Hansen wins big from the flips
NBC’s ‘railbird heaven’ Poker After Dark Cash Game descended into a bit of a travesty, with wild proposition bets and blind all-ins detracting from the poker.
When, at the start of the show, Tom Dwan casually announced he was ‘going to lose around a million’, the stage was set for fireworks. The series was supposed to pit some of the best poker minds against each other, but action quickly became a degenerate free for all, with players betting $100k in the dark on ‘flips’.
Eleven times bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, known for his more conservative money management, excluded himself from the all-in bonanza. He explained to host Leanne Tweeden how the players wanted to break free from the online rigours of poker, and enjoy some live gambling. He insisted it was good for the game and a great spectacle, however such frivolous gambling can only serve to undermine the skill ethic in poker. Hellmuth started by playing ultra-tight, but loosened up after the ‘flips’, sensing increased desperation amongst the players and a need to gamble.
After Patrik Antonius won the first, $500k all-in fest when his A
5 maintained its pre-flop edge, it was the turn of charismatic Dane Gus Hansen to get lucky. He nailed the 8
2 Q flop with his J
8
. Daniel Negreanu also caught a piece with his 5 2, but despite running the river twice, Hansen held on for $400k.
Wacky prop bets were also in abundance. One game, curiously dubbed ‘what Johnny Lodden thinks’, involved players taking bets on the estimates of a single pro. The crew bet on the date Patrik Antonius thought the first ‘Rocky’ film was made, and how old Phil Hellmuth thought Doyle Brunson was. Phil Ivey and Patrik Antonius frequently referred to their notepads to scribble down prop bet amounts.
The first two episodes failed to provide much ‘proper’ poker. Of particular intrigue was Gus Hansen’s more conservative approach, which commanded him greater respect. Eventually when he did loosen up, making it $14,000 with A 7 after Negreanu opened for $4,200 with 8 8, the chatty Canadian made a questionable fold. Tom Dwan was up to his usual antics, calling a Patrik Antonius (AK) pre-flop raise with 5 3. The dry, 10 7 7 flop was perfect for a bluff, and durrrr re-popped the cool Finn to $43k, after he made a $15k continuation bet.
We'll bring you updates as the series progresses.