in the game.
Galfond got an edge due to his prowess in PLO and ChristIsLord's small bankroll. Even so, the latter fought bravely despite being disadvantaged and had a few impressive plays. He eventually made a $7,461 profit and got a $5,000 stop-win.
ChristIsLord contacted Galfond about his achievement and the poker pro chuckled before advising him. The latter appreciated the former's action and commended him for his win. But, he urged him not to repeat that move in the future.
