Esfandiari & Perkins Went All In on Draws for $600K Pot on High Stakes Poker

Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S.

Mar 14, 2023 4 min read

Gambling for Stacks
Sippl Makes a Move on Perkins
Sanchez Lets Esfandiari Take Pot with Ace-High
Past High Stakes Poker Recaps

On Episode 8 of High Stakes Poker Season 10, which aired Tuesday night, Antonio Esfandiari and his good friend Bill Perkins gambled with drawing hands in a $606,000 pot.

While that was far and away the most entertaining pot of the night, it wasn't the only hand worth mentioning. For the fourth straight week, the table remained mostly the same with the two aforementioned players in action along with Jennifer Tilly, Bobby Baldwin, Robert Sanchez, and Roger Sippl.

The high-stakes no-limit hold'em game on PokerGO brought about multiple six-figure pots and some exciting action, but none more so than the following hand.

Gambling for Stacks

antonio esfandiari poker — Antonio Esfandiari

Last week on High Stakes Poker, we saw Esfandiari win an epic three-way cooler. This week, he fought for another monster pot in thrilling fashion.

In the hand in question, with a double straddle on, Tilly called the $2,000 straddle from the button with Q♠J♦ before Perkins raised to $10,000 from the big blind with 10♠8♠. Seated in the first straddle, Sippl called with 10♦9♠, as did Esfandiari in the bigger straddle with A♠4♠.

"I'm forced to call," Tilly then said, acknowledging she was pot-committed.

The flop ran out 2♥7♠J♠, something for all four players. Action checked to Esfandiari with the nut flush draw, and he tossed out a wager of $16,000, about half the size of the pot. Tilly called with top pair, but when Perkins raised it up to $50,000 with a straight flush draw, Sippl folded his gut-shot straight draw.

Esfandiari, with over $500,000 behind, paused for a moment before raising to $166,000. Tilly couldn't call such a massive bet with just top pair, so she sent her cards into the muck. But Perkins, whose stack was at just over $280,000 when the hand began, moved all in, and the "Magician" called.

They agreed to run the turn and river twice, and the first run-out came K♣7♦, followed by the 2♦A♣ on the second board, both going Esfandiari's way. As a result, he shipped the $606,400 pot,

In a later hand, Perkins was dealt 10♣2♥ and asked the table if he could pay $5,000 to be dealt two new cards. They agreed and his new hand got even worse – 5♠2♣. After Esfandiari raised to $3,200 with 4♦3♥ in the dark – he hadn’t even looked at his cards — Perkins bumped it to $15,200.

Esfandiari then peeked at his cards, showed the four-high, and mucked them. Perkins turned over the five-high and took down the pot in what would be the final hand of the session.

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Sippl Makes a Move on Perkins

roger sippl high stakes poker — Roger Sippl

In the second hand of note from Episode 8, Baldwin raised to $2,000 with 2♦2♣. Sanchez called with K♦Q♥ as did Perkins on the button with 6♦5♥. Sippl, in the small blind, then went for a three-bet to $6,000 with A♥Q♠ and only Baldwin folded.

The flop came out 8♠9♠8♦ and action checked over to Perkins, who fired out a bet of $5,000. Sippl called, Sanchez folded, and the 6♠ appeared on the turn. Sippl checked his queen-high flush draw to Perkins, who had just paired up and ripped off another bet, this time for $10,000.

The turn bet didn’t force a fold and they both saw the 10♥ on the river. Although that card did nothing to improve ace-high, Sippl jammed all in for $45,000, which convinced his opponent, who had the best hand, to fold.

Sanchez Lets Esfandiari Take Pot with Ace-High

Sanchez raised on the button to $2,000 with Q♥3♥. That action was followed by Sippl calling from the big blind with K♠Q♠ and then Esfandiari three-betting to $10,000 with A♣K♣ in the straddle, which didn’t convince either player to fold.

All three remaining players looked at a flop of 2♥9♠J♠, giving Sippl a monster combo draw. Esfandiari, who completely whiffed, still bet out $13,000. He received just one call, of course from Sippl.

The turn was the 7♦, no help to either player. With $80,000 in the pot, Esfandiari bet $23,400 and again was called. After the J♦ appeared on the river, Sippl checked, putting the “Magician” in a tough spot. He’d already been called on the flop and turn, so the only way he could win at showdown was if his opponent had been chasing a flush or straight draw.

As it turned out, Sippl was chasing a draw, which meant a check from Esfandiari’s ace-king was good enough to win the hand without a bet.

High Stakes Poker Season 10 returns next week on PokerGO at 5 p.m. PT with Episode 9.

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