The final hand of the tournament was a special one. Blom opened king-six off, and Plesuv called with queen-seven suited. Plesuv check-called a bet with secon. Blom, however, would not sacrifice his advantage at all, extending his lead with another win in Event #14, winning $407,500. In Event #16, Viktor Blom cashed again, finishing in 7th place for $24,375.
Viktor Blom, better known as Isildur1 to the poker community,
has made millions of dollars using very aggressive tactics in
online poker. His favorite version of poker to play is No-Limit
Texas Hold’em, as he has found much success playing this game.
His identity remained a secret until January of 2011 when he
joined PokerStars pro team.
has made millions of dollars using very aggressive tactics in
online poker. His favorite version of poker to play is No-Limit
Texas Hold’em, as he has found much success playing this game.
His identity remained a secret until January of 2011 when he
joined PokerStars pro team.
Blom’s story involves many crushing lows and exhilarating
highs. It’s not uncommon to hear that he gained or lost millions
of dollars overnight. However, at only twenty-four years of age,
great things are expected from Blom in the future as he’s
suspected to be a poker legend in the making.
highs. It’s not uncommon to hear that he gained or lost millions
of dollars overnight. However, at only twenty-four years of age,
great things are expected from Blom in the future as he’s
suspected to be a poker legend in the making.
Viktor Blom Net Worth
Early Life
Viktor Blom entered the world in September of 1990 near
Gothenburg, Sweden. He was the youngest of three siblings,
having two older sisters and one older brother named Sebastian.
Viktor Blom learned how to play No-limit Texas Hold’em from his
older brother when he was just 14 years old, leaving his brother
impressed by how quickly he picked up on the game.
Gothenburg, Sweden. He was the youngest of three siblings,
having two older sisters and one older brother named Sebastian.
Viktor Blom learned how to play No-limit Texas Hold’em from his
older brother when he was just 14 years old, leaving his brother
impressed by how quickly he picked up on the game.
Blom enjoyed playing poker so much that he gathered a group
of friends to play for a $5 buy-in during their lunch breaks at
school. At one point, over twenty-five students were regularly
with him.
of friends to play for a $5 buy-in during their lunch breaks at
school. At one point, over twenty-five students were regularly
with him.
Around the time of his next birthday, Blom and his brother
decided to set up an account at an online poker site. Early on
they placed fifth at a multi-table tournament, winning them $300
which was a lot of money for them at the time.
decided to set up an account at an online poker site. Early on
they placed fifth at a multi-table tournament, winning them $300
which was a lot of money for them at the time.
Eventually Blom’s brother set him up with his own account at
PartyPoker.com under the username Blom90. Blom wasn’t afraid to
take risks, constantly entering $500 sit-and-go tournaments.
Within a few months he had won over $275,000 playing online
poker. Blom kept taking risks, playing at higher and higher
stakes each time. He eventually depleted his entire bankroll,
devastating him and causing him to take a long break from poker.
PartyPoker.com under the username Blom90. Blom wasn’t afraid to
take risks, constantly entering $500 sit-and-go tournaments.
Within a few months he had won over $275,000 playing online
poker. Blom kept taking risks, playing at higher and higher
stakes each time. He eventually depleted his entire bankroll,
devastating him and causing him to take a long break from poker.
Online Poker Career
After taking about a year off, Blom came back full force
reactivating his account at PartyPoker.com. It only took him two
days to multiply his deposit of $2500 into over $200,000, and at
the two week mark he had reached $1.7 million in total profit.
After those initial two weeks though, he didn’t have a lot of
success so he left to find a new site.
reactivating his account at PartyPoker.com. It only took him two
days to multiply his deposit of $2500 into over $200,000, and at
the two week mark he had reached $1.7 million in total profit.
After those initial two weeks though, he didn’t have a lot of
success so he left to find a new site.
This is when Blom found Full-tilt Poker and truly started to
draw other player’s attention. His username was Isildur1,
and he quickly started playing against well-known poker
professionals like Phil Ivey and Patrik Antonius, meanwhile
leaving his true identity a secret.
draw other player’s attention. His username was Isildur1,
and he quickly started playing against well-known poker
professionals like Phil Ivey and Patrik Antonius, meanwhile
leaving his true identity a secret.
Re-raises and large bluffs were a huge part of his very
aggressive strategy. In 2008, Blom under the screen name
Isildur1 was nominated in the Scandinavian Poker Awards for the
rookie of the year award. Blom refused to show up though in fear
that his identity might leak to the United States.
aggressive strategy. In 2008, Blom under the screen name
Isildur1 was nominated in the Scandinavian Poker Awards for the
rookie of the year award. Blom refused to show up though in fear
that his identity might leak to the United States.
Blom would often win and lose millions of dollars in just a
matter of days, always taking high risks along the way. Blom
even challenged Phil Ivey, a renowned poker player, to a
No-Limit Hold’em match where he incurred a lot of over
$3,000,000. Despite his feat, Blom was honored to know that Ivey
stated in an interview that Isildur1 was the most challenging
opponent he has ever had.
matter of days, always taking high risks along the way. Blom
even challenged Phil Ivey, a renowned poker player, to a
No-Limit Hold’em match where he incurred a lot of over
$3,000,000. Despite his feat, Blom was honored to know that Ivey
stated in an interview that Isildur1 was the most challenging
opponent he has ever had.
Blom went face to face with Tom Dwan, one of the top online
Heads-Up Hold’em players, in a week long tournament that was
played across six consecutive tables. By the end of the week,
Blom had gone on the largest run in the history of online poker,
winning approximately $4 million and leaving Dwan speechless.
