Mystery Poker Player Mucks Winning Hand in $540k Pot on Hustler Casino Live
Mistakes are made by every poker player from time to time. But one mystery player during Thursday's Hustler Casino Live Million Dollar Game made an avoidable blunder that cost him over $540,000.
The player in question is known only as "Thomas." He showed up to play during the third $1 million buy-in session, but has never appeared on HCL or any other poker stream, apparently. Thomas is masked up on the stream and has been playing a loose, wild style, bringing the action through the first two hours of the game.
Why Did Poker Player Fold His Cards?
Day 3 of the Million Dollar Game had 30,000 people tuned in at the time of publishing, and many of those commenting in the YouTube chat had plenty to say about the play and mysterious nature of Thomas, who is supposedly a European entrepreneur of some sorts.
Thomas played one of the weirdest pots thus far during what has been an epic series of Million Dollar Games about an hour into the Thursday stream. A hand that even left commentator David Tuchman confused.
The hand began with Michael "Texas Mike" Moncek, who returned to action Thursday following a health scare, raising to $4,000 from the hijack with Q♥9♥. Tom Dwan, who lost over $1.2 million the first two days of the Million Dollar Game, called in the cutoff with 5♦5♣.
Thomas called on the button with 8♣7♦, but Steve woke up with K♦K♣ in the small blind and three-bet it to $22,000. Alan Keating, who had just shown up for the game, called with A♥3♥ in the big blind. as did Texas Mike, Dwan, and Thomas.
The flop came out 4♣9♣10♥, a little something for most of those hands. Action folded to Moncek, and he fired out a bet of $56,000. Dwan folded, Thomas called, Steve called, and Keating sent his cards into the muck.
When the 2♠ appeared on the turn, Steve made a teeny tiny lead bet for $1,000, which gave Tuchman a chuckle. Both remaining players called to see the J♠ on the river, which gave Thomas a winning straight. Well, it should have.
Following two checks, Thomas bet $130,000 with the best hand, and Steve called with his over pair before Texas Mike folded his cards. The $543,000 pot was about to be headed in the direction of Thomas, but he placed his cards in front of his stack in the dealer's direction face-down, Steve showed his pocket kings, and then Thomas' cards went into the muck.
Hustler Casino Live co-owner and producer Ryan Feldman issued a statement to PokerNews when asked if there's any chance the graphics showing Thomas' hand were incorrect.
"It is highly doubtful that the graphics were wrong, although it is possible" Feldman said. "It is more likely that he misread his hand or the board. It is not the first time that this has happened on our show."
The Hustler Casino Live Million Dollar Game can be viewed on YouTube on Thursday and Friday.
