In our Poker Hand of the Week we analyze the biggest pot in US Poker TV History worth an incredible $1,200,000 between Alan Keating and Handz on Hustler Casino Live.
Poker Hand of the Week Setup
This hand was played in the Super High Stakes cash game at Hustler Casino Live, which featured Eric Persson, Alan Keating, Ben Chung, Handz and Haralabos Voulgaris among others.
The blinds are $200/$400/$800/$1,600 and Alan Keating and Handz both have equal stacks and are very deep at the start of the Poker Hand of the Week.
Poker Hand of the Week Action
Preflop:
Handz open-raises from the button with A♠7♥ to $9,000. Ben calls from the small blind with 8♣5♣ as do Eric Persson with A♦J♦ and Alan Keating with K♠2♠ from the straddles. There is already a whopping $37,200 in the pot before the flop is dealt.
Flop:
The flop of 5♦10♠6♠ gives Keating a flush draw, while the three other players basically miss. It checks to the preflop raiser Handz, who makes a $25,000 continuation bet, which is only called by Alan Keating. Pot Size: $87,200
Turn:
The 4♦ on the turn is a very interesting card, since both players pick up some equity. Handz is now open-ended and therefore fires a $70,000 second barrel. Keating check-calls again. Pot Size: $227,000
River:
The river is the 7♠ giving Alan the second Nut Flush. Handz does have the Ace of Spades in his hand though. Alan now leads for $155,000 and Handz bluff raises All-In to $464,000!
Very strong move by Handz and Alan Keating does have a bit of a decision now, since he only has the third Nuts as a possible straight flush is out there as well.
Keating thinks for more than two minutes before flicking in the call to win the biggest pot is US broadcast history worth an incredible $1,200,000!
Poker Hand of the Week Analysis
Not only a massive pot, but a very interesting hand from a poker strategy perspective. Let’s go through it step by step.
The preflop raise by Handz with A7o, after it is folded to him on the button, is standard. Ben makes a pretty loose call from the small blind with 85s inviting the two straddles to come along as well with AJs and K2s.
4-way to a flop, which only really hits Keating, who picks up a flush draw. The preflop raiser Handz does have a backdoor flush and straight draw and an overcard though and that’s probably why he makes a continuation bet here 4-handed, obviously hoping to take down the pot right here and to pick up a large amount of dead money.
Persson and Chung get out of the way, but Keating is going nowhere with his King-high flush draw and check-calls.
The turn is a very spicy card as it gives Handz an Open-Ended Straight Draw. Alan checks to him again and having picked up a draw, he understandably fires a large second barrel once again intended to end the hand right here. Alan Keating has picked up a gutshot to go alongside his flush draw and check-calls again.
The river is another interesting card as both the flush draw comes in and a one-card straight is now on board. Having made the flush Keating can’t check any longer and makes a value bet of 68% pot.
Looks like an easy fold for Handz, but he decides to go for the Naked Ace Bluff trying to represent the Nut Flush by check-raising All-in. Very strong play by Handz, the only problem is that Alan has a too strong hand to fold and after tanking for a bit he calls to win the biggest pot in Hustler Casino Live history worth $1,200,000!
Poker Hand of the Week Conclusion
What a pot!
The hand is actually very well played by both until the river. When Alan Keating leads out for a value-heavy sizing Handz should just fold his hand.
Yes, he does have the Ace of Spades and blocks the Nut Flush, but Keating is simply getting to good pot odds of 2.7 to 1 to fold a strong hand.
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