Phil Laak Updates on World Record Attempt

Preview:  Phil Laak will be attempting to break the Poker Endurance record and get his name in the Guinness Book of World Records.  His plan is to play a marathon 80 hour poker session to set a new world record.  The time to beat is 78 hours and 45 minutes set by Paul Zimbler in 2009.  The Unabomber will start his attempt at the Bellagio Hotel on June 2nd at noon and will need to play until at least 6:45 p.m. on June 5th in order to beat the current record.

Latest Updates on Phil Laak’s World Record Attempt:

June 6th

  • 2 a.m. – He has made it to 86 hours and counting …
  • 1 a.m. – He is now 85 hours and quickly running out of gas.  He knows the end is coming but is hanging on for as long as possible.

June 5th

  • 10 p.m. – Hero now 82 hours in and up $6,500 in cash!
  • 8 p.m.Phil Laak has smashed the Guinness World Record for Poker Endurance and reached his target of 80 hours of straight poker!  And now, the madman known as the Unabomber decides that he will keep going and try for 90 hours!
  • Noon – At two minutes past noon he has broken the official Guinness Book of World Records record for Poker Endurance held by Larry Olmsted.  The record left to beat is the unofficial Poker Endurance World Record held by Paul Zimbler for 78 hours 45 minutes.  The Unabomber is reporting that his eyelids are beginning to involuntarily close on their own.  He has played 3 full days of poker and is now within reach of smashing the poker endurance record.
  • 7 a.m. – He is back to even.  67 hours in and nearly there!
  • 4 a.m. – Only up $2,400 now and feeling tired.

 

June 4th

  • Midnight – World Series of Poker Champion Scotty Nguyen drops in at hour 60.

Scotty Visits Phil Laak

  • 10 p.m. – The Unabomber still has the energy to drop and do 30 push ups to win a $1,000 bet for Camp Sunshine.
  • 9 p.m. – Up $12,000 and going strong.
  • 5 p.m. – Phil Laak’s good buddy Antonio Esfandiari has joined the party as expected!

Antonio Esfandiari Visits Phil Laak

  • 4 p.m. – Still strong.  Playing the $10/20 game with a $100,000 buy-in and still even!
  • 2 p.m. – 50 hours complete, 30 hours to go.  The Unabomber is still looking good at the table and seems like he is a wide awake.
  • 10 a.m. – He has made a huge comeback!  From being down as much as $11,000, he is now up $1,000.  The adrenaline from the huge turnaround has his stoked and ready for more action.  46 hours complete.
  • 7 a.m. – He has officially outlasted one of the clocks that died!  Luckily there is a backup clock keeping track of the time.  43 hours complete.
  • 6 a.m. – He is now down $7,200 after going bust with top two pair vs. middle set.
  • 4 a.m. – This is the half way point at 40 hours complete.
  • 3 a.m. – He officially has his 3rd wind.  39 hours and $5,600 down!

Phil Laak Guinness World Record

June 3rd

  • 11 p.m. – The lack of sleep is taking its toll with the Unabomber saying that he needs a third wind.  He has now played for 35 hours and still has a long way to go.  It is a busy Thursday night at the Bellagio and there is a big crowd gathering.  He is down about $1,600 in the game so far.
  • 4 p.m. – He uses some of his banked time to take a shower.  The way this works is that he is given 5 minutes of free time for every hour of poker he plays.  If he doesn’t use the time it is cumulative so that he can take a longer break for a shower, stretches or anything else he needs to do with it.
  • 1 p.m. – With 25 hours down, he says that he is “feeling superhuman” as he attempts to set the Guinness Book of World Records Poker Endurance record.
  • 9 a.m. – He has got his money all in with a top pair/flush draw to and over pair and connects on the river!  He is up about $3,500 now and feeling good.
  • 7 a.m. – 19 hours down and we are still about even here.
  • 2 a.m. – The Unabomber is back to about even with 14 hours down.

 

June 2nd

  • Midnight – 12 hours down and and $1,800 in the hole.
  • 6 p.m. – Phil Laak’s girl Jennifer Tilly has showed up to hang out and offer some support in these early stages of the game.  Right now the Unabomber is stuck about $3,300.  Jennifer Tilly actually ends up sitting in the $25/50 game!
  • 1 p.m. – The game being played for his World Record attempt is a full ring $10/20 cash game at the Bellagio.  The full ring format will definitely be a bit less intense than the heads up format that Paul Zimbler went with previously.
  • Noon – And we are live!  Phil has begun his quest with two of his buddies being the 1st contenders.  We are sure that lots of well known faces and professional poker players will be crossing the Unabomber’s path during the 80 hours ahead.
  • 11 a.m. – Getting about 7.5 hours sleep, the Unabomber is up and getting ready to play some serious poker.

June 1st – Gets a solid 9 hours sleep in the lead up to the big day.  One more sleep to go tonight and then none for the next 3 days!

May 31st – Phil only sleeps for 4 hours instead of his scheduled 8.5 hours.  Not good that he is missing sleep in the lead up the big event.  Drives 270 miles to Las Vegas from Los Angeles during the afternoon.