Isildur1 Will Play in PartyPoker Big Game IV

The mysterious Swede known simply by the online moniker Isildur1 will step out from behind the computer and play in the PartyPoker Big Game IV live in London. The cash game will be held at the Les Ambassadeurs Club in Mayfair from April 11th to 13th.

Poker pro Tony G called on the young Swedish poker player to enter and will fund Isildur1’s appearance. Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Big Game organizer Matchroom Sport, commented in a press release distributed on Wednesday, “It was important to me that Isildur1 made his first major TV appearance on one of our shows. Tony and I have worked hard to ensure this happened and we are delighted to welcome him to the PartyPoker Big Game IV. Quite simply, this will be the most hotly anticipated poker show of all time.” That’s an understatement.

Besides Isildur1, other pros slated to take to the PartyPoker Big Game IV felts include Tony G, PartyPoker Premier League IV second place finisher Luke “Full Flush” Schwartz, PartyPoker World Open V champion and Unabomber Poker front man Phil Laak, World Series of Poker (WSOP) $40,000 commemorative event runner-up Isaac Haxton, Laak’s better half Jennifer Tilly, Neil Channing, and Laurence Grondin. More names will be announced in the near future and the festivities will air on the Five Network in the United Kingdom later this year.

The burning question among the poker community is whether Isildur1 will reveal himself or wear a mask to preserve his identity. In a blog posted on PartyPoker, Tony G noted that only three people have seen the e-mail sent by Isildur1 confirming his attendance at the PartyPoker Big Game IV. On whether he’ll use headgear, Tony G assessed, “He is seriously thinking about just revealing himself to the world, but the mask offer still stands.” Isildur1 may don Tony G’s Kermit the Frog outfit that was last seen in the Premier League.

All players will take to the felts to their own theme music similar to a baseball game. Isildur1 was the hot topic among the poker industry in late 2009. According to PokerTableRatings.com, the Swede’s career peek came on November 15th, when he was up over $5 million since being tracked by the site. Then, disaster struck. By late November, he was barely above breakeven and suffered his worst day at the tables on December 8th, a staggering $2.8 million collapse. That day, CardRunners instructor Brian Hastings reportedly won more than $3 million from Isildur1.

Allegations of collusion quickly followed and resulted in CardRunners instructor Brian Townsend having his Full Tilt Poker Red Pro status suspended for one month. Leading up to the punishment by Full Tilt, Hastings told ESPN.com columnist Gary Wise, “Obviously I’m happy and I’ll take it, but Brian [Townsend] did a ton of work. The three of us discussed a ton of hands and the reports that Brian made, so I’m very thankful to him and to Cole [South] as well.”

Isildur1 was absent from the tables for several weeks and now sits with a loss of $2.5 million according to PokerTableRatings.com, a mammoth $7.5 million swing since November. Addressing allegations that Isildur1 is broke, Tony G noted, “Why would a multi-millionaire like Isildur1 need staking by me? Good question, I get the point – he could be on a downswing by then, but look at it this way – would you turn down a complete freeroll?”

Many have speculated that Isildur1 is Viktor “Blom30” Blom, whose memorable exit from the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe Main Event in London was documented on ESPN’s coverage of the tournament. Blom 4bet all-in holding just K-2 on a flop of A-A-3. Ian Munns called with A-7, was a 96% favorite to win the hand, and ultimately held. Isildur1’s real identity is not yet known.