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Feature for 31 May 2011

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5 Bluffs That Went Wrong: Poker’s Biggest Mishaps May 31 2011

Think you know how to bluff? Remember: its not just the amateurs that make stupid bets… 1. Viktor Blom tries to bluff Ian Munns: K against A A A One of the very first rules you learn when you start to play poker – even if you mostly only play poker online – is to bluff plausibly. Viktor Blom, sitting with K 2 called Ian Munns (A 7) pre-flop in what seemed a generally sensible call. From there, though, the young Swede imploded in spectacular fashion. After the flop delivered A A 3 (which should have set alarm bells ringing in Blom’s head) Munns bet £9,000 and the table waited for Blom to fold; staggeringly, he raised Munns to £58,000. Munns, scarcely believing his fortune, re-raised himself to £116,000. Blom, now totally committed to the pot, had little option but to go all in. Munns called. With the turn and river offering no help, Blom left the table red-faced. 2. James Kier tries to bluff Doyle Brunson: J 9 against A J This is a perfect example of biting off more than you can chew. If there is a master of bluffing in professional poker, then it is the veteran Doyle Brunson; not that it stopped James Kier from trying his luck against the old pro. Brunson sat with A J while Kier had J 9, both hands suited; the flop turned up 2 4 K, but Kier kept betting. The turn produced a 3; Kier continued to bet and Brunson continued to call. Desperate for a 9 on the river, the dealer turned over a 4 and Kier once again bet, but Brunson, by now sure that his opponent was bluffing, called and won the pot. “You got me!” admitted Kier after failing to bluff the master. 3. Amir Vahedi tries to bluff Sammy Farha: 10 8 against full house (9 9 9 6 6) With Vahedi on 10 8 and Farha hitting pocket 9s pre-flop, you can forgive Vahedi for wanting to see the outcome of the flop. The 9 4 6, however, gave him little encouragement; it simply strengthened Farha’s position. That position was improved once again when, on the turn, he hit another 6 for a full house. Incredibly, Vahedi decided now was the time for a bluff and quickly bet a huge $300,000; after pretending to deliberate, Farha called. The river came with a 3 and Farha’s final bet of $300,000 saw him take a huge pot and leave Vahedi rueing his poor judgement. 4. Brandon Cantu tries to bluff Craig Marquis: 7 7 against A A The 2008 WSOP event saw Brandon Cantu and Chris Marquis at the final table. In this hand Cantu’s pocket sevens had the advance over Marquis’ A Q, until the turn when the dealer placed an A on the table. Cantu checked, but Marquis put out a small $200,000 bet, which Cantu immediately raised to a million. Marquis called leading to the river being turned: a 10, which helped neither player. Cantu asked for a chip count and surprisingly went all-in with his pair of 7s, Marquis called and the look on Cantu’s face said it all as his opponent took home a $12 million chip pot. 5. Ilari Sahamies tries to bluff Patrik Antonius: 5 3 plays 7 7 7 All the bluffing action in this hand occurred post flop when Sahamies, who held nothing in his hand, decide to bluff against his Finnish compatriot Antonius (who held three sevens). After an initial bet of $9,000 from Sahamies, Antonius thought about it and re-raised to $28,000. Committed to the pot, Sahamies made a bad choice (to bluff with nothing) and raised the bet to $65,000. Sensing blood, Antonius went all in and Sahamies, who realised his error, flung in his cards, nearly $80,000 poorer.Read

5 Bluffs That Went Wrong: Poker’s Biggest Mishaps May 31 2011

Think you know how to bluff? Remember: its not just the amateurs that make stupid bets… 1. Viktor Blom tries to bluff Ian Munns: K against A A A One of the very first rules you learn when you start to play poker – even if you mostly only play poker online – is to bluff plausibly. Viktor Blom, sitting with K 2 called Ian Munns (A 7) pre-flop in what seemed a generally sensible call. From there, though, the young Swede imploded in spectacular fashion. After the flop delivered A A 3 (which should have set alarm bells ringing in Blom’s head) Munns bet £9,000 and the table waited for Blom to fold; staggeringly, he raised Munns to £58,000. Munns, scarcely believing his fortune, re-raised himself to £116,000. Blom, now totally committed to the pot, had little option but to go all in. Munns called. With the turn and river offering no help, Blom left the table red-faced. 2. James Kier tries to bluff Doyle Brunson: J 9 against A J This is a perfect example of biting off more than you can chew. If there is a master of bluffing in professional poker, then it is the veteran Doyle Brunson; not that it stopped James Kier from trying his luck against the old pro. Brunson sat with A J while Kier had J 9, both hands suited; the flop turned up 2 4 K, but Kier kept betting. The turn produced a 3; Kier continued to bet and Brunson continued to call. Desperate for a 9 on the river, the dealer turned over a 4 and Kier once again bet, but Brunson, by now sure that his opponent was bluffing, called and won the pot. “You got me!” admitted Kier after failing to bluff the master. 3. Amir Vahedi tries to bluff Sammy Farha: 10 8 against full house (9 9 9 6 6) With Vahedi on 10 8 and Farha hitting pocket 9s pre-flop, you can forgive Vahedi for wanting to see the outcome of the flop. The 9 4 6, however, gave him little encouragement; it simply strengthened Farha’s position. That position was improved once again when, on the turn, he hit another 6 for a full house. Incredibly, Vahedi decided now was the time for a bluff and quickly bet a huge $300,000; after pretending to deliberate, Farha called. The river came with a 3 and Farha’s final bet of $300,000 saw him take a huge pot and leave Vahedi rueing his poor judgement. 4. Brandon Cantu tries to bluff Craig Marquis: 7 7 against A A The 2008 WSOP event saw Brandon Cantu and Chris Marquis at the final table. In this hand Cantu’s pocket sevens had the advance over Marquis’ A Q, until the turn when the dealer placed an A on the table. Cantu checked, but Marquis put out a small $200,000 bet, which Cantu immediately raised to a million. Marquis called leading to the river being turned: a 10, which helped neither player. Cantu asked for a chip count and surprisingly went all-in with his pair of 7s, Marquis called and the look on Cantu’s face said it all as his opponent took home a $12 million chip pot. 5. Ilari Sahamies tries to bluff Patrik Antonius: 5 3 plays 7 7 7 All the bluffing action in this hand occurred post flop when Sahamies, who held nothing in his hand, decide to bluff against his Finnish compatriot Antonius (who held three sevens). After an initial bet of $9,000 from Sahamies, Antonius thought about it and re-raised to $28,000. Committed to the pot, Sahamies made a bad choice (to bluff with nothing) and raised the bet to $65,000. Sensing blood, Antonius went all in and Sahamies, who realised his error, flung in his cards, nearly $80,000 poorer.Read

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