Is this the Greatest Call You've Seen in a Poker Tournament All Year?
Andrew Moreno made a call for the ages during heads-up play Sunday in a $100,000 guaranteed Super September tournament at The Lodge Card Club near Austin, Texas.
The no-limit hold'em two-day event paid its winner $30,544, a prize the champion wouldn't have received if not for making one of the best calls you'll ever see.
Poker Star Makes a Brilliant Call
Moreno, one of the top tournament players in the game, has made a number of brilliant plays the past few years. He's recorded nearly $3.7 million in live tournament cashes since 2021, according to The Hendon Mob, including a $1.4 million score for winning a $10,000 buy-in event at Wynn Las Vegas three years ago.
So, when he makes a tough call, it's pretty much par for the course. But the hand you're about to witness is some next-level stuff. And, perhaps, the best call captured on a livestream in years.
Moreno, heads-up against Collin Rountree at the time with nearly identical stacks, raised the 40,000 big blind to 100,000 from the button with Q♥J♦, leaving around 2,100,000 behind. The big blind, who had him covered by a small amount, defended with J♠3♦.
The flop came out 10♥4♠6♠, nothing but some backdoor draws for either player. Moreno, following an under-the-gun check, continued for 180,000 with queen-high only to be check-raised to 530,000 by a player holding jack-high.
That didn't detour the tournament crusher, who made the call to see the 4♣ pair the board, no help to either player. Both players checked to the K♣ on the river, leaving the each player with just high-card hands.
Rountree brought out his aggressive side and put his opponent all in for 1,600,000 with jack-high. Moreno went into the tank with queen-high, and somehow came to the conclusion that not only was Rountree bluffing, he was bluffing with a hand that couldn't beat his weak hand. Moreno made the gutsy call to take down the pot. He'd go on to win the tournament moments later, while Rountree took second place for $19,829.
Kristy Arnett Moreno, Moreno's wife and former PokerNews hostess, was even bluffed by her husband.
The Lodge Card Club in Austin, Texas, co-owned by Andrew Neeme, Doug Polk, and Brad Owen, has made the news quite a few times recently. The largest poker room in Texas (for now, as The Lodge's second location in San Antonio will soon stake that claim), has one of the juiciest poker room promotions ever coming up this month.
Neeme and Owen will host a Meet-Up Game (MUG) at the Texas card room at 2 p.m. on Sept. 18. Members can receive a $10 annual membership rate from Sept. 18-22, and the poker club will host a $100,000 freeroll for its players on Sept. 19, among other benefits for joining the club.
Royal Flush at The Lodge Disqualifies Bad Beat Jackpot
