Poker Hand of the Week: 11/6/14You Decide What's The Best Play |
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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.
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The Scenario
You are heads-up for a major international tournament title. You are already guaranteed $1.3 million, but are playing it out for the $1.8 million first-place prize. With 34.05 million in chips, you have the chip lead over your opponent who has 16.95 million.
Your opponent is a high-stakes cash game grinder who has a decent amount of live tournament experience. The blinds are currently 300,000-600,000 with a 50,000 ante, giving you 56 big blinds to work with.
Your opponent has the button and raises to 1.3 million. You look down at Q
8
and make the call. The flop comes down Q
97, giving you top pair and you check. Your opponent bets 1.6 million and you call.
The turn is the 3, giving you a small flush draw to go with your pair. You check once again and your opponent bets 4 million. You call and the river is the 5.
You check and your opponent moves all in for 10 million.
The Questions
Do you call or fold? Your opponent raised preflop and bet all three streets, what does that say about his hand? Do you regret not raising on the flop or turn? How likely is it that your eight-high flush is the best hand? If your opponent has a bigger heart, what hands would make sense given his line? Could he be turning a non-heart value hand into a bluff? What sort of live reads would you be looking for in order to make this decision?
What Actually Happened
Facing a decision on a board of Q9735 holding the Q8, Steve O’Dwyer decided to make the call at the 2014 ACOP Super High Roller event.
His opponent, Ryan Fee, could only show down 65
and was eliminated. Fee earned $1.3 million for his finish and O’Dwyer picked up the third major title of his career, along with $1.8 million.
O’Dwyer now has career live tournament earnings of just over $7 million.
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.
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