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WATCH: Chess Superstar Picks Off Big Bluff In Livestreamed Poker Game

Magnus Carlsen Made The Hero Call With Bottom Pair Facing A Triple-Barrel Move From TikTok Star Nick Austin

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Magnus Carlsen at the 2022 World Series of PokerMagnus Carlsen is considered by many to be one of, if not the, best chess player ever. The five-time world chess champion announced last year that he would not seek to defend that title, which he has held since 2013, and is set to be replaced by either Ian Nepomniachtchi or Ding Liren. While those two square off in Kazakhstan (they are tied 2-2 as of the time this article was published), Carlsen was busy playing on a live-streamed poker cash game.

The 32-year-old Norwegian was featured on Hustler Casino Live’s latest ‘Creator Poker Night,’ which brought together a collection of chess stars, YouTubers, streamers & TikTokers. Carlsen and fellow chess player Alexandra Botez were joined by popular poker vlogger Mariano Grandoli, video game streamer Nate Hill, TikTok star Nick Austin and other internet sensations in a no-limit hold’em cash game with $10-$25 blinds.

One of the highlights of the night was a big hand that saw Austin, who was fresh off of being bluffed by Mariano, attempt to run a big bluff of his own on Carlsen.

The hand began with Mariano raising to $50 from early position with AHeart Suit7Heart Suit. Carlsen three-bet to $300 with 4Heart Suit3Heart Suit from the hijack and TikTok and YouTube sensation Bryce Hall flatted with KHeart Suit5Diamond Suit from the button. Austin looked down at AClub SuitJSpade Suit in the small blind. He opted to four-bet to $1,200. It folded back around to Carlsen, who made the call.

The flop came down KSpade Suit8Club Suit4Spade Suit and Austin continuation bet $700 into the pot of $2,775. Carlsen called and the turn brought the 9Heart Suit. Austin thought it over for a minute before cutting out a $1,600 second barrel. Carlsen made the call again and the 10Club Suit completed the board. Austin decided to take one more stab at buying the pot, betting $3,200 into $7,375.

“You’re going three streets, eh? I actually, somehow, I don’t believe you at all,” said Carlsen. “There aren’t a lot of hands… you [could] have A-K obviously… [but] there aren’t a lot of hands that you would just go three streets with there.”

He thought it over a bit more before slamming in the chips and Austin told him that he was good. Carlsen showed his bottom pair to draw the $13,775 pot, growing his stack to over $19,000.

Watch the hand below.

Carlsen ended up profiting $4,490 on the session, while Alexandra Botez was the big winner with nearly $33,000 in profits. The broadcast reported that she has now won in all five appearances on the show, including a $456,900 profit in a lineup with Phil Hellmuth, Mr. Beast, and Tom Dwan.

Despite losing the hand, Austin still ended up in the black, with a net win of $13,150 when the show concluded. Mariano, who won a $788,000 a few weeks ago on the stream, set a record for the highest VPIP (percentage of pots he voluntarily put chips into) in the show’s history. He ended up losing $34,480 overall in the game.

This was far from Carlsen’s first time participating in a big poker game. He played in the 2022 World Series of Poker main event but failed to make a deep run. His lone recorded live tournament score to date came when he placed 25th from a field of 1,050 in last year’s Norwegian Championship for a $5,681 payout.

Last year, he re-upped his deal with online betting platform Unibet.

With his reign as world chess champion about to officially come to an end, there is a chance that poker fans could be seeing more of Carlsen in the near future. If this wild hand is any indication, he could very well be a force to be reckoned with.