Poker After Dark: Recap of the $150,000 Cash Game — Week 2
During the first session of the Poker After Dark $150,000 cash game, Eli Elezra and David Peat fueled the action. You can always check our prior recap for details on session one, but we can tell you that the second session was nothing like the first.
The players had reloaded numerous times and there was nearly a million dollars on the table. With the blinds at $300/$600 and a $500 ante out of the big blind, things were destined to get interesting. SPOILER ALERT: We’re going to recap some of the week’s bigger hands, so if you have PAD episodes sitting on your DVR and don’t want to know what happens, read no further. With that said, here was how the table looked after the table redraw.
Seat 1: Howard Lederer
Seat 2: Olivier Busquet
Seat 3: Greg Mueller
Seat 4: Phil “Unabomber” Laak
Seat 5: David Peat
Seat 6: Eli Elezra
Laak Flops a Set: Things got off to a quick start when Olivier Busquet, who had been opening a lot of pots, opened for $2,000 with K♣J♦ and was called by Phil Laak's 9♠9♦ on the button. Elezra then looked down at the Q♥Q♣ in the big blind and reraised to $7,400, which pushed Busquet out of the pot. Laak, who had been enjoying quite a few cocktails, made the call and watched the 9♣10♦5♦ flop deliver him a set. Elezra bet out $11,000 and Laak immediately grabbed a block of cash and slammed it on the table, constituting a raise to $50,000.
As Elezra mulled it over, Laak jumped from his seat and went over to the couch where he curled up and hid. After a few moments, Elezra released his hand and conceded the pot. “If he bluffed me, he bluffed me,” Elezra said after the hand. “I’ll wait for a better spot when I determine how much will be in the pot, not him.” As it turned out, it was a stellar lay down.
Triple Straddle: Laak was under the gun and put on the $1,200 straddle, which was really par for the course. Peat then made things interesting by putting on a double straddle to $2,400. Not one to shy away from a little gamble, Elezra surprised everyone by triple-straddling to $4,800. With so much in the pot already, Busquet decided to raise to $12,000 after looking down at 10♦10♠. It looked like a squeeze – somthing that wasn’t lost on Elezra – who squeezed out J♠J♦. He calmly announced that he was all-in, which sent Busquet in the tank. Eventually Busquet showed his tens and folded.
Run It Twice: With a $2,400 straddle on by Elezra, Busquet limped, followed by Greg Mueller, who held K♠K♣. He was obviously hoping someone would raise and was not disappointed when Laak made it $23,400 to go with A♠3♥. Elezra then looked down at A♦Q♥ and made the call. Busquet folded and Mueller shipped his stack of $87,200 into the pot. Laak folded and Elezra called, creating a pot worth $201,900. They ran it twice, but neither the first run of 10♥5♣Q♣K♦Q♠ nor the second of 10♠J♠9♥J♣4♣ helped Elezra, and Mueller received a much needed double.
Drowned on the River: Holding Q♥Q♦, Busquet opened for $2,000 and received calls from four of his five opponents. The 4♥8♣9♥ flop seemed decent for pocket queens and Busquet bet $8,000. Only Peat called, with his 10♥5♥ flush draw. The dealer proceeded to burn and turn the J♠ and Busquet checked, later explaining: “I checked because I wanted him to try and value bet worse hands and draw. I thought if I checked he might think that I had just taken one shot on the flop and was kind of giving up.”
Nonetheless, Peat checked behind and the 2♥ spiked on the river. Busquet picked the wrong time to bet $25,000, which prompted Peat to explain: “I’m not folding and I don’t like calling . . . but I’m not raising.” Peat eventually made the call and picked up the $76,500 pot with his flush.
Coolered: As the game was coming to a close, Peat picked up 5♥5♦ and raised to $2,000. Busquet, who was stuck and looking to recoup some losses, put in a raise to $7,000 with K♠J♠. Peat called as the flop came down 7♣J♦8♥. Busquet had hit his jack to take the lead and bet $10,000, which Peat called. The J♥ on the turn gave Busquet trips and he bet $20,000.
“I thought he had a hand, I wasn’t sure. He could be bluffing there, he could have some sort of a semi-bluff. I decided to call,” Peat explained in the Director’s Cut. Indeed he did make the call as the 5♣ peeled off on the river. Peat had hit his full house and the situation was electric. Busquet led right out for $50,000 and Peat leaned back in his chair. “At that point I knew he had a really strong hand . . . I know I’m calling but I can’t really raise,” Peat explained. Obviously he made the call and Busquet’s face said it all as the cards were turned up.
Strong Finish for Busquet: While Busquet had been victimized throughout the week, he managed to finish strong when he picked up A♦A♥ and got his last $93,600 all in preflop against the A♣K♦ of Howard Lederer. The board ran out an uneventful 2♣7♣Q♠6♠7♠ and Busquet took down the $191,600 pot.
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