Poker Hand of the Week Setup
Our Poker Hand of the Week was played at the massive £3,000/£6,000 Triton Poker London Short Deck Cash Game Episode 2.
The fantastic lineup of the Triton Short Deck Cash Game is an action-packed mix of Chinese high stakes regulars, rich businessmen and some of the best players Short Deck players in the world such as Tan Xuan, Mikita Badziakouski and Jason Koon.
All of the players are regulars at the Triton Poker Cash Games and are therefore know each other’s game.
Poker Hand of the Week Action
Preflop Action:
In contrary to No-Limit Hold’em, limping preflop is a decent strategy in Short Deck as it is a flop and action game similar to Pot-Limit Omaha.
And that is what Mikita Badziakouski does here from UTG+1 with Q♦T♥ and Liu Ming Zhong in UTG+2 with KJ and Paul Phua on the button with 6♣6♠ both call. l. Pot size: £27,000
Flop:
The flop 9♠T♣9♥ and gives Mikita Top Two, while Liu has two overcards and a gutshot. Important to note here is that a gutshot in Short Deck is comparable to an Open Ender in No-Limit Holdem.
So regarding the odds this is basically a coinflip with slightly ahead with 54%. However, he decides to check and Ming Zhong takey over the initiative by betting £12,000 into £27,000. Paul Phua folds and “fish2013” check-calls. Pot size: £51,000
Turn:
The turn Q♥ is a super interesting card as it makes Liu the nut straight, while Mikita improves to a better two pair.
Badziakouski checks again and Ming Zhong now bets 2/3 pot namely £35,000 and Mikita call. Pot size: £121,000
River:
The river A♥ is a big scare card for Liu as it completes the flush, which beats a full house in Short Deck, and a full house is possible as well.
Mikita knows at this point that he is behind as now even any Ace beats him and can only win the hand by bluffing. By check-calling twice he could also easily made the flush or have trapped Liu with a full house.
Consequently, “fish” decides to turn his hand into a bluff by polarizing his hand with a massive overbet of £150,000. This bluff also makes a lot of sense as Mikita blocks the full house and has a heart in his hand, so it is rather unlikely that Liu has a flush or full house.
Mikita therefore represents the flush or full house himself as he knows that he now can get an Ace, trips and even a straight to fold and this is exactly what happens here as Ming Zhong quicly folds his hand and Badziakouski wins a nice £271,000 pot with the worse hand.
Poker Hand of the Week Analysis
Absolute next level poker by Mikita Badziakouski, who once again shows, why he is one of the best in the game by playing the hand perfectly.
Keeping the pot small on the flop and the turn with a mediocre hand and then taking the chance once it arises to turn the hand into a bluff and having the balls to do it with a massive overbet.
What makes this bluff so great? It’s the perfect execution and the fact that Mikita seems to knows exactly where he is in the hand and what range his opponent has.
Moreover, he is aware that he has great blockers as he is blocking te full house and also has a heart in his hand, which due to the fact that Short Deck is played only with 36 cards, significantly reduces the chance of Liu having a flush.
Knowing how to use your blockers and when to turn your hand into a bluff is what makes the difference between a good and an outstanding player, especially in Short Deck or Pot-Limit Omaha, and this is demonstrated to perfection in this hand.
Well played Mikita Badziakouski!
- View more poker strategy articles here
Watch the Poker Hand of the Week here from 19:33 on:
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