WATCH: "Texas Mike" Moncek Makes Amazing Hero Call In $100K Poker Tournament

Chad Eveslage won the $10,000 Super High Roller Bowl Mixed Games event, but the call of the tournament went to the man who finished runner-up.

With three players left, during a round of no-limit 2-7 single draw, “Texas Mike” Moncek eliminated Yuri Dzivielevski in third place. But it was no ordinary bustout.

To steal a phrase from PokerGO commentator and five-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Nick Schulman, Moncek made a hero call of “herculean proportions.”

With blinds of 75,000-125,000 and a 50,000 ante, Moncek raised on button to 200,000 with J-10-5-4-2. Eveslage folded the small blind and Dzivielevski three-bet to 800,000 from the big blind with J-8-8-5-5.

For those unfamiliar with the rules of 2-7, the best hand is 7-5-4-3-2. The goal is to make the worst hand. Pairs, straights and flushes become bluffs in this game. In other words, Dzivielevski’s hand has virtually no showdown value. He’s bluffing.

On the flip side, Moncek’s hand is quite mediocre. He has a jack-low, but only has the ability to draw to a 10-low. Regardless, Moncek calls.

“I’m really a little just unsure what his plan is in the hand,” said commentator and mixed games veteran Chris Vitch.

“If Mike had something like a J-9-5-4-2 or J-8-5-4-2 where he could pat facing a draw and draw facing a pat,” said Alex Livingston, Vitch’s partner in the booth and fellow mixed-games crusher.

Dzivielevski stands pat, continuing his bluff and declining to take any cards. In draw games, bluffing is referred to as “snowing.”

“If he pats behind, he’s effectively bluffing himself,” said Vitch of Moncek’s pending decision. “He could draw one to this 10-5. I believe he was hoping that Yuri was going to draw one.”

Livingston added that drawing to 10-5 “isn’t that compelling of a draw” and that “the only pat hands you beat are snows.”

Moncek draws one card. However, Moncek missed his draw and paired his four. Dzivielevski moved all in for his last 1,750,000 and surprisingly, Moncek goes deep into the tank.

Initially, Vitch dismisses any possibility of Moncek calling and said the hand would’ve been more interesting if he made his hand. But as Moncek continued to throw time extension chips into the middle, it was clear he thought calling was a possibility.

Dzivielevski’s shove was for most of Moncek’s chips. Moncek only had 2,100,000 remaining.

“Why would you go all in after I draw one,” said Moncek while he was mulling over his decision.

Moncek’s comment indicates he believed that Dzivielevski would check to him most of the time after the draw, since it’s likely Moncek is drawing to a very strong hand. Thus, he believes Dzivielevski either has a very strong hand or a complete bluff.

After nearly three minutes in the tank, Moncek called. Dzivielevski showed his bluff and Moncek scooped the pot.

Watch the entire hand below:

That's a BIG HERO CALL from TexasMike2014</a> to eliminate <a href="https://twitter.com/YuriNerdguy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">YuriNerdguy in third place! Dzivielevski cashes for $450,000.

Heads up now! "Texas Mike" versus Chad Eveslage for $1,200,000.https://t.co/Ca0s5xzkaZ pic.twitter.com/T0G8acN1ET

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) March 9, 2025

The Brazilian pro netted $450,000 for his third-place finish and Moncek went heads-up against Eveslage. “Texas Mike” eventually finished second for $725,000, while Eveslage scored $1.2 million for the victory.

Photos courtesy of PokerGO/Antonio Abrego

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