Largely playing small ball in prior episodes, 10-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Doyle Brunson found himself in back to back all-in pots during this week’s edition of High Stakes Poker. The show airs on GSN on Sunday nights at 9:00pm ET.
The same eight players who took to the felts of High Stakes Poker last week returned on Sunday night. In their first hand, Eli Elezra put on a live straddle of $1,600, Phil Laak called with A-10 of clubs, David Peat bumped the price of poker to $6,500 with Q-J, Tom Dwan called the raise with A-7 of diamonds, Alan Meltzer called with A-10 of hearts, and Laak called. Four players saw the flop, which fell 5-3-8 with two clubs. The action checked around, with the turn coming the deuce of hearts. Peat led out for $20,500 with “squadoosh” and the action folded around to Laak, who made the call with the nut flush draw. The river was the five of diamonds. Laak checked, Peat bet $50,000, and Laak clutched a stack of $100 bills before finally folding. Laak was allowed to flip over one of Peat’s cards, which wound up being the queen. Seated next to Peat, Dwan correctly guessed that the other card was a jack.
Brunson and Peat squared off in the first all-in pot. Peat held J-9 of diamonds and made it $2,500. Brunson peeked down at pocket rockets and raised to $10,500, a bet Peat promptly called. The flop came A-10-2 with two diamonds. As you’d expect, fireworks went off, as Peat check-raised Brunson for $125,000, Brunson pushed for $171,000, and Peat called the extra $46,100. The pair agreed to run it twice, with the queen of clubs and nine of clubs falling on the first board, shipping half the pot to Brunson. The second board came the queen of spades and six of clubs, once again keeping Brunson’s set of aces out in front. The win was worth $366,000.
The second all-in hand saw Brunson battle against Italian poker sensation Dario Minieri. The flop in the hand came 9-10-3 with two spades. Minieri, who held 9-10 for top two pair, led out for $3,700. “Silent” Mike Baxter called with A-2 and Brunson raised to $25,000 with 4-3 of spades for a flush draw and bottom pair. Minieri pushed over the top for $98,100, Baxter folded, and Brunson tanked before electing to call. Once again, the all-in pot was run twice. Both times, Minieri spiked one of his hole cards on the turn for a full house, leaving Brunson drawing dead on the river. Minieri saw his High Stakes Poker bankroll grow by $205,500 as a result.
The largest pot of the night also featured an all-in, with Peat and Dwan vying for their share of $400,400. Minieri started the action by calling the $800 big blind with Q-9. Laak also called holding pocket fives, Peat limped with pocket kings, and Dwan made it $6,300 with A-J of hearts. The action folded back around to Laak, who called Dwan’s raise. Peat then threw in a bet of $20,800, Dwan called, and Laak called. The flop came 7-3-7 with two hearts, keeping Peat out in front with an overpair and giving Dwan the nut flush draw. Peat bet $50,000, Dwan raised to $150,000, Laak got out of the way, and Peat pushed for $167,300. Dwan called the extra $17,300 and the board was run twice for the third time during the episode. The first board came the queen of clubs and eight of hearts, making Dwan’s flush. The second board came the seven of clubs and deuce of hearts, giving Peat a boat. The two players chopped the $400,400 pot, one of the largest this season on High Stakes Poker.
In the final hand of the night, Baxter bumped it to $3,000 pre-flop with A-K of hearts, Dwan raised to $11,700 with Q-9 of hearts, Baxter re-raised to $31,700, and Dwan asked for a count of his opponent’s stack before calling. The flop came 3-5-9 with no hearts, giving Dwan top pair and eliminating the possibility of a flush. Baxter checked out of turn and Dwan also checked. The action went check-check when the eight of spades fell on the turn. The river brought the jack of diamonds. Dwan bet $34,300 and Baxter called, looking fairly puzzled with Dwan flipped up a pair of nines. The pot was worth $134,400.
Next week, Elezra has a chance to win a huge pot with a flush draw, and Dwan once again leaves Baxter talking to himself. New episodes of High Stakes Poker air at 9:00pm ET on Sundays on GSN.
