Gossip Column: The Phil Galfond Vs. Chance Kornuth Challenge is On! Galfond Loses 1st Session But Bounces Back in 2nd

After a hiatus of over four months, PLO legend Phil Galfond has started on his third heads-up challenge. This week, the Run It Once Poker (RIOP) founder played two sessions against poker coach and former bracelet champion, Chance Kornuth. Galfond didn’t have a bright start keeping up with tradition and lost the first session by a considerable margin. But he bounced back in the second session to take the overall lead.

In a bizarre incident reported in Las Vegas, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has filed a formal complaint against the Fremont Casino for misbehavior with a woman last November on false allegations of theft. Want the details? Read on.

Phil Galfond Leading After 2 Sessions in HU Challenge Against Chance Kornuth

Run It Once Poker (RIO) Poker founder Phil Galfond’s latest heads-up PLO challenge has begun, and this time, it’s against another poker coach, Chance Kornuth.

The high-stakes PLO heads-up match kicked off on WSOP.comr on September 23, and like Galfond’s other clashes, it has all the makings of another entertaining spectacle.

The duo will be playing 35,000 hands of heads-up €100/€200 PLO.

Galfond is on an unbeaten run so far in the challenge, having beaten ‘VeniVedi1993’ and Ioannis ‘Action Freak’ Kontonatsios earlier.

Kornuth, the founder of online poker-training site Chip Leader Coaching (CLC), is no rookie. With two WSOP bracelets and a whopping $7.45 Million in recording live MTT earnings to his name, Kornuth is a worthy adversary even for someone of the stature of Galfond.

Like Galfond, even Kornuth is looking to extract marketing mileage out of the challenge as he intends to share weekly updates and insights on his strategy and run through the challenge for anyone who signs up on his site CLC.

On the eve of the biggest poker endeavor I’ve ever undertaken I’m filled with a nervous excitement that I haven’t experienced in a long time. I can’t wait to start tomorrow!

Follow my journey at https://t.co/dQ9FlT1kuV to get weekly updates, my insights, and giveaways!!

— Chance Kornuth (@ChancesCards) September 23, 2020

Session #1

Session #1 of the challenge saw the duo battle over 750 hands and crushingly for Galfond, by the end of it, he had booked a loss of $33,500.

The results from session number one are in, and @ChancesCards found the first W of the Challenge, as he booked a $33,500 profit. @PhilGalfond and Chance will be back at it tonight starting at 17:30 UTC! #GalfondChallenge pic.twitter.com/3J2ZRR84JM

— Run It Once Poker (@RunItOncePoker) September 24, 2020

Kornuth, who had earlier admitted that he was nervously excited about undertaking the challenge, also tweeted the results.

Day 1 in the books for the #GalfondChallenge. Won 33k… this is gonna be a GRIND!!! https://t.co/3caLNaRFgg

— Chance Kornuth (@ChancesCards) September 23, 2020

This was definitely not the start Galfond was hoping for! But then, Galfond hasn’t had smooth sailing in most of his HU challenges.

Galfond’s first clash against ‘VeniVidi1993’ was the most difficult for him yet, but he managed to beat the odds. He has since then, also won a few mini-challenges against ‘AmSoGood,’ Dan’ Jungleman’ Cates, and Bill Perkins.

Session #2

Nor surprisingly, Galfond managed a strong comeback in the second session, booking a profit of $45,000 over 900 hands.

RIO Poker tweeted the results.

Last night, @PhilGalfond managed to dust off the cobwebs and bounce back with a $45,000 winning session. Phil is now up roughly $11,500 through ~1,650 hands. The two will be back at it tonight, starting at 17:30 UTC. pic.twitter.com/oUG6nyGBOU

— Run It Once Poker (@RunItOncePoker) September 25, 2020

Galfond is currently $11,500 ahead of Kornuth after 1,650 hands. The next session is scheduled to start at 17.30 PM (UT) on September 25.

Nevada Gaming Control Board Files Formal Complaint Against Fremont Casino Over Illegal Detention of Guest

The Fremont Casino in Las Vegas had popped up in the news last November after security guards detained a woman for allegedly stealing from a fellow player. The woman was held up for nearly 90 minutes but later released after being found innocent.

Nearly 10 months down the line, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has finally filed a formal complaint against the casino for how the casino staff treated the guest.

In the complaint filed on September 16, the Board noted – “The manner in which the security officers handled the arrest of [the patron] was unreasonable given the circumstances.

Under the circumstances, there was no need to detain the patron or subject her to the treatment given to her and the threats to try and force a confession out of her. The matter could have been resolved without even speaking to her, let alone detaining her for 90 minutes.”

The woman in question was playing at the casino’s slot machines. She was approached by the casino’s security team, who handcuffed her, claiming that she had stolen funds from another player seated on a nearby slot machine.

After that, the guards took the woman to a holding area and questioned her before the police arrived. After the video footage was reviewed, the casino management realized that this all a huge mistake and that the woman in question was innocent.

As per law, the casino was required to report the matter to the state’s gaming regulator.

The NGCB has filed a complaint against the casino through the Attorney General’s office. The commission has the authority to even revoke the casino’s gaming license, though it is more likely that they will let the matter pass with a fine.