“Texas” Poker Player VPIPs 89% Against Amateurs, Wins $260k in Epic Game
Michael "Texas Mike" Moncek, who isn’t actually from Texas, put on a clinic Friday night on Hustler Casino Live, basically playing every hand — even raising preflop half the time — and crushing a table full of mostly amateur poker players.
Wearing his trademark University of Texas hat, the Longhorns fan played an unusual style on a stream for a semi-pro. He hit an 89% VPIP (voluntarily putting money in the pot), meaning he only folded 11% of the hands dealt over nearly seven hours.
World Series of Poker Bracelet Winner Smashes the Competition
Moncek, a two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner with over $1.8 million in live tournament cashes, was far and away the most elite player in Friday's game. Perhaps, he knew his edge was so high that he could just play (almost) every hand and still crush the game. But he did run into some cooler situations. Take, for example, the following hand.
After four-betting preflop with A♠A♥, Moncek was delighted to see a flop of A♣8♣J♣, but he was up against Brazil God's K♣Q♣, so he'd need the board to pair to take down the pot. All the money would go in on the flop, creating a pot of $201,000. Both players agreed to run it twice, and it ended up in a chop — the board paired once.
In another cooler pot, this one at $88,000, he'd take it all down with the nut straight against the set of Arden Cho and top two pair Charles Yu held. It was that sort of day for Texas Mike, who was down $43,000 on Hustler Casino Live over his previous three sessions, according to TrackingPoker.com.
Moncek won $263,000 on the session, easily the biggest winner in the game, and he did so with an 89% VPIP and 50% preflop raise rate, both significantly higher than what you'll see from most poker pros on a livestream, and even most recreational players. He was channeling his inner Alan Keating. Cho also had a profitable night, booking a $57,000 win.
Yu, a Hustler Casino Live regular, was the biggest loser, down $194,000. The crypto investor hasn't run well in recent months in televised poker games, including High Stakes Poker on PokerGO.
Moncek's biggest pot came against Brazil God in a kings cracking aces bad beat. Action began with Luda Chris raising to $600 with K♠10♦, before Brazil God made it $2,300 with A♥A♣. Texas Mike, on the button with K♦K♣, just called, as did Charles in the small blind with 10♣8♣ and Luda.
The flop came out K♥4♣4♥, bad news for the pocket rockets. After Luda Chris checked, Brazil God bet $2,500. Texas Mike, with a full house, just made the call, and so did Luda Chris with top pair. Yu, who didn't flop anything, mucked his cards.
When the 8♠ appeared on the turn, action checked to the player with pocket aces, who bet again, this time for $8,000. Both players called to the 7♦ river. The under-the-gun player checked for a third time, followed by a bet of $20,000 from Brazil God. Moncek then made a raise to $88,500. After Luda Chris folded, Brazil God called off his last $60,500, only to find out his aces were cracked, and the $218,100 pot was sent in the other direction.
