Masterful Play: Avi Extracts Maximum Value Vs Dylan

It was only the other day I referenced layers of thought in Poker and today I’ll be showing a hand that none other than TPS Founder Avi Gable played during a recent Tuesday night Ante game at Hustler Casino Live. His river bet was highly influenced by Dylan’s recent play, where he had been a little over-eager to win the hand at all costs vs Sashimi.

As always the ante game was played with blinds of $25/$50, + every player putting in a $25 ante. The action was live-streamed on Hustler Casinos YouTube channel.

Avi ($14,625) kickstarted the hand in the +2 by limping with a respectable suited hand Q10. In the +3 Big John ($31,700,44) wasted little time in upping the ante with his small pocket pair, raising it to $300. After donating a stack to Sashimi in the previous hand, Dylan Flashner was overly keen to make amends and called the raise with a hand he would probably have folded on another night (J9). Next to join the action was Sashimi ($31,550) who chucked out a large 3-bet to $1,500 with big slick AK.

The action was now back on Avi who made the call, this priced in his opponents to also make the call. Four players went to the flop with $6,125 in the middle.

Pot Control Leads the Way

First to act Avi wisely checked after hitting top pair on a board of 92Q, leading out here into three opponents would be ill-advised. Dylan was the only other player to hit a piece of the board, he elected to check back as did Sashimi.

After controlling the pot on the flop and the turn 7 likely being a safe card, Avi bet out $2,100 for value. Believing his Nines could be good Dylan made the call. We are now heads-up to the River with the pot standing tall at $10,325.

Turned Two Pair for Avi

The River 10 was an interesting one it made a couple of straights, Jack-eight being the most likely, although it still felt unlikely Dylan would call such a large bet on the turn for just a gutter. More importantly, the river further improved Avi’s hand, giving him top two. The river lead-out bet was small, just $2,200. This allowed his opponent to pay him with numerous hands, such as a pair of nines, Or Jack-Ten who call the turn with an up and straight draw and rivers the ten. By betting so small, it also underrepresented his hand and allowed a player that could well be tilted to turn their hand into a bluff.

That ladies and gentlemen is exactly what Dylan did, he jammed all in, putting Avi to the sword for his remaining $8,875. With the likelihood of his opponent to be bluffing far more often than jamming for value, Avi made the quick call. What a hand. On another night, Dylan’s play might have worked, but with the recent table dynamics, the play was all but a futile effort. Props to Dylan for trying though, playing an ABC style of poker is not the way in such a hostile environment.