Poker After Dark: $100,000 NLHE Cash Game Recap — Week 1
It’s been a while since we recapped episodes from Poker After Dark (PAD). Four months to be exact. If you do the math, that dates all the way back to April, which coincides with the events of Black Friday. While PokerStars’ The Big Game was pulled from television, PAD continued to air repeats until last week when new episodes of another $100,000 Cash Game were shown.
The cash-game format has proven quite popular for PAD in the past, so it was no surprise to see the show continued with a winning formula; however, it was a shock to see this week’s lineup. Instead of high-stakes pros like Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Patrik Antonius, the seats were filled with players not normally considered regulars. Here’s a look at this week’s lineup, according to the seat draw.
Seat 1: Mike Matusow
Seat 2: Jean-Robert Bellande
Seat 3: Peter Jetten
Seat 4: Brandon Adams
Seat 5: Chris Ferguson
Seat 6: Michael Mizrachi
While this cash game was filmed prior to the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table (Mizrachi was talking about being part of the November Nine), it was new to the television audience. The game was $200/$400 no-limit hold’em with a minimum buy-in of $100,000. Here are some of the more notable hands throughout the week.
Jetten vs. Mizrachi: Early on in the session, Michael Mizrachi opened for $1,100 with 7♣6♣ from middle position and was called by the 6♠6♥ of Peter Jetten in the small blind. Brandon Adams then looked down at K♦K♥ in the big and exercised his option with a three-bet to $4,400. Mizrachi and Jetten both made the call, with the latter checking the 2♦4♦3♥ flop.
Adams took the opportunity to bet $7,000, about half the pot, and Mizrachi quickly got out of the way while Jetten called. The 2♥ turn saw both players check, leading to the 7♠ river. Jetten checked, Adams bet $15,000, and Jetten hit the tank. “I really thought he had a big hand, so I decided to fold,” Jetten explained in the Director’s Cut. The $42,500 pot was sent to Adams.
One for Bellande: Chris Ferguson opened for $1,100 holding 10♠9♠ and was called by the A♠Q♠ of Michael Mizrachi. Jean-Robert Bellande, who held Q♦8♦, came along for the ride from the small blind, and it was three-handed to the 7♥8♥2♣ flop. Bellande checked, Ferguson immediately bet $2,700, Mizrachi folded, and Bellande check-called with top pair.
Both players proceeded to check the A♥ turn. Bellande checked on the 3♦ river, then Ferguson fired out $6,000. Bellande made the call, and took down the $21,400 pot in the process.
Adams Flops a Set: Jean-Robert Bellande opened for $1,200 in middle position with pocket deuces and received calls from Brandon Adams on the button and Michael Mizrachi in the big blind. The K♥Q♠8♣ flop gave Adams a set, and he bet $2,500 after the action checked to him. Mizrachi made the call with middle pair and Bellande wisely folded.
The 6♣ turn saw Mizrachi check-call a bet of $7,000, leading to the K♦ river. “I know that he doesn’t have two pair. Two pair turned into a full house on the river, so I know that I have the best hand at that point,” Adams explained. “I’m still trying to make my hand look like a bluff.”
After Mizrachi had checked, Adams opted for a big bet of $20,000. Mizrachi ended up making the call and watched as the $63,100 pot was pushed to his opponent.
A Four-Bet from the Mouth: Action folded to Mike Matusow in the cutoff and he raised to $1,200 holding A♠9♦. Brandon Adams looked down at 9♥8♦ and opted for a three-bet to $4,600. Not to be outdone, Matusow four-bet to $11,000 and Adams flicked his cards to the muck. “Show a hand one time, dog,” Jean-Robert Bellande encouraged, to which Matusow obliged by flashing the 9♦, much to the table’s amusement.
Jetten Cracks Aces: Chris Ferguson was first to act and looked down at the granddaddy of all hands: A♠A♥. He opened for $1,100, Michael Mizrachi called with K♥10♥, and Peter Jetten came along from the big blind with 4♠3♠. The 9♠3♥4♦ flop was gin for Jetten, giving him two pair, but he checked hoping one of his opponents would bet. Ferguson did not oblige and coyly checked his aces, but Mizrachi fired out $2,000.
At that point, Jetten woke up with a check-raise to $7,500, Ferguson called, and Mizrachi got out of the way. Jetten didn’t waste any time betting $16,000 on the 8♣ turn. Ferguson moved all-in for $51,700. Jetten made the call and was an 82 percent favorite to win the hand. The river was run twice, but neither the J♠ on the first nor the J♥ on the second changed anything, and Jetten scooped the $124,200 pot.
Goodbye Grinder, Hello Hellmuth: Stuck around $30,000, Michael Mizrachi had to leave to attend to interview business elsewhere, which meant there was an empty seat in the game. Much to the remaining five players’ delight, Phil Hellmuth was brought it to fill the vacant spot.
Hellmuth vs. Adams: After Peter Jetten opened for $1,400 with 9♥6♥, Brandon Adams three-bet to $4,600 from the cutoff holding K♠K♣. Action folded to Phil Hellmuth in the small blind and he four-bet to $10,700 with his 8♥8♣. Hellmuth explained that the last time he had played against Adams, the latter had either three, four, or five-bet at every available opportunity, so he was prepared to push back.
Jetten got out of the way, and Adams five-bet to $24,500. Hellmuth called behind and it was heads-up to the 6♣Q♥5♣ flop. Both players checked and watched as the dealer burned and turned the A♥. “$9,200,” Hellmuth said as he put out the chips, which Adams called. When the 7♠ appeared on the river, Hellmuth checked and Adams hit the tank. In a post-hand interview, Adams explained he was contemplating a value bet, but ultimately settled on a check and was content to take down the $69,500 pot.
Tune in Next Week: Host Ali Nejad explained that Week 1 of the $100K Cash Game had come to an end, but that the players would redraw seats and return next week. If you want to catch that action, check your local listings. If you’re unable to tune in, then be sure to check back here next week for our latest recap.
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