Liz Lieu Takes on Erik "123" Sagstrom at the Venetian: Heads-Up Freezeout Match Between Two Online Poker Rivals

Liz Lieu Takes on Erik "123" Sagstrom

May 7 marked the beginning of a three-day affair between poker's engaging Liz Lieu and online rival Erik "123" Sagstrom. Over Cinco de Mayo weekend, they went heads up in a $600,000 freezeout series of three $200,000 matches with a $2,000-$4,000 limit structure. The event was fittingly titled "Beauty vs. the Beast."

Lieu plays at MartinsPoker.com, an online gaming site supported by a global team of elite poker professionals, including Martin de Knijff, Patrik Antonius, John Phan, Cecilia Nordenstam, Claus Nielsen, Alex Stevic, and more. Lieu is one of the most engaging and beautiful up-and-comers in poker today, and she secured her professional status more than four years ago. She played mainly cash games, but since entering the 2005 World Series of Poker, she's ridden the tournament dragon with impressive results.

Erik Sagstrom plays online as "Erik 123" at 66Poker, and is widely considered one of the best online players in the world. He also possesses respectable live-tournament results.

The match came about as a result of a little "trash-talking" while the two exchanged messages during online play. Sagstrom supposedly called Lieu a fish (although he said it in Swedish). Lieu took that as a challenge and invited him to compete against her in a live game. Sagstrom accepted the invitation. The two debated the format during the recent WPT Championship at Bellagio, and when they reached an agreement, the idea was pitched to the Venetian. The Venetian poker room staff and promotional team were all too willing to host the event.

With big-name professional endorsements and the MartinsPoker.com team rooting her on, Lieu got "down and dirty" on the felt with Sagstrom at the Venetian.

Day One - Round One
Both players started with $200,000. Liz swung into the lead early, maintaining a big chip lead until the break. We don't know what was in her favorite cup of exotic white tea, but when they returned to the felt, Liz went into overdrive and left Erik dangling on the ropes.

"I got him down to $60,000 three times," said Lieu after the match. "But he's like a cat with nine lives; he never dies."

At one point, Sagstrom was severely short-stacked and pressed with the 10 9. Lieu called with pocket jacks. The flop came 9 8 6, giving Sagstrom flush and gutshot straight-flush draws, but Lieu was still ahead going to the turn, which was the 4. She felt confident that the first match was over until the 9 fell on the river, giving Sagstrom a set.

"Ugh," said Lieu. "There was maximum action on that hand."

Sagstrom then performed another great escape. Lieu was on the button with the K Q, and Sagstrom had pocket sixes. The flop gave Lieu top pair when it came Q-10-5, and a 9 on the turn kept her in the lead. But the river gave Sagstrom a set when a 6 came. "Sick!" exclaimed Lieu with her tiny, innocuous voice.

The two battled it out until midnight and then called it a day. Sagstrom had taken a modest lead, $245,000 to $155,000.

Day Two - Round Two
Both players agreed to put the first match on hold and start fresh with the second. Each was given another $200,000 in chips.

Lieu came out swinging. On the second hand of the day, she raised before the flop; called Sagstrom's raise on the turn; and reraised on the river. Sagstrom called to see Lieu's pair of deuces, giving her a full house.

She continued to apply the pressure, building a large pot after flopping a straight. Sagstrom called her down to the river, and then mucked his hand after realizing what he'd run into.

The early action put Lieu up almost 3-to-1. It wasn't long before Sagstrom was shuffling his last $19,000 in chips going into the final hand of the second match.

Sagstrom raised before the flop, Lieu reraised, and Sagstrom called. The flop came J 7 6 and Lieu bet out. Erik raised and Liz came over the top, pressuring Sagstrom to put his last few chips into the pot. Erik had paired a jack, but Liz turned over the 9 8 for flush and open-end straight draws. When the A fell on the turn; Sagstrom was drawing dead.

Liz Lieu - 1, Erik Sagstrom - 0

Lieu's railbirds included longtime friend John Phan and the team from MartinsPoker, with whom she exchanged hugs and high-fives before going to dinner.

Two hours later, Lieu and Sagstrom returned to take care of some unfinished business.

