It was the challenge of the year. While Phil Galfond would later enter a battle against Chance Kornuth that is still rumbling into the New Year and a 2021 conclusion, his first Galfond Challenge will enter the history books as one of the most unforgettable poker showdown of recent years.

Taking on the legendary online player ‘Venividi’, Phil Galfond was up against it from the off. Starting slowly in No Limit Hold’em is one thing, but in Pot Limit Omaha, it can be disastrous – and it was.

In no time at all, Galfond was close to a million dollars down. Even for someone as talented as he undoubtedly is at the game, serious thought had to be put into whether he could continue to put up a good fight. Was it better to quit when behind but not bankrupt?

In the end, Galfond, who explained many of his high-level thought processes in social media posts, posted a link to a blog about his decision, which took fans to a page on Run It Once which said simply: