Amateur Player Dave Krosky Steals the Spotlight in Episode 7 of The Big Game on Tour

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Dave Krosky

Last week, PokerNews told you that Dave Krosky would be a star in this instalment of The Big Game on Tour, and from the latest episode, you'll surely see why.

The Las Vegas Entrepreneur brought the heat and made some out-of-the-box plays that will surely raise a few eyebrows. But despite his inexperience under the bright lights of the PokerStars feature table, Krosky showed no fear against the shiver of sharks looking to take a chunk out of his stack.

Did he get the best of the table, or did he end up being a bucket of chum? Find out in this recap of Episode 7.

Amateur Krosky Stacks Grafton

Dave Krosky
Dave Krosky

The second session got underway with Krosky taking on PokerStars ambassador Sam Grafton. The amateur drew first blood, winning a $41,000 pot after rivering top pair to take from the Englishman. Krosky told Grafton that he was coming for his chips, etching the battle lines that would dominate the episode.

Krosky and Grafton tangled soon after, with Krosky opening to $500 with 54 from the cutoff. Michael Ian Black looked down at 98 from the button and called before Grafton defended his big blind with 66.

Grafton improved to a set on the K63 flop, while Krosky had an open-ended straight draw. Krosky continued for $5,000 and only Grafton called. The 8 turn checked through to the 2 river, giving Krosky the stone-cold nuts. With $11,800 in the middle, Grafton checked, and surprisingly, Krosky tapped the table twice.

Grafton turned over his set, but Krosky was unaware that his hand movements ruled his action as a check.

"You weren't checking?" asked Grafton. "I was not checking," Krosky replied.

Krosky's hand actions was ruled as a check, and Grafton was relieved to preserve his stack.

"It was definitely my mistake; blame it on my lack of experience. These are expensive learning lessons," Krosky grinned.

Sam Grafton
Sam Grafton

But the duo wouldn't take long to get involved once again, with sparks igniting on the next deal.

Phil Laak kicked things off with a raise to $600 from under the gun with J10. Krosky called from the next seat over with 53 before Grafton and Maria Ho tagged along from the blinds, holding 55 and K6, respectively.

For a consecutive hand, Grafton flopped middle set after the dealer put out the A52. The action checked to Laak, who bet $1,000. Krosky clicked it to $2,000 before Grafton three-bet to $6,500. Ho and Laak got out of the way while Krosky stuck around with his pair and gutshot straight draw. The 4 turn saw Krosky outdraw Grafton once again. After plenty of speech play from the furniture mogul, the money piled in, setting up a $108,400 pot. They agreed to run it twice, but the river failed to pair the board, and Krosky made it a hat-trick of wins against the professional poker player.

Grafton, who was left with $2,400, added on $50,000 and Laak then put more money on the table, topping off his stack with a further $100,000.

Does Laak's Trap Yield a Fortune?

Maria Ho x Phil Laak
Maria Ho x Phil Laak

Soon after, another six-figure pot transpired, with Ho opening her AJ to $600 from the button. Laak woke up with QQ in the small blind and decided to just call. Getting a good price, Krosky defended his 42.

The latter led out with his four-high for $2,000 on the 1076 flop, with Ho calling. Laak increased the price of poker to $6,000, folding out Krosky. Ho, with the nut-flush draw, put in the additional chips needed to see the Q turn. Laak, now with top set, bet $12,000. Ho quickly called with her combo draw, which came in on the K river. Laak jammed as the bigger stack, and Ho snap-called for the $51,200 she had behind to take in the largest pot of the day.

Grafton Gets a Rebate from Krosky

After a brief reprieve in their war, Krosky and Grafton locked horns once again.

Grafton found himself with Big Slick in early position and made it $600. Phil Laak called on the button with K3 ahead of Krosky 66 and Black J9 tagging along from the blinds.

Grafton found his ace on the A1010 flop to have the best hand. His $300 continuation bet was only called by Krosky, who told Grafton he wouldn't be bluffed off his hand.

Grafton sealed the checkmark on the A turn and raised it to $3,500 after Krosky bet $300. Krosky, whose pair was now counterfeited, called to see the Q complete the board. Krosky tried to win the hand with an overbet of $12,000 but returned his cards to the dealer after Grafton bumped it up to $42,000.

Krosky Flops the Nuts

Dave Krosky

On the final hand, Krosky limped in with KQ before Black raised to $800 with KJ from the cutoff. Ho called from the big blind with 76, and of course, Krosky threw in the extra calling chips.

The J109 flop was gin for Krosky, making the nut straight. He bet $5,000 into a pot of $2,700, and only Black called. The A turn improved Krosky to Broadway and he fired a second barrel of $10,000. Black thought over his options and decided to call against the wildcard.

The river was the 6 and Krosky, likely worried about spades, opted to check. Black followed suit and watched his opponent win the $32,700 pot.

Standings After Episode 7

Thanks to doubling through Laak, Ho ended episode 7 as the biggest winner, with Krosky also in Profitville. Black dropped into third place but was still up to the tune of $38,500.

Loose cannon Lily Newhouse clawed back $11,900 after winning small pots against Krosky and Black but remains in the hole for $21,000.

Grafton fell into the red by a margin of -$34,600, and Laak's loss of $84,500 put him bottom of the standings.

RankPlayerProfit/LossStack
1Maria Ho+$50,800$150,800
2Dave Krosky+$45,700$95,700
3Michael Ian Black+$38,500$88,500
4Lily Newhouse-$17,100$32,900
5Sam Grafton-$34,600$65,400
6Phil Laak-$84,500$215,500
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Editor & Live Reporter

Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum has written for various poker outlets but found his home at PokerNews, where he has contributed to various articles and live updates, providing insights and reporting on major poker events, including the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

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