Hand from $5000 Pot limit WSOP event

[schwza]

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I guarantee that for Chris Bigler (one of the best in the world at PLHE) to be putting 66% of his stack in the middle on the very first hand of a 2-day tournament, he has the nuts or very, very, very close to it. I doubt Bigler would play 55 or QJ out of position on hand #1, so he has JJ approximately 100% of the time. The absolute best-case scenario for your friend is that he has A-Q and a slpit-pot. This is a clear-as-day fold.

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so actually what you're saying is that bigler is horrible.

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How exactly does that follow?

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so he has JJ approximately 100% of the time.

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anyone this readable is horrible. and since he is apparently a "name" pro, i don't think he's horrible. hence, i don't think he's that readable.

[mcpherzen]

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hmm he CR the turn when it paired the top for T1500 and then he bets only 1500 on the river? Something is not right, against an unknown that seems to be almost married to this hand on the turn.

At this point I have to ask myself what Chris is Saving the rest of his chips for? Obviously he has to put the other guy on possibly a Q after the CR cold call. If so against an unknown I'd think he'd want to get most of that in if he does have a boat. Something isn't right with the river bet after the previous action, seems weakishly small and I'd think he'd get the rest of his T5k chips in there if he had any boat (possible exception being 5's full)

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I wholeheartedly disagree. That bet is perfectly crafted by a superior hand looking for a call. Bigler's read is that his opponent has a Q and he wants his hand to get paid. You have to keep in mind it cost $5000 to play in this event. Bigler knows the hero isn't going to be wild about losing his $5000 entry fee in one hand, so by going all-in on the end, the hero may fold quite a few hands with a Q (such as K-Q, Q-10, Q-9, and Q-8 for fear of losing to a superior Q-hand).

I see very good players make this kind of bet all the time when they want action...a bet that screams out "you should call me because your hand might be good AND YOU WON'T GO BROKE in this tournament even if it isn't." I'm sure Bigler would be prefectly happy increasing his stack from T5000 to T8300 on the very first hand of this event with blinds still at $25/$25.

--Z

[mcpherzen]

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I guarantee that for Chris Bigler (one of the best in the world at PLHE) to be putting 66% of his stack in the middle on the very first hand of a 2-day tournament, he has the nuts or very, very, very close to it. I doubt Bigler would play 55 or QJ out of position on hand #1, so he has JJ approximately 100% of the time. The absolute best-case scenario for your friend is that he has A-Q and a slpit-pot. This is a clear-as-day fold.

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so actually what you're saying is that bigler is horrible.

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How exactly does that follow?

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so he has JJ approximately 100% of the time.

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anyone this readable is horrible. and since he is apparently a "name" pro, i don't think he's horrible. hence, i don't think he's that readable.

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With all due respect, I think you're missing the context here. This is the VERY FIRST HAND of an event that will take the better part of 20 hours to win. Chris Bigler certainly knows better than most that you can't win an event like this on the first hand, but you definitely can lose it. He isn't looking to be "unreadable" in hand #1 of blind limit #1. He also won't be looking to outplay any of his unknown opponents on hand #1. He's going to be playing perfectly straightforward A-B-C poker here for hours. For him to get $3300 of his stack in the middle on hand #1, when the blinds started at just $25 and $25, he can only have a handful of holdings, plain and simple.

--Z

[Stipe_fan]

I also agree. Bigler would not stick his neck out against an unknown player without a big hand. I think most of the pros are more cautious versus the typical "internet" player.

I would also be worried about the cold call on the flop.

Be scared, be very scared.

Stipe

[Eegs]

Anybody know the results?

[SossMan]

I almost always make a smaller bet on the flop and check behind the turn with stacks this deep. give me a showdown or give me death. Hero is very likely way ahead/way behind from the flop on.

Checking behind on the turn here is so clearly the correct play.

[McMelchior]

OK, I'm far from smart when it comes to this level of poker, but can someone please explain:

a) Your friend calls the turn CR. If he doesn't think he ahead what is he doing in a $5,000 buy-in? He obviously can't call a 1,000 turn raise in a 2,625 pot with a mere 4 (or at the best 7) outs?

b) Your friend calls the turn CR. If he thinks he's ahead here NOTHING had changed at the river. What's the problem?

c) Your friend is obviously not a "name" player. Raising PF, betting the flop after Bigler's check and making a somewhat befuddled flat call on the paired turn should be within limits of what Bigler could expect a young unknown internet player in his first WSOP to do with a range of hands. My point: Bigler's river bet does not indicate he's pinned your friend to AQ.

d) I could interpret the turn CR as intimidation more than strength. And the river bet as well. The argument "giving [your friend] a chance to call with a losing hand without going broke" is exactly as good the other way around - if Bigler had moved in your friend could have been expected to put him on a steal.

Then again, I dont play $5,000 buy-ins.

Best,

McMelchior (Johan)

[SossMan]

the river looks really easy. we're getting 2.41:1. I can't imagine were going to lay down here after calling the turn. Raising doesn't do us much good unless he has exactly KQ. I think calling here is the only reasonable play. I would guess that my hand is good here somewhere around half the time between the times that Bigler is running a bluff and the times that he thinks his KK/KQ/AA/QT is good. The obvious hand is 55/JJ or even QJ, but we are easily good here the 30% of the time we need to be.

[Roswell]

I read in Terrence Chan's blog that Bigler had 55 for bottom set on this hand.

[SoBeDude]

Thanks for all the replies.

My friend pushed all in on the river and Chris called.

Chris turned over 55 for the full house and my friend was walking.

I feel sorry for the rest of the table with Chris getting a big stack first hand.

-Scott