2015 WSOP Europe 888 Hand of the Day: High Rolling with Martin Jacobson
The 2015 World Series of Poker Europe continued in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday with Day 3 of the 2015 WSOP €10,450 Europe Main Event and the kickoff of the €25,600 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em.
PokerNews was on hand for all the action and will be in Berlin for the duration of the 17-day series. As a part of our coverage, that is brought to you by 888poker, we will be bringing readers a special "888 Hand of the Day" every single day throughout the entire WSOP Europe schedule.
An early exit from the Main Event gave 2014 WSOP Main Event champion Martin Jacobson the chance to play the High Roller, and in just the first few levels he ascended to a spot among the chip leaders thanks to a massive pot that will serve as today's 888 Hand of the Day.
It was Level 5 with blinds 300/600 and a 100-chip ante when Jacobson raised it up under the gun with the 3♦3♠. Canadian Mike Leah called from the cutoff seat, and the player in the big blind did as well, sending them three-handed to a Q♦3♥2♠ flop.
After a check from the big blind, Jacobson decided not to slowplay, firing out a bet of 3,000.
Leah called before the player in the big blind check-raised, making it 12,000 with another 20,000 behind. Jacobson simply flatted, but Leah had other ideas, asking for a count from the big blind and coming in with a four-bet to 21,000. The player in the big blind promptly pushed in and Jacobson called again.
"My hand is pretty face up at that point, once I call," Jacobson told PokerNews. "I don't necessarily have the best hand. Mike could easily have queens. I wasn't too worried about the big blind, but he really helped me, because I was pretty sure he had a queen. I thought the only way I could lose the hand is if the big blind has pocket deuces and Leah has queens, but I didn't think that was very likely. I didn't think the big blind was too strong. He was just kind of over the day. Things weren't really going his way."
Leah didn't have queens, as he snap-folded.
"I was thinking that Mike either had queens or deuces as well," Jacobson continued. "I didn't think he was bluffing, but it turns out he was. He told me he had a queen and was trying to get me to fold an overpair. It's a pretty tough spot for me if I have an overpair. I'm pretty much forced to fold."
The big blind actually held the A♥Q♣ and found himself drawing dead to Jacobson's set of threes after the J♠ turn.
Stacking the chips, Jacobson found himself up to 180,000 from the 75,000-chip starting stack and the winner of today's 888 Hand of the Day.
Soon after the High Roller event wraps up, Jacobson will be flying out to Las Vegas to take part in this year's November Nine festivities, passing the torch to the next WSOP Main Event winner.
"It has been great," he said of his reign as poker's world champion. "It hasn't really been much different for me, but going back to Vegas will be great. I get to enjoy it this time. I don't have to worry too much. No pressure."
As the 2015 WSOP Europe rolls on, be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for continued coverage, including regular 888 Hand of the Day articles.
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