Day Two - Round One Continued
They started where they left off, with Sagstrom in the lead. Lieu stacked her $155,000 against Sagstrom's $245,000 and the game was on again.

Sagstrom came out aggressively, winning two major pots in a row. Within 20 minutes, Lieu was down to her last $40,000. Ten minutes later, she was all in for $12,000.

Lieu pushed in on a flop of 9-8-6 and showed A-J. Sagstrom kept his hand concealed. The turn paired the board with another 9, but the river enabled Lieu to double up through Sagstrom when an ace came. Lieu then won several key pots to put her back in action. But the rush was short and sweet, and soon Sagstrom had her back on the ropes. It was clear from the beginning that this was Sagstrom's match.

With only $12,000, Lieu went all in on a flop of J-10-9 after hitting a straight with 8-7. Sagstrom had K-10 and made a higher straight when a queen came on the turn. Lieu needed a king to survive, but a 6 came on the river to complete the match and even the score for Sagstrom.

Liz Lieu - 1, Erik Sagstrom - 1

Day Three - Round Three
This match was clearly living up to the hype of "Beauty vs. the Beast." Word spread that this was the event to watch, and although the WSOP Tournament Circuit was drawing to a close at Caesars, and The Mirage was five days into its Poker Showdown, fans swarmed the Venetian poker room for the final shootout.

The score was tied 1-1 and both players started with a fresh $200,000 in chips.

It appeared the competition would end early when Sagstrom won two monster pots right out of the gate. Sagstrom made a full house with a board of J-8-5-7-5 and his 8-5, to win a $50,000 pot. Soon thereafter, he pulled in another $58,000 when his 9-6 made a full house on the river with the board showing K-6-6-5-9. That trend continued, and within the first hour, Liz was down to her last $26,000.

Both Lieu and Sagstrom appeared worn-out, and after two long days of battle, Lieu was looking for a second wind.

Note: During Lieu's early days of high-limit hold'em ring games, she applied an aggressive L.A. strategy to the tables at Bellagio. Bellagio players are known for grinding it out at the $80-$160 limit, but not Lieu - she has better things to do with her time. Lieu's hit-and-run tactics have served her well, as she exhibits a no-fear approach to raising and reraising her opponents out of a pot. It was clear by her demeanor that she was employing the same strategy with Sagstrom. She wasn't afraid to put her money into the pot, but today the deck just wasn't falling in her favor. Still, with very few chips, she made it clear where she stood. "I'm not done with you," she said in her firmest tone (always accompanied by a dazzling smile).

Lieu fired at the pot, often after the flop, and got Sagstrom to give her maximum value on her hands. By the dinner break, she had pulled ahead, $220,000 to $180,000.

It then took only 40 minutes for Lieu to turn the tables even further. Sagstrom was down to his last $70,000. He maintained this short stack for several hours, and finally caught the cards he needed to bring himself back to even, but Lieu went on a rush, steering him closer and closer to the rail.

Lieu had J-10 with a K-Q-9-A-K board for a straight on the flop. Again, she received maximum value for the hand by making seven bets on the turn. Sagstrom obliged, losing a $64,000 pot.

Meanwhile, John Phan had just returned from The Mirage Poker Showdown, where he finished the day as the chip leader going into the next day's final table. While waiting for the Sagstrom versus Lieu saga to play out, he put his name on the list for the $1-$2 no-limit hold'em game. (Yes, that's "$1-$2".) Needless to say, his table became another popular spectator event, giving the Venetian poker room all the comedy and drama it could hope for.

Lieu won another $50,000 pot with Q-J and a board of A-10-2-5-K, for the straight. She had Sagstrom down to his last $50,000 going into the final hand.

Sagstrom bet before the flop, Liz raised, Sagstrom came over the top, and Liz called to see the Q-8-4 flop. Sagstrom bet out, Lieu raised, and Sagstrom called to see a 5 on the turn. This time, Lieu bet, Sagstrom raised, and Lieu called. The river brought a dream 3 for Lieu and Sagstrom's nail in the coffin. Sagstrom turned over pocket threes for a set, but Lieu had A-2 for the runner-runner straight and the win.

Sagstrom was gracious in defeat, and warmly congratulated Lieu on her impressive comeback and fearless challenge.