Give us your opinion in the comments section below for your chance at winning a six-month Card Player magazine digital subscription.
Ask any group of poker players how you played your hand and they’ll come up with dozens of different opinions. That’s just the nature of the game.
Each week, Card Player will select a hand from the high-stakes, big buy-in poker world, break it down and show that there’s more than one way to get the job done.
The Scenario
You are heads up for a tournament title and have a slight chip lead over your opponent with a stack of 8.02 million to his 7.12 million. With the blinds at 50,000-100,000 with a 10,000 ante, both of you are still relatively deep.
Your opponent raises to 210,000 on the button and you make the call with 10
8
. The flop comes down 8
5 5
and you check.
Your opponent bets 200,000 and you make the call. The turn is the K and you check again. This time, your opponent checks behind. The river is the 2. You have 7.6 million remaining and the pot size stands at 840,000.
The Questions
Do you bet or check? If checking, what will you do if your opponent bets? If betting, how much? Are you betting for value or as a bluff? How much does the K on the turn affect the hand? What does your opponent’s turn check say about his hand? Is there any value to betting in order to push your opponent out of a chopped pot?
What Actually Happened
Staring at a board of 8 5 5 K 2 at the WSOP Circuit main event at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, A.P. Phahurat decided to go for value, betting 760,000 with his 10 8.
His opponent, David Tuthill, quickly made the call and took the pot outright with his A 8 for two pair with a better kicker. The pot gave Tuthill a lead that he would never relinquish.
Phahurat eventually busted in second place, earning $137,603. Tuthill earned his first WSOP Circuit ring and the first-place prize of $223,197.
What would you have done and why? Let us know in the comments section below and try not to be results oriented. The best answer will receive a six-month Card Player magazine digital subscription.
