Top players know there’s more to poker than bluffing. But they still get a big thrill from pulling the wool over their opponent’s eyes.
Here’s the 9 best bluffs from the recent PartyPoker.com Premier League Poker IV tournament, held at the M Resort in Las Vegas.
-
- Luke Schwartz re-reraises Yevgeniy Timoshenko with 6 high
Yevgeniy Timoshenko took a stab at the pot with KJ, Luke Schwartz raised back holding a mere 6-4. Timoshenko re-reraised, and Schwartz instantly moved all-in with his trash hand. When Timoshenko, Schwartz was ‘kind enough’ to reveal his bluff and show his opponent the 6 high.
-
- David Benyamine’s River bluff gets Phil Laak to fold trips
David Benyamine and Phil Laak found themselves taking a flop of 5-5-6. Benyamine, holding A-10, bet with nothing besides overcards, Phil Laak – holding Q-5 for three of a kind, fired back – only to find Benyamine calling. The Turn brought a 9, giving Benyamine a flush draw, and when Laak bet again Benyamine called. When the River came blank, Benyamine decided to put in a huge bet with nothing. and managed to get Laak to fold his trip fives!
-
- Luke Schwartz bluffs Ian Frazer’s Aces holding King high
Luke Schwartz raised from under the gun holding K-6, and was called by Ian Frazer from the big blind holding A-10. Frazer improved to a pair of aces on the flop, and even though Schwartz had nothing, that didn’t stop him from betting. Frazer smooth called, and the Turn came blank. Schwartz, still holding nothing besides King-high, bet again and Frazer called. The River was blank again, but Schwartz didn’t stop and fired a third bullet, which succeeded in making Frazer fold after some thinking.
-
- Luke Schwartz bets Yevgeniy Timoshenko with nothing
Yevgeniy Timoshenko raised from the button with Q-10, and was called by Luke Schwartz in big blind with 10-8. While Timoshenko found no hope on the flop, Schwartz flopped a gutshot straight. Timoshenko bet, Schwartz called, and a blank card came on Turn. Both players checked and after another blank card on the River Schwartz made the bet holding nothing but air and Timoshenko folded the best hand.
-
- JC Tran gets Hellmuth to fold the best hand
JC Tran limped with 5-4, and Phil Hellmuth raised from the big blind with 10-2 and Tran called. Hellmuth picked up a pair of deuces on the flop, Tran got a gutshot. Hellmuth bet, Tran called. When the Turn came blank, Hellmuth bet, only to see Tran re-raise with the gutshot. Hellmuth folded, and showed him one of the cards.
-
- Giovanni Safina River-bluffs Rousso’s pair of tens
Vanessa Rousso limped with J-10, Giovanni Safina raised with A-8 and Rousso made the call. Rousso picked up a pair of tens on the flop, Safina had nothing. Both players checked and a Queen on the Turn gave both players straight draws. Safina bet, Rousso called. River was blank, Safina made a bet with nothing and Rousso decided to fold her pair of tens.
-
- Luke Schwartz: That’s what I’m talking about!
Luke Schwartz, Vanessa Rousso and Giovanni Safina found themselves on the river with Safina holding the only hand – a pair of tens. Safina bet, but Schwartz decided to raise him with Jack high. Safina though about it but decided to fold. Schwartz showed his bluff and shouted “That’s what I’m talking about!”.
-
- Tony G Owns Hellmuth
Tony G picked up a pair of fours on flop versus Phil Hellmuth’s open-ended straight draw. Tony bet, Hellmuth raised, Tony re-rereaised and Hellmuth called. Both players checked the Turn in the dark, which came blank. But on the River Hellmuth picked up pair of tens and decided to bet them. Tony G raised with pair of fours and Phil Hellmuth decided to fold. Tony showed the three.
-
- Roland De Wolfe folds pocket kings
Roland De Wolfe raised with pocket Kings. Giovanni Safina called with 10-9. The flop came 8-A-8. Safina bet with nothing and De Wolfe decided to fold his pair of kings. “De Wolfe could not have played that hand any worse”, said Phil Hellmuth from the TV booth.
