2009 World Series of Poker Circuit - Council Bluffs

$5,150 Circuit Championship Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2009 World Series of Poker Circuit - Council Bluffs

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a7
Prize
$113,020
Event Info
Buy-in
$5,000
Prize Pool
$313,950
Entries
67
Level Info
Level
16
Blinds
8,000 / 16,000
Ante
2,000

Why So Much, Jesse?

The Meeting
The Meeting
We pick up the action on the flop in the first family pot here three handed. The board shows {K-Clubs} {J-Clubs} {3-Diamonds}. Hale checks first, McDonald bets, and both Meierotto and Hale call.

Fourth street comes the {10-Clubs}. McDonald fires again, this time for 37,000. That's enough to get Meierotto out, but Hale quietly announces that he is all in on the check-raise. It's an additional 194,000 for McDonald, and he would take several minutes before making his decision.

"Why so much, Jesse?" he wonders aloud. After another minute, he walks all the way around the table to join Hale, who is kneeling up on his chair with one leg. "Do you want me to call?" he asked.

"I'll give you either of those questions you want. You asked two, and I'll answer one of them. Any one you want."

"All right. Why so much?" repeats McDonald.

Hale proceeds to explain that if he made a normal raise, he wouldn't be able to make a big all in move on the river. Hence, he elected to just shove right then and there. Seemingly satisfied by the answer, McDonald slowly walks the long way back to his own chair and quickly slips his cards back to the dealer.

Tags: Jesse HaleJohn McDonald