Aruba Poker Classic winner Matt Brady was riding high with more than 300,000 in chips heading into the play-down day. When the tournament format switched over to six-handed play, Brady kicked it up a notch, despite drawing one of the more experienced tables in the room. Seated directly to Mark “PokerH0” Kroon’s left, Brady was able to take out the outspoken pro in a span of two hands and vault himself into a chip lead that was nearly 3.5 times the average stack.
Though he gave up the chip lead late in the day to Swedish pro Johan Storakers, Brady was able to coast into the seven-handed final table in second chip position. There, he bided his time, keeping his stack well-above average until the tournament was down to three players. A flopped straight and flush later and he had won the tournament, along with the bracelet and $1 million.
Card Player spoke to Brady before the final table to discuss the two huge pots he played with Mark Kroon to give him the chip lead.
| Tournament/Blinds-Antes |
Aruba Poker Classic |
2,500-5,000 with a 500 ante |
| Player |
Matt Brady |
Mark Kroon |
| Chip Count |
About 380,000 |
About 585,000 |
| Hand |
A 3 |
? |
The Hand
Mark Kroon raised to 14,000, and Matt Brady called. The flop came A
7
3, and Kroon bet 22,000. Brady called, and the turn was the 10. Kroon bet 44,000, and Brady called. The river was the 10
, and Kroon bet 88,000. Brady called with the A 3, and Kroon mucked his hand.
The Interview
Julio Rodriguez: Can you talk about the two big hands you played with Mark “PokerH0” Kroon?
Matt Brady: Yeah. I had just gotten moved to the table, and I hadn’t really played any pots yet. Mark raised it to 14,000, and I made the call with A 3. We take it heads up, and it comes A-7-3 with two clubs, giving me top and bottom. He leads for 22,000, and I decided to just call, hoping to represent a missed club draw and get him to just blast the turn, hopefully getting it all in. If he has A-K and the turn comes a five or something, then we can play a big pot. Not only that, but top and bottom can be a little vulnerable, so I want to make sure the turn doesn’t counterfeit me if another seven rolls off.
JR: The turn was the 10, putting a flush possibility on board.
MB: Yeah, that’s a sh---y card, not because I think he has a flush or anything like that, but moreso because it really kills my action. He leads for 44,000, which surprised me. I still like my hand, and I was definitely not done with it, but I wanted to keep the pot small and just call.
JR: The river paired the board and killed your hand with the 10.
MB: Definitely an ugly card. At this point, I’m counterfeited and hating my hand, which would be anyone’s initial reaction. But he bet 88,000, which didn’t seem right. My first reaction told me to fold, but then he started talking, telling me that he’d show me if I folded. Before he had even finished the sentence, I had made up my mind to call.
JR: What do you think he had?
MB: I don’t know what he had. He might have been empty, he might have had a hand like 5-4 and been double-gutted. Anyway, my hand was good, and that series of events led to the next hand.
| Tournament/Blinds-Antes |
Aruba Poker Classic |
2,500-5,000 with a 500 ante |
| Player |
Matt Brady |
Mark Kroon |
| Chip Count |
About 550,000 |
About 415,000 |
| Hand |
8-7 |
9-8 |
The Hand
Mark Kroon raised to 15,000 from the small blind, and Matt Brady called from the big blind. The flop came 8-7-2, and Kroon bet 33,000. Brady raised to 100,000, and Kroon moved all in for nearly 400,000. Brady called and showed top two pair, and Kroon revealed 9-8 and needed help to stay alive. The turn and river came with a four and a jack, and Kroon was eliminated. Brady took the pot and a new stack of nearly 1 million in chips.
The Interview
JR: It’s been a few hands, and he raises you in the blinds.
MB: I had 8-7 off and was going to just fold, but I really thought we were deep enough that with my position and my call earlier, there was a good chance that he would give them away if I hit a good flop.
JR: The flop gave you top two pair.
MB: He led 33,000. I just raised him knowing that if he had a big pair, I was going to get his chips in right away. I immediately made it 100,000, and he insta-shipped 400,000. I snap-called and was surprised to see he had 9-8. I was expecting to see a hand like jacks.
JR: Do you think he was tilting?
MB: I really thought he was just feeling it from the hand before. I’m not going to criticize any play. Mark’s a good guy and an even better player, so I was fortunate to get the chips I did from him.
