After months of as it turned out accurate speculation that Viktor Blom is the enigmatic high stakes poker player Isildur1, it came as something of an anti-climax when Pokerstars confirmed his identity at the Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure this weekend.
Nevertheless the publicity ploy worked like a charm, with the disclosure on the 20-year-old Pokerstars pro gaining wide press coverage.
It’s been just over a year since Isildur1 exploded onto the online poker scene with a heady mix of loose, almost reckless high stakes play and a bankroll worth millions, which he spectacularly lost and won back and then lost again on the Full Tilt high stakes tables against the biggest names on the Web.
Hastings, Dwan, Ivey, Sahamies and Antonius – none of them intimidated the enigmatic Swede and his entertaining boom and busts.
After losing millions, he would disappear, only to crash back on to the scene with another major bankroll to repeat the experience all over again, truly one of the most noticeable players in recent times.
Blom’s alter-ego was unveiled as he sat down at a $10 000 buy-in, 100 hand promotional match against the formidable multi-table high stakes player Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier. Blom remained typically calm through all the razzmatazz, saying that he was sure most people had known his identity anyway.
He appeared equally relaxed about his recruitment to a Pokerstars pro team that includes names like Daniel Negreanu, Vanessa Rousso, Johnny Lodden, Grospellier and Jason Mercier, commenting: ?I think I?m the best online heads-up No-Limit Hold?em player in the world but I?m looking forward to learning a lot from the other Team pros and helping them with their games, too.”