Stepuchin's Splashing Makes for Lots of Action on 'Poker After Dark'
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Exit anti-hero Dan Bilzerian on "Poker After Dark" as it was time to move on to "Watch Your Step" featuring WPT champ Frank Stepuchin on .
Stepuchin's action-inducing ways helped create some big pots in the $50/$100 game, but he wasn't the only force helping the game trend that way. The players also agreed on a $200 per head seven-deuce bounty, and boy did it play a role as nearly everyone at the table took their chances playing the rags one way or another. It worked better for some than others, as you'll see.
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First Hand Fireworks
On the first hand shown — and apparently the first dealt as well, according to the commentary — investor Ilyas Abayev limped with A♣9♠, Alex Ding made it $400 with J♠J♥, Stepuchin called with 7♦2♣ in the small blind and big blind Marle Cordeiro came along with a hand that contained the Q♥. They were playing with a $200 per player bounty on winning with seven-deuce.
On the J♦7♣7♥ flop, action checked to Ding and he bet $400 again. Only Stepuchin continued, calling another $1,500 on the K♥. He came out betting on the Q♦ river with $3,200. Ding shoved all in for $7,700 and Stepuchin quickly called with the second-best hand.
Ship the $20,900 to Ding.
Roller Coaster Hand Plays Out Perfectly for Stepuchin
Stepuchin picked up the Q♥Q♦ under the gun and made it $300. Cordeiro called with K♠J♦ on his left, as did big blind Ronnie Bardah in the big blind with A♠J♠.
Everyone liked the J♥7♦5♠ flop and Stepuchin's $500 c-bet was met with a call by Cordeiro and a raise to $1,900 by Bardah. Both of his opponents continued to the J♣ turn. Bardah bet on the small side with $2,800. Stepuchin called. Cordeiro thought a bit and called as well.
"Were these decks set up?" Bardah wondered.
"How many jacks are in the deck?" someone else asked.
The river: Q♣. Bardah moved in for his last $4,900, Stepuchin reshoved and Cordeiro found the fold. It was a $24,950 pot to Stepuchin.
Another Cooler for Ding
Stepuchin raised to $300 second to act with 10♣8♦ and got action from Cordeiro on his left with 7♥2♠ and Ding in the big blind with J♠9♥.
Stepuchin flopped the best of it on 5♥7♦10♦ and bet $300, with everyone continuing to the 8♣ turn. Ding checked, Stepuchin bet $1,100, Cordeiro folded and Ding made it a check-raise to $3,000. Stepuchin peeled to the river, which came a 4♣.
Ding potted it for $8,000. Stepuchin couldn't find the fold and Ding collected a $23,950 pot.
All in for Stacks Preflop
With a straddle to $500 on, Cordeiro made it $1,600 first to act with J♦J♠. Alan Richardson called with 7♥2♦ in the next seat, and Bardah moved all in from the big blind with A♦K♣. Cordeiro quickly called for less and Richardson got out of the way.
With $14,850 in the pot, they agreed to run twice.
Bardah paired up right away on 7♦6♠K♥. He held up on the 3♥ turn but got some unfortunate overkill on the A♣, killing one of his outs to get a scoop. Cordeiro got a friendlier board of 8♠9♦9♣5♠5♦ the second time to they each scooped in a bit of profit thanks to the dead money in the pot.
Cold Four-Betting the Worst Hand
Cordeiro opened under the gun for $300 with 5♦4♦, Richardson called with K♥Q♣ and Abayev raised to $600 with J♣9♣. On the button, Ding woke up to 7♥2♥ but decided that was a good spot to cold four-bet it to $1,700.
Everyone folded back to Ding, who showed his rags with a grin. Everyone tossed over $200 with a groan.
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Photos courtesy of PokerGO.
