10 Suspicious Hands Played by Mike Postle on Livestream

Mo Nuwwarah

Oct 02, 2019 3 min read Last updated May 14, 2020

1. Bluff Catches with Kings Despite Multiple Players Behind Him
2. Calls Two Preflop All-Ins With Five-High
3. Floats Five-High Three Ways, Bluffs All In on Turn
4. Induces a Bluff, Then Reshoves Weak Pair on River
5. Check-Calls Down Against Two Players, Donk-Shoves River When Everyone Misses
6. Cold-Calls Six-High Against a Four-Bet, Gets 440 Big Blinds in While Ahead on Turn
7. Loses the Minimum After River Cooler
8. Executes Huge Re-Bluff in Large Pot With Players Behind
9. Barrels All In With Air Against Two Check-Calls on Dangerous Board
10. Gets in Second Pair After Huge Preflop Action Multiple Ways

The poker world continues to be abuzz over the cheating allegations levied at Mike Postle, who reportedly took six figures out of the livestreamed games at Stones Gambling Hall in California.

While the conversation has shifted in many spots from whether he cheated to how exactly he pulled it off and what should be done about it, many observers may not have had a chance to trawl through the forums and Twitter discussions to see all of the evidence.

In that vein, PokerNews decided to put together a compilation of some of the most discussed hands, so viewers can learn what aroused suspicions and decide for themselves how they feel. Those with more time can check out the full video breakdowns by Joe Ingram, each lasting several hours, here and here.

1. Bluff Catches with Kings Despite Multiple Players Behind Him

In this hand, Postle faces multi-way action with kings on an ace-high board. When action checks to the button, Postle calls sizable bets on the flop and turn despite the strong possibility he has minimal equity in the hand given how many players are in the pot.

2. Calls Two Preflop All-Ins With Five-High

While five-four offsuit is not typically a hand that most players will get stacks in with preflop, Postle still doesn't hesitate to get in around 90 blinds here — counting the $45 straddle as the blind — three ways. Fortunately for him, both of his opponents had ace-king, giving him the equity edge.

3. Floats Five-High Three Ways, Bluffs All In on Turn

Facing heavy action on a very dangerous board, Postle calls with air on the flop despite facing a large bet with a player behind him. Then, he bluffs all in on the turn in a spot where he could have zero equity.

4. Induces a Bluff, Then Reshoves Weak Pair on River

Postle makes it to the river with a weak one-pair hand here against a player running a large triple-barrel bluff. Rather than simply bluff catch, Postle induces with a small river bet then shoves over his opponent's bluff.

5. Check-Calls Down Against Two Players, Donk-Shoves River When Everyone Misses

This time in an eight-way pot, Postle has no fear of any opponents having a strong hand, calling large flop and turn bets in a three-way pot with a gutshot against two flush draws. When everyone misses, despite being out of position, he shoves into both opponents to take down the pot.

6. Cold-Calls Six-High Against a Four-Bet, Gets 440 Big Blinds in While Ahead on Turn

Facing an open, a three-bet, and a four-bet, Postle cold-calls with six-three suited on the button and goes heads-up against ace-king suited. He flops bottom pair against the nut-flush draw, calls a flop bet, then shoves the turn when he's still slightly ahead.

7. Loses the Minimum After River Cooler

Facing a player who has been shown to run large bluffs — see Hand No. 4 above — Postle makes eights full on the river. He checks and faces a river bet. Despite a seeming cut-and-dry check-shove spot with only about a pot-sized bet left, Postle opts just to call and runs into a bigger full house.

8. Executes Huge Re-Bluff in Large Pot With Players Behind

Four players get to the turn in a massive three-bet pot, and the strongest hand on the paired board is a pair of tens in the hole. A player with a zero-equity bluff takes a stab, and Postle raises to win the pot, forcing out the players who have him beat and isolating the player with air.

9. Barrels All In With Air Against Two Check-Calls on Dangerous Board

With seven-deuce offsuit against a pocket pair of jacks, Postle three-bets and then barrels off on a dangerous board on which his opponent could easily have a strong hand. Postle caps it off with an overbet shove on the river.

10. Gets in Second Pair After Huge Preflop Action Multiple Ways

Two players put in nearly $1,000 apiece with one player all in preflop. Despite the massive action, Postle calls with nine-five offsuit, flops second pair, and fearlessly shoves into a four-bettor who misses the flop with ace-queen suited.