Brutal Cooler on New High Stakes Poker: Set Over Set for a $500k Pot

Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S.

Oct 30, 2023 5 min read

JRB After Enormous Pot With Nine-Deuce
Everyone’s Picking on Jennifer Tilly
Set Over Set for Stacks
Past High Stakes Poker Season 11 Episodes

Rick Salomon and Brandon Steven played one of the most memorable pots of Season 11 on High Stakes Poker during Monday's brand new Episode 11 session, a set-over-set hand for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The table remained the same as last week when Salomon and Steven competed against Jennifer Tilly, Jean-Robert Bellande, Bobo Chann, Justin Gavri, and Rob Yong. There were plenty of massive pots, some aggressive (and sometimes successful) bluffs, and some of the best action we've seen during the current season.

Here are the starting stacks in the $200/$400 no-limit hold'em game when the episode began:

Player	Chip Stack
Rob Yong	$545,000
Rick Salomon	$416,000
Jean-Robert Bellande	$403,600
Bobo Chann	$346,400
Brandon Steven	$219,400
Justin Gavri	$98,000
Jennifer Tilly	$16,800

JRB After Enormous Pot With Nine-Deuce

It took no time for the action to heat up on Episode 11. In most High Stakes Poker episodes, the producers save the best stuff for later in the show. But that wasn't completely the case this week as there were some juicy pots right off the bat, such as the following.

Yong, the only player with a real hand – A♠Q♣ – opened the action to $1,000 from early position. Steven, with 6♦2♦, and Chann, holding 8♣6♠, called in position. Salomon, who had 7♥5♥ in the small blind, then joined the party.

Action was then on Bellande in the big blind, and he went for a huge ambitious three-bet to $11,000 with the powerful 9♠2♠. Only Chann, a Hustler Casino Live loose cannon, folded.

The flop came out 2♥9♦K♦, proving that nine-deuce truly is a monster. After Salomon checked, JRB bet $50,000 with two pair. Steven, who flopped a baby flush draw, was the only one willing to continue in the pot.

When the 3♠ hit on the turn, changing nothing, Bellande went for blood, betting out $158,000. This time, however, he was unable to get any action and convinced the flush draw to exit the pot.

Moments later, on a flop of 10♥6♥6♠, Bellande sought additional chips when he bet $50,000 into a pot of $82,000 with K♠10♦. Salomon, who also had top pair with 10♣7♦ but a weaker kicker, went for a spicy play, raising it up to $150,000. Tilly was then forced to fold her inside straight draw, while Bellande sent the best hand into the muck.

Everyone’s Picking on Jennifer Tilly

Jennifer Tilly High Stakes Poker — Jennifer Tilly

Last week was an especially brutal session for Tilly, the Bridy of Chucky star. She lost multiple huge all in pots to coolers and bad beats.

After starting Episode 11 with a tiny stack, she rebought to $200,000, and it took no time for her stack to again be put to the test.

Yong made it $4,000 with A♦K♣ before the talented actress three-bet to $41,600 also with the same but reversed A♣K♦ suits.

“We have a fairly undramatic clash upon us,” commentator Nick Schulman said.

Schulman anticipated an all in and call situation, and then a chopped pot. He was half right as Yong did put his opponent all in for $197,000 total, but Tilly opted to lay her hand down. She admitted after folding that her previous bad luck played a role in her decision making in that hand.

On the following hand, Salomon made an exceptional call on a board of K♦7♥2♥5♣6♦ with J♦J♣ when Steven attempted a $50,000 bluff with a missed flush draw. Salomon, who has a loose-aggressive and wild reputation at the poker table, was showing off some brilliant play.

One hand later, however, he may have gotten a bit greedy on the river, betting $20,000 with complete air and running into Tilly’s nut straight on a board of K♠Q♠10♣A♠A♣. Chann missed out on a piece of that pot as he folded the Jx on the river, likely concerned he was up against a flush or full house. Tilly had an advantage against Chann given that she held the J♠, a key blocker.

Bellande would then continue his aggressive play with K♥Q♠. After three-betting preflop, he whiffed the 9♣8♣A♥ flop but went for a $40,000 wager. The bet was strong enough to convince both Tilly (weaker hand) and Steven, who had a small pocket pair, to fold.

JRB found himself in some tough spots during the newest High Stakes Poker episode. Take, for example, a $50,000 bet he faced with 9♠8♠ on a board of 2♠8♥K♣K♠8♣ from Salomon, a wealthy high roller known to attempt some ambitious bluffs. Bellande ended up folding and it was the correct decision because he was up against a king.

Jennifer Tilly Runs Bad on High Stakes Poker

Set Over Set for Stacks

While the action was entertaining throughout the entire 45-minute episode, it all pales in comparison to the final hand. As is often the case, PokerGO saved the best hand for last.

The hand began with four straddles on, Salomon being the largest at $6,400. Tilly called on the button with 10♥7♥, followed by the 3♥3♣ of Steven, before Bobo made it $30,000 with A♣K♥. Salomon called with 5♥5♦, as did Steven and Tilly.

There was $121,900 already in the pot to the flop of 5♣3♦J♠, creating a set-over-set situation. Salomon bet $42,000, about one-third the size of the pot with middle set. Steven then called with bottom set, but the two other players in the hand folded.

The turn was the 6♥ and Steven checked and then check-raised all in from $90,000 to $142,000 drawing to a one-outer. Salomon would take down the $490,500 pot when the river bricked. It was one of the biggest pots and cruelest coolers of the season.

Episode 12 of High Stakes Poker Season 11 will air next Monday (Nov. 6) at 5 p.m. PT on PokerGO.