Matt Berkey Cracks Poker Pro’s Aces for $140k Pot

Who says all of the thrilling poker motion in Las Vegas this month is restricted to tournaments? The World Poker Tour (WPT) Money Sport livestream has featured some epic arms, two of which Matt Berkey benefited from tremendously.

Wynn Las Vegas is at present internet hosting the WPT World Championship pageant, with Day 1b motion of the $1,100 WPT Prime Championship going down on Monday. Greater than 3,000 gamers had already entered the $5 million assured match with two days of registration remaining. However there’s additionally some juicy motion going down on the livestream stage at Wynn that has nothing to do with match play.

Poker Professional Wins Two Boards, Twice

Seven excessive rollers took a seat in a $100/$200/$200 no-limit maintain’em money sport livestreamed on the World Poker Tour’s YouTube channel. One participant — “Rips” — purchased in for $100,000, whereas everybody else began with $50,000. There have been some extra dynamics in play past customary NLH, together with the Squid Sport, a extra risky variation of the Stand-Up Sport.

The Squid Sport got here into play in brutal a foul beat hand between two distinguished poker podcasters and excessive rollers — Berkey of the OnlyFriends podcast and Justin Younger from the Desk 1 Vegas podcast. However earlier than entering into that pot, Berkey ran pure in a wild hand in opposition to Peter, who typically seems on Hustler On line casino Stay.

Each gamers have been all in preflop with $140,800 within the center. Berkey held 8♦8♣ in opposition to Peter’s J♠10♠, a traditional race state of affairs. They ran the board twice with the primary flop popping out 2♣Okay♣J♣, giving the podcaster a flush draw, which he did not hit on the two♦ flip however did on the A♣ river, securing no less than half the pot.

The second flop of 10♣7♠5♦ seemed much less promising for the pocket pair. However the J♥ on the flip introduced some straight draw outs, after which he would once more river a profitable hand with the 9♣ to scoop your complete pot. That hand was nothing in comparison with one Berkey would play a bit later within the sport in opposition to Younger.

Motion started with the Squid Sport on and Xuan Liu calling the $200 massive blind from the cutoff with Okay♣6♠ earlier than Younger seemed down at A♦A♣ on the button and made it $1,400 to go. Berkey, within the small blind with 10♥10♣, three-bet it to $8,800. Liu had no selection however to throw her playing cards within the muck. However Younger had pocket rockets and got here again with a four-bet to $21,000, leaving $48,000 behind.

Berkey, who had his opponent coated, then moved all in and acquired a snap-call. There could be a number of runouts once more, and the primary board of Okay♥10♦5♠8♠2♦ gave Berkey a partial suckout. He’d have to do it once more on the second runout for the total scoop, nonetheless, which he’d do when the group playing cards confirmed 4♣Q♠5♦10♠7♦, twice hitting a ten to win the total $138,600 pot.

“No person runs like Berkey,” one participant at desk stated because the pot was being pushed in Berkey’s route.

Berkey defined to PokerNews on a break that he appreciated his determination to maneuver all in given the Squid Sport dynamics.

“I imply, it is Squid Sport, so you’ll be able to’t actually care — 10’s are simply method too priceless,” Berkey defined. “So, it is like a kind of issues, if he wakes up with an even bigger pair, nice. It is simply sort of the character of Squid. It is very tournament-esque the place you are risking a complete bunch of cash to stave off these penalties.”

Berkey, who has competed in opposition to Younger in Las Vegas high-stakes money video games many instances, stated earlier than he jammed he was assured “he wasn’t bluffing there.” However he was hopeful that he was up in opposition to ace-king or a decrease pocket pair.

When the Squid Sport is on, the final participant to win a pot should pay a money penalty to the opposite gamers on the desk. This causes gamers who have not received a hand to gamble greater than they might throughout a normal maintain’em sport, a part of why Berkey was prepared to play for stacks with the pocket pair.

Berkey had tripled his beginning stack on the time of publishing. Poker followers can watch your complete WPT Money Sport livestream beneath.

*Pictures courtesy of the World Poker Tour.