Gossip Column: Galfond on Top After 6 Sessions Against Kornuth; Deeb & Peat Squabble Over $32K Debt & More

Gossip Column - Phil Galfond, Shaun Deeb, Phil Hellmuth, Chance Kornuth, Dave Peat and Antonio Esfandiari
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  • Namita Ghosh October 1, 2020
  • 3 Minutes Read

The Phil Galfond vs. Chance Kornuth heads-up challenge on WSOP.com is turning out to be one helluva thriller! Four more sessions of this high-stakes PLO heads-up match have taken place since our last report. And even though Galfond is in the lead for $32K after the 4,850 hands that have been played so far, Kornuth’s blistering run in the most recent session has him just 1.5 buy-ins behind Galfond. There is a good chance that, like the last two challenges, this too will go down all the way to the wire!

Shaun Deeb might have tested positive for COVID-19, but that not enough to keep him away from social media or even take potshots at others! Deeb ended up engaging in yet another round of arguments, and this time his adversary was Dave Peat. Remember Dave, whom Deeb had claimed owed him $32K a few years back? The duo entered a war of words on Twitter over this unsettled debt. They even started talking about a possible arbitration to settle the matter once and for all, which may or may not materialize.

While we are still on the topic of heads-up battles, Round 2 of PokerGO’s High Stakes Duel between Phil Hellmuth and Antonio Esfandiari took place last week. Hellmuth, who’d won the first round, slammed Esfandiari once again. Esfandiari has affirmed that he’s up for playing Round 3, and the duo might meet within a month!

 

Phil Galfond in the Lead After Playing 6 Sessions Against Chance Kornuth

Last week we had reported how the Run It Once Poker (RIOP) founder Phil Galfond was back at the grind with an all-new heads-up challenger. Bringing the Galfond Challenge back to live after an almost four-month-long hiatus, the unbeaten Galfond is currently battling his third challenger -poker coach and founder of online poker training site Chip Leader Coaching (CLC), Chance Kornuth.

Phil Galfond and Chance Kornuth
Phil Galfond and Chance Kornuth

 

The duo will be playing 35,000 hands of $100/$200 PLO on WSOP.com to decide the winner.

After two sessions last week, four more sessions played out over the week, and it’s been swingy for sure. Galfond booked a win on Day 3, but Kornuth surged ahead on Day 4. It was Galfond ending the fifth session on the top, but again, Kornuth staged a strong comeback on Day 6. Kornuth closed out session #6 with a €70,000 win – his best run at the challenge yet!

The duo has played 4,850 hands across six sessions with Galfond in the lead for $32,000.

Let’s take a quick look at the four recent sessions.

 

Session #3

Galfond and Kornuth played 900 hands during Session #3. It ended with Galfond booking a profit of $67,000.

Galfond also commented on his run.

 

 

Session #4

The fourth day of the challenge saw Galfond fall back into losses after 750 hands. He ended the session in the red for $20K.

 

Session #5

The fifth session had Galfond spring back on top after the 800 hands. He won a massive €150,000 ($102,000) to take his overall lead to €43,500.

Watch the Day 5 highlights below.

 

Session #6

Starting session #6, Galfond was €102K ahead of Kornuth, but as we said, it has never been easy for Galfond. The session turned out to be a massive swing fest, as Kornuth turned the tables on Galfond completely!

In fact, Kornuth won €70,000, booking his most significant win so far in the challenge. He is closing in on Galfond and is currently approximately 1.5 buy-ins behind the latter.

Kornuth shared his thoughts on his run through the session.

Watch the Day 6 highlights below.

The HU challenge that began on September 23 has clearly proved to be a roller coaster. But that’s nothing new for Galfond, who has gone through similar swings in his first two challenges against ‘VeniVidi1993’ and Ioannis ‘Action Freak’ Kontonatsios.

After 4,850 hands, Galfond is $32,000 ahead of Kornuth. This is one challenge that promises more swings up ahead.

 

Shaun Deeb & Dave Peat Squabble Over $32K Debt

Poker pro and four-time bracelet champion Shaun Deeb was recently hospitalized in Mexico after testing positive for COVID-19, but that’s not why he’s popped up in the news again. Deeb entered a Twitter war with fellow poker pro Dave Peat this week. What was the fuss all about? Apparently, it was over an alleged outstanding debt of $32,000.

Shaun Deeb and Dave Peat

 

It began with Deeb talking about physical pain, to which Peat commented on weight-loss bets.

 

Deeb evidently didn’t like it and retorted that Peat had to return him money.

Peat replied, “I’ll give you the same offer as before. We both post 50k and find a mediator, and if they say I owe you take the 50k if not I get 50, if you don’t want to do that, then your just talking shit.”

Deeb hit back, saying Peat hadn’t paid him in seven years, and there was no reason why he should trust Peat.

