In our Poker Hand of the Week we analyze one of the sickest bluffs of all time by Tom Marchese vs. Phil Hellmuth at the Poker Masters followed by a massive Phil Hellmuth Blow Up!
Poker Hand of the Week Setup
We are at the final table of Event #2 of the Poker Masters, which was a $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em. Two players already busted, so play is 6-handed.
Tom Marchese has Phil Hellmuth covered at the start of our Poker Hand of the Week.
Poker Hand of the Week Action
Preflop:
The blinds are 20,000/40,000 and Phil Hellmuth open-raises from the cut-off with Q♥J♠ to 85,000. Fedor Holz calls from the small blind showing only the 7♦ and Tom Marchese decides to complete from the big bling with 3♣2♣. Pot Size: 285,000
Flop:
The flop comes 6♣K♦J♣ giving Hellmuth Middle Pair and Marchese a flush draw, but it surprisingly gets checked around. Pot Size: 285,000
Turn:
The 4♦ turn gives Tom a gutshot to go alongside his flush draw and this time he decides to lead for 165,000 (58% pot). Fedor quickly folds, but the Poker Brat makes the call. Pot Size: 615,000
River:
The 8♥ on the river doesn’t changes much and all the draws of Tom Marchese bust. He has to bet in order to win the pot and choses a 400,000 sizing, which basically setting Phil Hellmuth All-in, who has only 495,000 behind.
Hellmuth thinks for 30 seconds before mucking his hand. Tom turns over 3-high or a stone cold bluff triggering a classic Phil Hellmuth Blow up.
Poker Hand of the Week Analysis
Let’s take an in-depth look at this gutsy bluff by Brilliant bluff by Tom Marchese.
Phil’s preflop open-raise with QJo from the cut-off is standard and once Holz calls, Marchese has to call as well from the big blind with his Suited Connectors as he gets extremely favorable pot odds.
The flop gives preflop raiser Phil Hellmuth middle pair good kicker and Tom Marchese a flush draw. However, Hellmuth surprisingly doesn’t make a continuation bet, when checked to and we go to the turn.
On the turn Marchese adds more equity in form of a gutshot and since the flop was checked through, he understandably leads out with a sizeable 58% pot bet designed to take down the hand right here. Fedor folds and Phil makes the call.
On the river Tom misses all his draws and he sits there with the Nut Low means he has to bet, if he wants to win the hand. He decides to go big by virtually putting Hellmuth All-in. Phil thinks for a bit and then mucks his hand just to get shown 3-high by Tom Marchese as insult to injury.
Poker Hand of the Week Conclusion
Brilliant play by Marchese, who makes everything right in this hand.
He takes over the initiative on the turn after Hellmuth shows weakness on the flop by checking behind and then tells his story to the end with a large bet, when all his draws bust on the river.
Phil Hellmuth blows up when he sees Tom’s hand saying: “I wish I can play with you guys everyday” with Fedor Holz replying: “We wish the same 😊”
That pretty much sums our Poker Hand of the Week up and there is nothing more to say.
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