Will the Gladiator Ever Be Back?

With the ghost of Isildur1 still haunting the online poker world, speculation is rampant about the fearless warrior who came from nowhere to joust against the best in the world at any game, anytime, for any amount. He not only took on all comers, he did so playing nosebleed heads-up games, sometimes eight tables at a time against the likes of Phil Ivey, durrrr, Patrik Antonius –at the same time. And he was winning millions.

Winning, that is, until his demons (poor bankroll management, ego, tilt, questionable game selection) got him – with a little help from some Full Tilt players who decided to collude and share hand histories, which is totally and completely against the rules of the poker site, not to mention against the rules of fair play.

But the question everyone is asking now is whether the brilliant player who captivated the online world will ever return to battle, or if his wounds were fatal. During his brief ride at the end of 2009, Isildur (real name unknown) was so fascinating to watch that thousands of people were signing up at Full Tilt Poker just to observe his matches, and at one point he was up more than 8 million bucks against poker’s superstars.

“Why, oh why, didn’t he put some of that money aside?” wail his fans. “He could’ve been set for life.” And: “Why did he have to be so reckless and risk it all instead of guarding his bankroll, his life’s blood?” And further: “Why did he risk going out in one bad day, shooting across our skies in a blaze of reverse glory?”

These questions are ridiculous, of course, and to see just how ridiculous one needs to look no further than this player’s name, Isildur. The clues are plain as day. Isildur was the Lord of the Rings character who cut the One Ring from Dark Lord Sauron’s finger – in itself a feat worthy of legend. The well-meaning Isildur then had the chance to rid the world of the darkness forever simply by destroying the evil Ring, but he would not do so. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. He was seduced by the ring’s power, which was like a drug to all who possessed it. Being a great warrior, he was above the ring’s corruptive power, but like everyone else, he was not. He was just another flawed hero, tempted by ego, and in the end it cost him his life.

The fictional Isildur could no more destroy the ring and return to a “normal” life than poker player Isildur1 could go back to grinding at small stakes or working as an accountant. His fearlessness and disregard for money was what got him his millions so fast. That is who he is. There is no “normal life” for him with money set aside. What would he do with money “set aside?” Nothing. Nothing but wait to use it when he lost his playing stake. He is a player – that is who he is and what he does. He’s not going to win a bunch of money and then retire, or play the correct stakes for his bankroll – there’s no risk in that, no rush, no glory. That’s not what you do when the ring has seduced you over to the dark side. That’s for players who treat poker like a business, who play smart, who have their egos in check, who want to be in action forever and who take cautious steps to make sure that will happen.

No, that intelligent approach is not for players who treat poker like a video game and are just trying to achieve the highest score. After all, people don’t quit a video game until they are killed. Sometimes they get more lives, sometimes not. But Isildur, I will bet you, has no money set aside, and the only way he will be back in action is if someone gives him money to play another game in his personal, high-risk arcade.