The Five Biggest Swings in Online Poker History

Online poker has seen some of the craziest swings in the history of the game. Before tracking of online poker became the standard, swings were nothing more than rumors, with documented variance being rare. In time, however, virtually every hand of poker was documented and permanently recorded. Many players and spectators often wondered what types of bankroll swings that high stakes pros endured, but now everyone is able to see it first hand.There are some players who are on permanent poker roller coasters, like Illari Sahamies, better known as Ziigmund, while there are other players who came and went in a flash, like Isildur1. The huge swings have grasped poker fan boys around the world, and the stakes just keep getting higher and higher.#1 – Isildur1Isildur1 was the man of mystery in online poker for the latter stages of 2009 and the beginning of 2010. Besides having a playing style that was impossible to defeat, Isildur1 was also an unknown in the poker world, literally. No one even knew his name, and speculation swirled as onlookers made their best guesses as to the true identity of Isildur1. It was later determined that Isildur1 was in fact Viktor Blom, a player from Sweden.Why is Isildur1 #1?Isildur1 is known for his crazy, sometimes reckless, playing style. He would run over opponents one day, and donate his entire roll the next. Isildur1 is one of the only high stakes poker players who would play 8 or more tables at a time. This was unheard of in the world of nosebleed heads up poker. He crushed the No Limit Hold’em games, but lost everything he had in Omaha. When all was said and done, Isildur1 went on a massive 7 million dollar downswing, with a chunk of it coming in just one day to Brian Hastings. He has returned to the tables sporadically, but it is unlikely that Isildur1 will ever recover the magic touch he had in 2009.#2 – DurrrrDurrrr, also known as Tom Dwan, may not have the biggest overall swings, but he is certainly online poker’s king of swing. With ups and downs in the millions, Dwan has consistently proven that he is never down and out. At one point in time, doubters were claiming that Durrrr was broke, and that he would never again fill a seat at the virtual felt. This proved to be far from the truth, however, and Durrrr returned better than ever. He plays televised cash games, online cash games, and is one of the best players in the world, but he has endured more than his fair share of variance.Why is durrrr #2?Durrrr made sure to start off the online poker tracking with a bang, promptly dropping over 1 million dollars as soon as his games were fully tracked. This was nothing, however, compared to the 6 million plus that he would eventually lose in 2009 and into 2010. While seemingly at his breaking point, Dwan fought back to recover nearly all of his 6 million dollars in losses. All good things must come to an end, though, as Dwan again lost almost 4 million dollars. He stands poised to make yet another comeback, all in an attempt to regain some consistency in his play. Consistency isn’t likely, however, as his playing style allows for extremely volatile shifts with each session he plays.#3 – ZiigmundZiigmund is nuts, this is 100% verified. He is nuts when he plays poker, and he is nuts when he is out partying. From the railbird#8217;s point of view, Ziigmund is as entertaining as it gets. His real name is Illari Sahamies, and he is no stranger to high stakes poker. Having made numerous TV appearances, Ziigmund is known as one of Patrik Anotnius’s best friends, and the two often collide at the tables. Never one to single out an opponent, Ziigmund also enjoys berating Gus Hansen amongst other name pros. His abrasive manner has gained him a cult following in the online poker world.Why is Ziigmund #3?Ziigmund’s lifetime earnings are like one big Richter Scale. It is almost as if an earthquake erupts whenever Ziigmund starts to play online poker. He can’t seem to find a groove no matter how hard he tries, despite being one of the elite players in the world. Ziigmund’s Omaha play is one of the reasons that his earnings are so wildly inconsistent. He has noted that he doesn’t ever try to delve into the strategy of the game, but maybe a more practical approach to poker would help to calm his multi-million dollar wild swings. But, then again, what fun would that be?#4 – Gus HansenGus Hansen has had one of the longest-standing reputations in poker for being wild, aggressive, and unpredictable. This unique playing style has earned him one the most distinct earnings patterns in the game. If Hansen’s online earnings (and losses) were outlined in a graph, they would resemble a perfect “U.” Up, down, and then back up again. Gus has worked hard to cancel out a prolonged downswing, and has put himself squarely into the black. Perhaps he has decided that his crazy play was too much for even him to handle. Or, maybe, his opponents still don’t know how to combat his aggressive style.Why is Gus Hansen #4?Gus Hansen’s poker career has been one of many peaks and valleys, there is no doubt about it, but they are very long peaks and valleys. When Gus loses, he really loses. Where some players might lose for a few days, Hansen has managed to compile month long losing streaks with relative ease. Of course, this is nothing to brag about. On the flip side, however, Hansen has also strung together quite a few winning weeks. In the end, Hansen has to put up with a lot of variance, but he makes money regardless. Few players would be able to withstand the never ending downswings that Hansen does, but that is why he is able to earn millions in the toughest games online.#5 – Patrik AntoniusAside from battling with the legendary Isildur1, Patrik Antonius has also played a long match with Tom Dwan. The first player to step up to the “Durrrr Challenge”, he has kept the competition close. Durrrr challenged any player to beat him in 50,000 hands of head up play, and Antonius quickly accepted. Despite jumping out to a significant lead early on, Dwan has since lost ground and things are much closer to even. In the midst of all of this, Patrik played in the largest hand in online poker history, winning a 1.37 million dollar pot against Isildur1.Why is Patrik Antonius #5?Patrik has had some quiet months, but his play has created some dramatic swings. Losing millions in a matter of days and weeks, Antonius also figured out a way to earn millions on the same time period. His wins are gone as soon as they roll in, but his bankroll is always replenished, one way or another. Antonius is a feared player in all of the biggest online games, be it Hold’em, Omaha, or a Mixed Game. One of the world’s greatest cash game players, Antonius knows how to handle some of the most extreme swings in the game’s history.