Viktor Blom, better known by his online alias Isildur1, is one of the most captivating and enigmatic figures in the world of poker. His rise to stardom in the late 2000s took the poker world by storm and has since become the stuff of legend. Known for his aggressive playstyle and fearless approach to high-stakes games, Blom quickly made a name for himself and changed the landscape of online poker forever.
Biography
Viktor Blom was born in Sweden in 1990. He started playing poker at the age of 14 with his friends, and as soon as he turned 18, he began playing poker online. Blom’s early success in online poker led him to relocate to London at the age of 21, largely due to Sweden’s taxing system, which took a significant portion of online poker players’ winnings.
While Blom made a name for himself in online poker, he also has a few live tournament cashes. His most notable achievement came in 2012 when he won the $100,000 Super High Roller title at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA), a part of the European Poker Tour (EPT), earning a significant payout of $1.25 million.
The Emergence of Isildur1
Viktor Blom’s story as Isildur1 begins in 2009 when he appeared seemingly out of nowhere on the Full Tilt Poker high-stakes tables. His arrival marked a dramatic shift in the online poker scene. At the time, only a small group of regulars played at the $200/$400 or higher stakes. But Blom, who had never been seen before at lower limits, jumped straight into the lion’s den, clashing with the best players of the era.
His nickname, Isildur1, was coined by the community, and it was soon associated with high-intensity, hyper-aggressive poker. Players couldn’t figure out whether he was a genius or a maniac, and this uncertainty only fueled the mystery around him.
Phil Galfond, one of the top players of the time, recalls a memorable session in 2009 when he faced Blom at the $200/$400 Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) tables. At first, Galfond was skeptical, thinking Blom would go bankrupt quickly due to his wild play. However, to everyone’s surprise, Blom not only survived but won millions from the top players, including Galfond, Tom Dwan, Phil Ivey, and Patrik Antonius.
As Galfond explains, “Viktor was not a mindless maniac; in fact, he was a very smart player.” His style was unpredictable, and he often pushed his opponents to their emotional limits. “Playing with such an opponent is very interesting, but also scary,” Galfond says. “With Isildur, you can win a huge pot at any time.”
The Aggressive Playstyle and its Impact
Blom’s playstyle was unique. He didn’t follow conventional poker strategies like 3-betting 10% of the time or c-betting 80% of the time. Instead, he constantly inflated pots, creating high variance and forcing his opponents to make tough decisions. There was no way to predict his next move, and that uncertainty became his greatest weapon.
For Galfond, the challenge was learning to adapt. At first, he didn’t feel comfortable playing against Blom, but over time, he learned how to read the dynamics of Blom’s game. “It seemed to me that he was trying to beat me in every hand, constantly bluffing, sometimes for the entire stack,” Galfond recalls. But despite his aggressive approach, Blom was more than just reckless. He was able to maintain a balance between aggression and control, which kept his opponents guessing and ultimately made him a formidable force at the tables.
The Legendary Sessions
One of Galfond’s most memorable sessions against Blom came in 2009 when they played for over 10 hours at the $200/$400 PLO tables. Blom suggested they increase the stakes to $300/$600, and Galfond continued to win. They then moved up to $500/$1,000, and by the end of the session, Galfond was up $1.6 million. “This is the best session of my entire career,” Galfond says. The excitement of winning that much money in a single session was something rare for Galfond, as it was typically tournament players who hit those kinds of seven-figure wins.
Despite the large sums of money involved, the two competitors shared a mutual respect for each other’s skill. Galfond notes that even though Blom was a fierce rival, they eventually became friends, communicating regularly online. However, like many poker players at the time, they only knew each other by their usernames, not their real names.
World Series of Poker and European Poker Tour
Blom has not frequented the World Series of Poker (WSOP) as much as other top players, partly due to the Swedish tax situation, but also because of his preference for cash games. Nevertheless, he has accumulated several WSOP cashes, including a notable $105,235 for finishing in 14th place in the prestigious $50,000 Poker Players Championship in 2014.
His largest live poker tournament win came at the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA), where Blom triumphed in the $100,000 No-Limit Super High Roller event, claiming a victory worth $1,254,000 after besting Dan Shak heads-up.
The Roller Coaster Ride
Inside the poker community, Blom is best known for his dramatic swings in the online nosebleed games against some of the world’s best poker players. By mid-November 2009, Blom had racked up $6 million in online cash game winnings, earning the status of an online poker sensation. However, this rapid rise was followed by an equally sharp fall. In just one month, Blom lost most of his bankroll to players like Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, and Brian Hastings.
On December 8, 2009, Isildur1 faced Brian Hastings in a five-hour $500/$1,000 Heads-Up Pot-Limit Omaha session, during which Hastings won over $4 million. The aftermath sparked accusations from the online poker community, with many alleging that Hastings had taken advantage of Isildur’s hand history, which had been obtained from players like Brian Townsend and Cole South. Following this heavy loss and the surrounding controversy, Isildur1 disappeared from the high-stakes online tables for almost a year.
Other Achievements and Comebacks
Despite the controversies and the ups and downs of his career, Blom has had some remarkable moments. In February 2018, he won the €5,300 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Germany Main Event for €850,000, delivering a superb hero call during the tournament’s final hand to seal his victory.
Blom’s playing style is defined by massive swings, constant high-stakes action, and an unrelenting aggression that few have been able to match. His journey in poker has been filled with triumphs, controversies, and challenges that have captivated both fans and players alike.
Isildur1’s Fall and the Changes in the Game
Despite his undeniable talent, Blom’s career took a downturn. As the poker world became increasingly reliant on solvers, Blom’s natural instinctive play began to fall short. He didn’t adapt to the changing landscape of poker, where understanding theory and using advanced software had become essential. While Blom’s intuition and ability to think quickly were unparalleled, the rise of solvers only increased the gap between him and the top regulars.
Blom’s gambling habits, which included playing live games with large stakes and mixing in other casino games like Chinese poker, also led to financial instability. He often played beyond his bankroll, taking huge risks without the proper strategy or financial backing. This reckless gambling behavior only worsened during downswings, as Blom would rarely drop down in stakes unless he had no other options. Eventually, this led to Blom’s decline in the high-stakes scene.
A Unique Legacy
Despite his fall from grace, Blom’s legacy in poker remains significant. Galfond reflects on their time together and notes that it’s unlikely anyone will replicate Blom’s approach to the game. “I don’t think there will ever be another Viktor Blom,” Galfond says. “The game has changed a lot, and in solver times, you can’t go far with talent alone.”
Today, Viktor Blom is still active in poker, but his prime has passed. Galfond’s last communication with Blom was casual, with Blom simply replying, “Everything is fine,” with a smiley face. However, Galfond feels a sense of sadness about the potential that was never fully realized. “He wasted his undeniable talent,” he says.
Conclusion
Viktor Blom, or Isildur1, is one of the most fascinating characters in the history of poker. His rise to fame was meteoric, and his aggressive, unpredictable style forever changed the online poker landscape. Though his career didn’t reach the heights that many had predicted, his impact on the game and the stories of his legendary battles will remain etched in poker history. In a world now dominated by solvers and theories, Blom’s pure instinctive style is a rare reminder of a time when poker was still about reading your opponent, taking risks, and living on the edge.
Will there be another Viktor Blom? Probably not. His approach was unique, and in today’s game, it’s hard to imagine anyone replicating his combination of talent, aggression, and passion. As Galfond says, “There can only be one Viktor Blom.”
