In our Hand of the Week we analyze if Doug Polk made a bad call in a huge $487,100 pot against Rob Yong in the final High Stakes Poker Seasion 11 episode.
Poker Hand of the Week Setup
This spectacular poker hand was played in the final episode of High Stakes Poker Season 11, which featured Doug Polk, Matt Berkey, Nik Airball, Jennifer Tilly and Rob Yong among others.
They are playing 7-max $200/$400 No-Limit Hold’em. Both players are very deep with effective stack size being 601 big blinds and Polk got Yong covered at the start of the hand.
Poker Hand of the Week Action
Preflop:
JRB open-raises from Under The Gun to $4,000 with 7♥6♥, Doug Polk makes it $13,000 with J♥10♥ behind him and Nik Airball calls with 9♦9♣ on the button.
Rob Yong picks up K♥Q♥ in the small blind and makes the call as does initial raiser JRB with 7♥6♥. Pot Size: $53,100
Flop:
4-way to an interestin flop of 7♠10♣A♥. Interesting, because it has a little bit for everyone, but no one hits the flop really hard.
Preflop 3-bettor Doug Polk does have the best hand here and makes a $17,000 cbet, which only Rob calls with his gutshot to the Nuts and backdoor flush draw. Pot Size: $87,100
Turn:
The J♠ on the turn is a very spicy card as it gives Rob Yong the Nuts and Doug Polk Two Pair. Yong checks and Doug checks behind. Pot Size: $87,100
River:
The 3♦ on the river is as blank as it gets. Rob Yong checks for a third time, Doug makes a $50,500 value bet, and Rob makes a large check-raise to $200,000.
Doug Polk goes deep into the tank and finally flicks in the call just to see the bad news, while Rob Yong takes down a huge $487,100 pot.
Poker Hand of the Week Analysis
Was this a bad call by Doug Polk? Let’s take an in-depth look at it.
The hand starts with a loose $4,000 UTG raise by JRB with 7h6h. Doug Polk 3-bets to $13k right behind him with JhTh, which is fine as this hand plays very well postflop, but you can also just call here.
Nik Airball has Pocket Nines on the button and can call or 4-bet, but given how deep the players are and that he has position, I think a call is the better option here, which also draws in JRB.
The 7s10cAh flop gives Doug middle pair, so he has an easy continuation bet here. In fact, he also has the best hand 4-handed with 42% equity. After only Rob calls, Polk’s odds to win the hand increase to 64%.
That changes dramatically on the Js turn though as it makes Rob Yong Broadway and a 91% favourite to win the hand. Doug also improves to Two Pair, but surprisingly checks behind.
The 3d is a blank and Rob sets the trap by checking for a third time. Doug Polk now understandably thinks he has the best hand and makes a value bet of 58% pot.
Yong now springs the trap and check-raises 4x to $200,000 sending Polk into the tank for over a minute.
In theory, when you check back the turn and there comes a blank on the river, then you should call.
Doug knows that, and this is what he does, just to get shown the Stone Cold Nuts.
Poker Hand of the Week Conclusion
So is this a bad call by Doug Polk or not?
What speaks against it is that after checking back the turn for pot control, you should be calling on the river.
Furthermore, if you don’t bet-call with Two Pair in this spot, you are opening yourself up to get exploited by aggressive opponents and give them the chance to run you over.
What speaks for it, is that you are up against a really tight opponent, who used a very strong line, so it is highly unlikely that Rob Yong is bluffing here.
Check-calling twice on the flop and turn and then check-raising large on the river is a sign of big strength.
In addition to that, there are not many bluffs Rob could have except for K9s, QJ and maybe 87s, and you don’t beat any of his value hands.
That’s why I would fold against a tight opponent like Rob Yong and call against a loose-aggressive opponent, which is capable of bluffing in this spot.
Let’s see what Doug Polk says about this hand:
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