The ‘Galfond Challenge’ was back in action on Saturday, with Phil Galfond and ‘VeniVidi1993’ battling for more €100-200 PLO action on Run It Once Poker. After ‘VeniVidi1993’ booked a winning session on Friday, Galfond scored the victory on Saturday.

Early on, ‘VeniVidi1993’ was in the lead on Saturday, up around €50,000. Things turned for Galfond, though, and he fought back to take the lead and then extend it. When the session was done, Galfond had booked a €106,328.51 win.

[ptable zone=”Global Poker Article Ad”][ptable zone=”GG Poker”][ptable zone=”Party Poker NJ”]

The two played 393 hands on Saturday. Now, 19,363 hands through the 25,000-hand match, ‘VeniVidi1993’ has a lead of €154,287.93. Although ‘VeniVidi1993’ is still in front as the match moves into the home stretch, Galfond has cut the deficit down from more than €900,000 to its current figure.

The first all-in pot of the day was a €40,399 clash that saw ‘VeniVidi1993’ scoop the chips after Galfond shoved into his nut flush.

On the flop, Galfond fired €1,187.67 into €3,599. ‘VeniVidi1993’ made the call to bring the pot to €5,914.96 as the hit the turn. Galfond fired a pot-sized bet and ‘VeniVidi1993’ called to see the land on the river. Galfond, who had €11,237.99 left in his stack, moved all in. ‘VeniVidi1993’ called.

Galfond had the and ‘VeniVidi1993’ had the . ‘VeniVidi1993’ had the nut flush and pulled in the pot. to extend his early lead in the session.

Down just about €50,000 in the session, the following hand was when Galfond started to turn things around. It was a €41,597 hand that did it and it went Galfond’s way with a full house.

After Galfond checked the  flop, ‘VeniVidi1993’ bet €803.33 into a pot of €1,199. Galfond raised to €2,206.16 and ‘VeniVidi1993’ fired back with a reraise to €7,817.48. Galfond shoved for €20,199 and ‘VeniVidi1993’ made the call.

‘VeniVidi1993’ had the and Galfond had the . The on the turn gave ‘VeniVidi1993’ a spade flush, but the on the river paired the board to give Galfond a winning full house.

From there, Galfond worked his way back to being down less than a buy-in on the session. That’s when the following hand came up in which he won another stack of ‘VeniVidi1993’ to move into the green on the day.

With €3,599 in the middle on the  board, ‘VeniVidi1993’ bet €1,835.49. Galfond made it €6,600 to go and ‘VeniVidi1993’ went all in for €19,197. Galfond called to create a €41,993 pot.

Galfond had the for trip deuces and ‘VeniVidi1993’ had the . The river was the and Galfond shipped the pot.

The following handsome after Galfond fought his way back to being up on the session, and it’s one that signaled the start of him pulling away from ‘VeniVidi1993.’ The pot was worth €39,999 and Galfond had flopped a full house.

There was €10,799 in the middle on the flop. Galfond checked, ‘VeniVidi1993’ bet €2,200, and Galfond called. The turn was the and Galfond checked again. ‘VeniVidi1993’ moved all in for €12,400 and Galfond called.

‘VeniVidi1993’ had the and Galfond had the . The river was the , keeping Galfond’s flopped full house as the best hand and giving him the pot.

Shortly after that, Galfond and ‘VeniVidi1993’ played another four-bet pot that resulted in a big one worth €39,999 in the end.

‘VeniVidi1993’ had made it €600 to go on the button, Galfond made it €1,800, and then ‘VeniVidi1993’ reraised to €5,400. Galfond called and the  flop came out. After Galfond checked, ‘VeniVidi1993’ bet €10,799 for a pot-sized wager. Galfond moved all in and ‘VeniVidi1993’ called off his remaining €3,801.

Galfond had the and ‘VeniVidi1993’ had the . The turn was the and the river was the . Galfond finished with a spade flush and won the pot.

