Rising Action
The massive pot took place on the Sunday stream. The game was $200/$400 no limit hold’em with Nik Airball and Doug Polk at the table driving a lot of the action up to that point.
The hand in question got going when Action Dan picked up A♠J♠ in the low-jack. He opened the action by raising the $800 straddle to $2,500. Hook then made it $11,000 from the cut-off and the rest of the field folded.
Action Dan called the rest of the $11,000 and the dealer turned over a flop of A♦J♥A♥. Action Dan checked his option with a full house and Hook bet $10,000, got the call, and made the pot $43,800 going into the turn.
The turn was an action card, the 3♦, giving Hook the nut flush draw to go with his Broadway straight draw. Action Dan check-called Hook’s $16,000 bet and the play moved on to the river.
SUPER HIGH STAKES ($200/400) With Doug Polk! Airball! Trick Time! Taras!
River Dance
The river was the 6♦, the board now read A♦J♥A♥3♦6♦, Action Dan’s boatful of aces and jacks had Hook’s nut-flush beat, and there was $75,800 in the middle.
Action Dan checked again, spooling out a little slack in the line while Hook pondered his options for a moment before cutting out $53,000 in chips. Action Dan pondered a little longer still, before announcing he was all in for a total bet of $208,800.
For a full two minutes, the table sat in silence as Hook tried to find a way off of his hand. However, eventually and reluctantly he said “call” and Action Dan turned over his hand.
“I could have folded,” Hook said as the dealer pushed the $493,800 pot across the table. “I could have folded.”
“Pretty cool flop,” Action Dan replied, stacking his chips.