Gossip Column: Wiktor Malinowski & Fedor Holz Ready to Cross Swords in a Heads-Up Challenge

Gossip Column
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  • Attreyee Khasnabis March 1, 2021
  • 3 Minutes Read

Heads-up challenges seem to be the flavor of the season. Just as the Grudge Match between Daniel Negreanu and Doug Polk concluded, we already have two possible HU Challenges to look forward to. While the Negreanu vs. Phil Hellmuth match-up will likely be the most-epic HU challenge ever, German superstar Fedor Holz’s upcoming match with Wiktor Malinowski will certainly warrant considerable attention as well.

Malinowski, who is already locked in a HU battle against Stefan Burakov and is currently in the red for six-figures, had challenged Holz to a match last year. The GGPoker Ambassador recently threw the challenge back at Malinowski. The latter has not only accepted the challenge but also stated, “Get your two best students, I can play three of you, same time, two tables each. Any amount of hands you want.”

Let’s take a look at how things went down.

 

The Initial Challenge

While the Run It Once Legends Showdown was underway last August, Malinowski offered to play the eventual winner at higher stakes on Joe Ingram’s podcast. In the same podcast, he also issued a challenge to Holz.

“I can offer also playing drunk,” Malinowski had said. “I can drink a full bottle of wine, and I can play Fedor heads up any stakes he wants. I’m not gonna back off. If he wants to accept, no problem.”

Holz is considered one of the most-prolific poker pros globally, with $32.55 Million in live tournament cashes. He had a breakout year in 2016 when he had won the Triton Super High Roller for $3,463,500 in January and finished runner up in the Super High Roller Bowl for $3,500,000 later that year. He also went on to win his first-ever WSOP bracelet the same year in the $111,111 High Roller for One-Drop for $4,981,775.

He won his second WSOP bracelet in Event#79 $25K NLHE Heads-Up for $1,077,250 in September 2020. Following this victory, Malinowski reiterated his challenge to Holz.

 

Holz Responds

On February 25, Holz finally responded to Malinowski, setting the stage for another electrifying heads-up challenge.

While Holz is better known for his live tournament prowess, he has over the years proved himself to be an equally competent online crusher. Besides defeating online crushers like Justin Bonomo and George Wolff in the $25K Heads-Up NLHE last year, he also had some success in the Legends Showdown, besting well-known online grinder Pauli Ayras in the knockout round.

Holz’s challenge to Malinowski came when the latter was not doing too well in his ongoing HU Challenge against Burakov on PokerStars. The duo had agreed to play 30,000 hands of $50/$100 heads-up no-limit hold’em. While the other details are not very clear, but seems like the loser of the challenge would only have to pay up $1 Million but would have to make a similar bitcoin payment to the winner.

As of February 23, Malinowski is already in the red for $384,000 after 13,471 hands. Given Malinowski’s poor form, Holz’s tweet generated quite the buzz.

 

Malinowski Isn’t Backing Down

Even though he was having a tough time playing Burakov, Malinowski remains undeterred. He called Holz on February 26, claiming he was ready to play him.

Upping the ante, Malinowski said that not only is he willing to play Holz, but he told the latter to bring along two of his best students, and he would play all three of them simultaneously on two tables each.

Holz was quick to accept the challenge.

And now it seems like we have yet another interesting HU Challenge on our hands. The match details are still to be ironed out and will possibly be sorted out once the Malinowski vs. Burakov challenge is in the books.

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