Heads-Up Hold’em players, in a week long tournament that was
played across six consecutive tables. By the end of the week,
Blom had gone on the largest run in the history of online poker,
winning approximately $4 million and leaving Dwan speechless.
On December 8th, 2009 Blom took his biggest blow yet when he
lost against Brian Hastings during a round of No-limit Omaha,
costing him a total of 4.2 million dollars which was the largest
loss in all of online poker history. It was later discovered
that Hastings along with several other players had shared
information leaking Blom’s most used strategies and techniques
which is probably how Hastings won the game.
lost against Brian Hastings during a round of No-limit Omaha,
costing him a total of 4.2 million dollars which was the largest
loss in all of online poker history. It was later discovered
that Hastings along with several other players had shared
information leaking Blom’s most used strategies and techniques
which is probably how Hastings won the game.
PokerStars offered Blom a sponsorship in exchange for him to
help them launch a four-table tournament game of No Limit
Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha named, “Superstar Showdown,” which
was open to anyone at the stakes of $50/$100 for 2,500 hands.
help them launch a four-table tournament game of No Limit
Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha named, “Superstar Showdown,” which
was open to anyone at the stakes of $50/$100 for 2,500 hands.
After Blom and PokerStars reached an agreement, Blom’s
identity was released, and the world now knew that Viktor Blom
was the face of Isildur1. Blom couldn’t hide anymore, so he
actually started attending live tournaments. Early in
2012, at PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, he won the first live
tournament of his career at just over 1.25 million dollars.
identity was released, and the world now knew that Viktor Blom
was the face of Isildur1. Blom couldn’t hide anymore, so he
actually started attending live tournaments. Early in
2012, at PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, he won the first live
tournament of his career at just over 1.25 million dollars.
Personal Life
Viktor Blom is a very private person, so not much information
has been leaked about his personal life. So, all we know is that
his opponents say that contrary to his aggressive play style, he
has a vibrant personality and a true love for the game. They
also say that Blom has a great sense of humor, making playing
against him a very exciting experience.
has been leaked about his personal life. So, all we know is that
his opponents say that contrary to his aggressive play style, he
has a vibrant personality and a true love for the game. They
also say that Blom has a great sense of humor, making playing
against him a very exciting experience.
Viktor 'Isildur1' Blom is a poker legend no matter how you slice it. Here's why.
The story of Viktor Blom is one of the best in all of poker. A prodigious talent comes along in poker more commonly each year, but when ‘Isildur1’ emerged onto the poker scene, it wasn’t in the live arena, but online. In an age of bullish online personalities, isildur1 was able to take up the durrr challenge and come out of sessions with seven-digit scores of profit as well as heavy losses.
At one point, a game against Patrik Antonius saw Blom lose $3 million in a single day, at the time a record loss for an online poker player followed by a dramatic session versus Brian Hastings that cost him a staggering $4.2 million. Despite these enormous and highly publicized losses, Blom is still widely regarded as one of the biggest online winners as well as one of the most talented players to ever grace the online felt.
Time after time, however, Blom showed that he was able to mix it with the best, and that ‘isildur1’ poker was the new way to play, fearlessly and without giving an inch. How Viktor Blom, poker player, came onto the scene was a reveal worthy of a magician.
YOUNG BLOM LEAVES HOME
Viktor Blom – or isildur1 as he was known then – was an online phenom, but an air of mystery surrounded him despite his rising reputation. Who was this young player who kept winning at the nosebleed stakes? He was a quiet, mild-mannered Swedish player, as it happened when the young man decided to move across Europe, to London, he took a professional assistant to help him with the rest of his life, so that his focus could be playing, and winning. Win he very much did. Before long, Blom attracted the attention of the poker brands, and, having turned 21, he was a huge commercial asset as well as a great poker player. But who would land him?
POKERSTARS AND FULL TILT POKER
At the 2011 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, Blom was announced as a PokerStars Team Pro under his own name, and to much fanfare. Within a year, however, Blom had become a Full Tilt Pro instead, switching from PokerStars to the site it had bought out. Blom’s success at the live felt included a huge win for $1.2 million when he won the PCA super high roller, but it was also the year he ceased to be a PokerStars Team Pro. Blom needed a brand less than most players however and was still a fixture in high roller tournaments and, of course, cash games. At one such super high roller in London, the ever-shy Blom was at a table of legends in a £100,000-entry event, wearing a black shirt with what looked like white dots on it. When one player looked closer, he saw that they were skulls. Blom was asked why he was wearing such a shirt, but a tablemate answered for him.
“It’s one skull for every one of the opponents he’s busted!”
Much laughter, as the shirt was flecked with thousands of skulls. From Blom, a polite smile, a shrugging off of his preceding reputation.
WINNING MILLIONS LIKE A HERO
Blom’s progression in his career since leaving PokerStars and Full Tilt is hard to really evaluate. His live wins have been amazing by some standards, by others sporadic. His online performance has always been surrounded by mystery. Who knows how much he has won or lost when the man himself is unlikely to be able to guess within six figures?
In live terms, Blom was bubbling under the radar for some time before he went to Germany in February 2018 to play the partypoker MILLIONS Main Event. At the end of the event, having outlasted 925 others, he took on Pavel Plesuv for the title, and in a moment befitting Blom’s mysterious nature, the final hand saw Blom hero-call to win the tournament outright. It was a spectacular call, one which sent a message to the world that the superstar, the enigma that is Viktor Blom, was still very much alive and kicking.
Where will Viktor Blom steal the headlines next? No-one knows, least of all the man himself, but with his life in poker so far, wherever it will be, it’s bound to be for the biggest prize.
Viktor Blom Isildur1
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