Fans of back-to-back World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion Johnny Chan, listen up! Your man was spotted on last night’s installment of GSN’s “High Stakes Poker,” whose new episodes air on Saturdays at 8:00pm ET and 11:00pm ET. Chan returned to “High Stakes Poker” for the first time since Season 1.
Chan joined the eight-handed table about a third of the way through. In a rather comedic hand before his arrival, David “Viffer” Peat checked with 6-3 on a board of 7-K-4-5-A for a straight. His check was meant to induce a bet from retired businessman Bill Klein, who held K-J for second pair, but Klein instead checked behind and Peat scooped a pot worth $59,000.
Following the hands being exposed, PokerStars pro Vanessa Selbst asked, “Wasn’t that a raised pot?” Yes, Peat calls pre-flop raises with 6-3 offsuit. Who doesn’t?
Then, amazing laydowns took center stage. On a board of 10-2-6-7-Q with three clubs, Selbst bet $3,000 holding A-4 of the suit for the nut flush. Antonio Esfandiari pushed it to $12,000 with 9-8 for the nut straight and Selbst responded by raising to $43,000. Most players would have gone broke in that situation, but Esfandiari had the wherewithal to lay it down.
In the 60-minute episode’s largest pot, 10-time WSOP bracelet winner and DoylesRoom front man Doyle Brunson raised to $5,100 before the flop with 8-7 of diamonds and Selbst pushed it to $14,000 with A-K. Brunson obliged and the flop came 8-K-2 with two diamonds. Oh boy. Despite holding monsters, both players checked and the turn was the jack of clubs.
Brunson once again checked his middle pair and flush draw, while Selbst bet $17,400 to protect her top pair. Brunson responded by shoving all-in for $55,300 and Selbst called. After an odd exchange in which Brunson seemed to be frustrated with the situation, the river was run twice. Selbst picked up both halves of the pot and Brunson was forced to rebuy for another $200,000. Selbst, meanwhile, recouped half of her Season 7 “High Stakes Poker” losses and was down about $80,000.
In another hand that featured an impressive laydown, Peat bet $4,000 on a board of 3-5-J-9-5 holding pocket aces for aces-up. Andrew “good2cu” Robl made it $17,000 with pocket fives for quads and Peat scratched his head before electing to fold. He even showed his cards to his neighbors before doing so and Robl was visibly disappointed to hear the news.
Entering the final hand of the session, half of the table was up and half was in the red. On the last hand for the group, Esfandiari raised to $2,500 with A-K before the flop and Peat came along with Q-9 of hearts. Brunson called with pocket nines and all three players checked when the flop came 6-4-5.
An ace on the turn ignited the action, as Esfandiari bet $5,600 with top pair, top kicker and Brunson check-raised to $22,600 with pocket nines and the board showing three cards to a straight. Esfandiari called and the river was a three, completing a possible straight. Brunson bet $40,000 and Esfandiari abandoned ship. Brunson told his opponent, “You’re going to have to wait until the TV. You had me.”
Next week, an all-new lineup will adorn the “High Stakes Poker” set. It includes a “who’s who” of the poker world, including Unabomber Poker front man Phil Laak, 2010 WSOP Main Event winner Jonathan Duhamel, bracelet holder Jason Mercier, and veteran Barry Greenstein, who also appeared as part of the first group.
Catch all-new episodes of “High Stakes Poker” every Saturday at 8:00pm ET and 11:00pm ET on GSN.
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