For those of you who don’t know the backdrop of this story, the Deeb versus Peat feud has been going on for years. According to Deeb, Peat owes him $32K, and he bought the debt from another party. Peat hit back at Deeb four years ago, claiming he didn’t owe Deeb any money, even bringing up names like Dan Jungleman, Daniel Negreanu, and Mike Matusow into their muddle.

He had then posted on the TwoPlusTwo Forum – “Shaun, please either accept my offer to bet on arbitration or stop telling the public I owe you. Putting that on twitter is irresponsible. If your not willing to bet you are usually wrong. A simple I’m sorry Viffer will do, or let’s find someone to arbitrate and bet.”

Now that the feud has been reignited, Deeb evidently has been having a hard time keeping his cool. He literally flung out at Peat during their recent war of words.

Peat was quick to respond.

Deeb wasn’t remaining quiet either.

Peat reacted by asking if he posted $132K, and Deeb put up $100K would they finally settle this issue. Deeb was not up for it and responded – “How stupid are you, you offer 100K to 50K…I even showed you the post I accepted that offer which means its 132 to 50, that’s the bet.”

Peat replied – “How does 100-50 turn into 132? Get so@me rest maybe the meds got you confused. 100-50, then I raised you to 132 to 100, you got raised. Please just take my money or apologies.”

Deeb fired back, saying, “100 to 50 is the side amount. When you lose you’ll also owe the 32K original amount that started this discussion. If you can’t see how that means post 132 to 50. I’m going to bed get your money together I’ll enjoy that extra 100K when all you had to do was pay for 32.”

So, what was originally a $32K bet has snowballed into a $100K to $50K side bet with Deeb getting the better 2-1 odds. He also insisted that the extra $32K should be added here if he wins.

Deeb is currently recuperating from the infection. We don’t know yet if the proposed arbitration will see the light of day, but for now, the dispute is out in the open once again.

 

Phil Hellmuth Wins Round 2 of the High Stakes Duel Against Antonio Esfandiari

We’re a bit late in bringing you the updates on this story, but it still is an action-packed tale warranting us to get you more details!

Amid the global COVID-19 outbreak, poker brat Phil Hellmuth has taken on iconic pro Antonio Esfandiari in the High Stakes Duel. Two rounds of the high-stakes heads-up battle that began on July 30 have already taken place, and we had last reported Hellmuth as having won the first round.

And you know what?! Hellmuth took down the second round as well!

Watch Round 2 below.

 

Round 2- The Two Meet Again

The heads-up duel is the latest original series from PokerGO that began with both Hellmuth and Esfandiari posting a $50,000 buy-in in Round 1. With masks on, the two players started Round 1 i.e., the $100K duel at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas on July 30. Hellmuth ended up winning it, giving Esfandiari 30 days to decline the next round.

Esfandiari immediately challenged Hellmuth for a rematch. With the WSOP Online series keeping both these bracelet chasers busy, the duo met after almost two months to continue the battle.

Antonio Esfandiari

 

The stakes were doubled to $200,000 for Round 2, with each ponying up $100K.

The two are good friends, so the fun and the banter began as soon as they started playing.

When host Nick Schulman asked if things could get heated between them, Esfandiari replied, “It might. It certainly can. Phil and I are really good friends and everybody knows this. But when it’s poker, it’s war, and there is nobody I want to beat more except for maybe Phil Laak – they’re a very close first and second. So, of course when the cards get going, and the bluffs get going, there’s a chance for some ‘heatedness.”

 

Hellmuth On Beast Mode!

Both Esfandiari and Hellmuth entered Round 2 geared up to take on their formidable opponent. At the start of the play, Hellmuth scooped several small pots but lost a massive hand around an hour later. This was when Esfandiari took his first significant lead in the match. He then continued to win more pots.

Phil Hellmuth

 

Hellmuth was evidently waiting for the right hand, and he did. He won a massive pot off Esfandiari to secure a double and move back into the lead with a nearly 2-to-1 advantage.

Later, Esfandiari admitted, “He’s (Phil Hellmuth) so lucky. Two of the biggest spots in the tournament, and I got rivered both times. First match, and this one. Ace don’t come I guarantee he’s done.”

Hellmuth didn’t have a smooth ride thereon, and both players exchanged the lead a couple more times before Hellmuth won a monster pot that left Esfandiari with only 15 big blinds behind.

After more than three hours of play, it was Hellmuth who won the match after his king-ten dominated Esfandiari’s jack-ten.

Esfandiari commented, “It was fun…We battled today. You deserved the W.”

Both Esfandiari and Hellmuth have a long history of playing each other. In fact, they have been battling each other at different poker tournaments for over 20 years now.

Esfandiari had the option to decline the next round, but he wasted no time confirming that he was continuing the duel. The stakes will double up to $400,000 for the next round, and the duo might meet within a month.

We can’t wait to see what happens next!

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