Poker Superstars Invitational II

I don't normally write about hands that I wasn't involved in, but recently while I was watching the Poker Superstars Invitational II on FSN, there was a hand I saw played between Mike Sexton and Huck Seed that I found rather interesting.



Although I didn't play in this event, I've thoroughly enjoyed watching the competition unfold each week, and wouldn't miss Superstars III for the world. The format featured 24 players playing six matches each, with the top 16 point-getters moving on to the "Sweet 16."



In the Sweet 16, all of the players were seeded by their point totals and separated into four groups of four. Mike Sexton and Huck Seed qualified in Group D, along with Johnny Chan and David Sklansky.



The object then was to accumulate points in two matches against the same opponents, with first place getting 10 points, second 7, third 4, and fourth 0. So, as you can see, a fourth-place finish in the first match would all but seal your fate. The only way you could advance after a fourth-place finish would be to win the next match, but also have all three of your opponents finish in a specific exact order. That's no easy task, but earlier, Todd Brunson was able to accomplish that feat in Group A.



Each point the players received in the matches preceding the Sweet 16 was good for $25,000 in chips, so this group started with chip counts as follows:

Johnny Chan – $950,000

David Sklansky – $875,000

Mike Sexton – $625,000

Huck Seed – $600,000



The blinds started at $15,000-$30,000 and everyone folded to Mike Sexton in the small blind, and he limped in with the J 10. Huck was in the big blind with the 10 7 (my favorite garbage hand) and checked.



The flop came K J Q and Mike checked, as did Huck. The turn card was the A, ensuring that it would be a split pot. Mike checked, and Huck bet $40,000 with the nut straight.



Mike hesitated for a moment, and then check-raised Huck by making it $120,000 to go. Well, at that point, it should have been rather obvious to Huck that Mike had the same straight. At that stage in the game, it would have been beyond silly for Mike to make a move like that without the nut straight on the very first hand dealt.



As I was watching, I also noticed that Huck had the 10. Now, that is extremely important. Why? Well, because he now doesn't have to fear that Mike has the same straight and is also freerolling with a backdoor-flush draw.



I actually screamed out to the TV, "Call, Huck. You have to just call right here." If the board paired on the river, or the flush card came, Huck could possibly bluff Mike off half of the pot! When you think about it, there is very little risk to this bluff, since it seems clear that Mike has to have a straight and that he couldn't possibly have a flush draw, since Huck holds the 10.



Well, Huck did make the call, but then Mike did something very interesting on the river. The river paired the board with the A, yet Mike still bet out $200,000!



Wow, that was a rather risky bet in this situation, since there was no hand with which Huck would call in this situation that didn't at least tie Mike's hand. I'm not sure what was going through Mike's mind at the time he made that bet, but the first thought that crosses my mind is that Mike was making a defensive bet.



Why? Well, Mike also might have figured out that Huck had the same straight, but he was worried that if he checked, Huck might bet all of his chips. It's good thinking, really, but if I were Huck in that spot, I'd ask myself the following question: Would Mike have check-raised me on the turn without the nut straight? Would he really do that with aces up or a set?



I don't think so. The only hand with which Mike would make that play is the straight, or possibly a complete bluff. With two pair or a set, why would he risk shutting himself out of the pot if Huck moved all in?



Huck quickly called the bet, and I winced as he did. Mike's defensive river bet was even more bait for Huck to attack. If he had thought the hand through a little bit longer, he would have realized that he had a free shot at the pot – not to mention what I talked about earlier regarding points being so important. Since Huck and Mike both understood that a fourth-place finish would all but seal their fate, moving all in would put even more pressure on Mike to lay down the straight.



Well, as it turned out, Huck ended up finishing in fourth, Sklansky third, and Sexton second, and as expected, "The Orient Express" Johnny Chan won the match and picked up 10 points.



Now, this is what I really love about the Poker Superstars: While it's not exactly poker in its purest form, its interesting strategic differences make for great TV.



Get this: In the next heat, all Johnny Chan has to do is not finish last in order to advance to the "Elite Eight." David Sklansky would advance with a win, and a second-place finish would lock him up for at least a playoff against Mike Sexton.



Sexton, with a win or a second-place finish, would advance, while third place would lock up at least a playoff with Sklansky. As for Huck Seed – wow, does he have his work cut out for himself! Not only will he have to win the next heat, but he'll also need Johnny Chan to finish second, Sklansky third, and Sexton fourth! Anything but that exact finish and Huck will be gone, as shown here:

The Poker Superstars, with its interesting structure, makes for a very NFL-like playoff scenario of, "If this happens, then … or if that happens, then …" I just love it, and can't wait to see if Huck can pull it off in the next episode, as Todd Brunson was able to do in Group A.

Read Daniel's blog at http://www.fullcontactpoker.com/.