Poker Hand Matchup: Ren Lin Benefits From Runner Runner Cooler

Outcome

Preflop: With 27 players remaining and blinds of 15,000-30,000 with a big blind ante of 30,000, Ren Lin raised to 60,000 from UTG+1 with K♥3♥. Oliver Weis called from the big blind with 8♠8♣.

Flop: K♦10♦8♥

Weis checked, and Lin bet 60,000. Weis called.

Turn: K♣

Weis checked, and Lin checked behind.

River: 3♦

Weis bet 275,000. Lin raised all-in ,and Weis called off the rest of his stack

Analysis

The World Series of Poker $10,000 mystery bounty was down to just a few tables, with 27 players left out of a starting field of 558 entries. Bounties were no longer a major consideration, with the prize pool money greatly outweighing the available knockout money. The players had locked up $21,690 apiece, with $678,300 up top. 

Ren Lin began this hand with a raise that was a bit too wide, as players should probably be in the hijack or later before considering opening K-3 suited. Oliver Weis had a standard defend with pocket eights. 

The dynamic flop called for some big betting, but Lin used a small size, which was best with a weaker top pair. Better kickers usually get to use more big sizings in these situations, while hands with weak kickers bet smaller to target calls from lower pairs. 

Weis strayed from the solver-approved line with his flop call. Bottom set is usually one of the best hands to check-raise. It’s a bit of a magical holding because it unblocks the top pairs that won’t fold to a check-raise, and it’s usually good enough to barrel off all in on turns and rivers. 

As played, the players wound up seeing a turn that favored Lin’s range, but he also opted to play passively in a spot where most of his trips should have bet. Because there were so many draws possible (any card above a five that didn’t pair the board would complete possible straights) trips were more vulnerable than they’d usually be. 

Lin got the gin card on the river for free, however, and Weis led into him for a pot-sized bet. An all-in raise was the appropriate play from Lin, as Weis would have to at least consider calling with flushes and K-X hands that blocked full houses. 

Weis’ hand beat value in theory, but many players wouldn’t shove nut flushes on a paired board deep in these tournaments. Perhaps Lin would. Weis decided he had a hand that was too good to fold, and Lin showed him the bad news.

The cooler sent Weis out in 27th place for a cash worth $21,690. Lin just missed out on the final table with a 13th-place finish for $31,750. The eventual title and $678,300 went to Miami poker pro Alex Anton, who earned his first career gold bracelet.

• Photos by WSOP – Travis Ball, Dominicia Quinto