partypoker $10,000 Millions Main Event (U.K.)
While the partypoker Millions Main Event always attracts stiff competition, this hand would have two poker titans battling it out for the other’s stack. A Main Event champion versus a triple crown winner, who has the upper hand!?
The Game: partypoker $10,000 Millions Main Event (U.K.)
Blinds: 42,000/64,000
Stacks Sizes: 17 Big Blinds Effective
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A Hand Full Of Hardware
Despite the hand being heads-up, the total poker trophies between both players would be enough to fill the Caesar’s Palace poker room. In the high-jack, we have 2013 WSOP Main Event champion Ryan “The Beast” Riess who would min-raise with A♥J♦ with the hopes of adding to his over 15 million dollar career tournament winnings. He would raise into the big blind, which belonged to Roberto Romanello, a triple crown winner (European Poker Tour, World Poker Tour, and World Series of Poker titles) who also leads all Welsh players in career winnings. Romanello would look down at K♠6♥, and make the call as the big blind.
Top Pair And Some Draws
The Pot: 295,000
The Board: T♦-5♣-K♣
Effective Stack: 17 Big Blinds
While Riess would garner a straight draw on the flop, a potential flush draw and his opponent’s flopped top pair would leave him vulnerable despite being the preflop aggressor. Out of position, Romanello would check his top pair, bringing Riess to check as well. While this flop certainly lines up well for a continuation bet from the pre-flop raiser, Romanello has over four times the amount of chips as Reiss. While Riess could certainly be ahead, a check-raise shove from Romanello would put him in an extremely difficult spot, making his decision to check a wise one.
Bluff Card On The Turn
The Pot: 295,000
The Board: T♦-5♣-K♣-Q♣
Effective Stack: 17 Big Blinds
The Q♣ on the turn would complete Riess’ straight and decimate Romanello’s chances of winning at showdown. Despite the potential for a flush, Riess would make it 150,000 following a check from Romanello. With his stack size and hand strength, Riess should be looking to make a small bet here that will allow him to shove effectively on the river. While this bet size from Riess may in fact be too small, this still provides an equitable call for a lot of losing hands Romanello could be holding. Romanello would indeed make the call, taking us the fifth street.
A Painful Three Kings
The Pot: 1,495,000
The Board: T♦-5♣-K♣-Q♣-K♥
Effective Stack: 15 Big Blinds
Viewers likely anticipated disaster for Romanello and a double up for Riess as the K♥ slid across the felt. With three kings at his disposal, Romanello would interestingly lead out and put Riess all-in using a 900,000 bet. Was this a bluff? Was this a bet for value? Despite Romanello’s intentions, he would leave Riess with a tough decision holding the better hand with his tournament life on the line. When deciding his fate, Riess must acknowledge Romanello’s range as well as his willingness to bet into what is likely a strong hand. Riess has been representing a straight and flushes, but with a second king on the river, Romanello shows no fear betting out, bringing potential full houses into the picture. Analyzing this spot, both calling and folding have merit, as calling would acknowledge Romanello’s tendency to “mix it up” in hands while a fold would properly sidestep all of the better hands your opponent may have hit.
The Result: The Welshman Executes A Masterful Bluff
Unable to look away from the all of the draws on the board, even Main Event champion Ryan Riess couldn’t allude the excellent bluffing abilities of Roberto Romanello. Sacrificing the little amount of chips he had remaining, Riess would live to fight another day, letting Romanello bask in the glory. Enjoy hand reviews with big bluffs? Be sure to check out last week’s hand review from the GGPoker Super Millions.