Galfond was up about four buy-ins (€80,000) as the two approached the 400-hand mark of the session. But, the session would never get to 400 hands. Galfond won a pot north of €65,000 by picking off a bluff from ‘VeniVidi1993’ and ‘VeniVidi1993’ called it quits on the session shortly thereafter.

With €21,809.94 in the middle on the  board, Galfond checked and ‘VeniVidi1993’ fired a pot-sized bet. Galfond tanked, then called to create a pot of €65,429.82.

Galfond had the for two pair, nines and eights. ‘VeniVidi1993’ had the  for a pair of eights and Galfond won the pot.

Challenge Results To Date

	Hands Played	Daily Winner	Amount Won
Day 1 (Jan. 22)	655	VeniVidi1993	€72,572.68
Day 2 (Jan. 23)	715	Phil Galfond	€2,615.26
Day 3 (Jan. 24)	557	VeniVidi1993	€84,437.52
Day 4 (Jan. 25)	581	VeniVidi1993	€17,544.87
Day 5 (Jan. 27)	726	VeniVidi1993	€155,063.52
Day 6 (Jan. 28)	703	VeniVidi1993	€13.31
Day 7 (Jan. 30)	823	VeniVidi1993	€52,057.13
Day 8 (Jan. 31)	940	VeniVidi1993	€60,743.37
Day 9 (Feb. 1)	446	VeniVidi1993	€12,706.51
Day 10 (Feb. 3)	696	VeniVidi1993	€100,993.30
Day 11 (Feb. 4)	741	VeniVidi1993	€15,647.36
Day 12 (Feb. 6)	622	Phil Galfond	€87,940.91
Day 13 (Feb. 7)	470	VeniVidi1993	€267,949.70
Day 14 (Feb. 8)	593	VeniVidi1993	€48,473.73
Day 15 (Feb. 9)	659	VeniVidi1993	€102,593.34
Day 16 (Mar. 4)	574	Phil Galfond	€183,481.38
Day 17 (Mar. 5)	582	VeniVidi1993	€21,571.51
Day 18 (Mar. 6)	555	Phil Galfond	€27,198.94
Day 19 (Mar. 7)	638	Phil Galfond	€26,018.41
Day 20 (Mar. 9)	566	Phil Galfond	€92,803.89
Day 21 (Mar. 10)	576	Phil Galfond	€3,766.94
Day 22 (Mar. 11)	556	VeniVidi1993	€88,465.60
Day 23 (Mar. 12)	598	Phil Galfond	€23,821.05
Day 24 (Mar. 13)	628	Phil Galfond	€19,099.65
Day 25 (Mar. 14)	664	Phil Galfond	€139,485.78
Day 26 (Mar. 19)	539	Phil Galfond	€110,752.58
Day 27 (Mar. 20)	645	VeniVidi1993	€76,026.05
Day 28 (Mar. 21)	503	Phil Galfond	€140,979.28
Day 29 (Mar. 26)	642	Phil Galfond	€85,271.31
Day 30 (Mar. 27)	777	VeniVidi1993	€26,992.32
Day 31 (Mar. 28)	393	Phil Galfond	€106,328.51
–	–	–	–
Total	19,363	VeniVidi1993	€154,287.93

What’s Next for the Galfond Challenge?

Galfond and ‘VeniVidi1993’ were originally scheduled to resume play on Monday, March 30, following a day off, but according to social media posts from Galfond and Run It Once Poker, ‘VeniVidi1993’ has decided to take the next two sessions off. That means play will resume on Thursday, April 2.

It will be the 32nd session between the two and they’re 19,363 hands through their Galfond Challenge duel. That means just 5,637 hands to go.

Remember, Galfond is putting up €200,000 in side action to the €100,000 of ‘VeniVidi1993.’

Be sure to stay tuned to PocketFives for more on the Galfond Challenge.