The long-awaited new season of The Big Game by PokerStars is finally here. The first episode aired on May 11, and all poker fans have something to look forward to every week for the next nine weeks, as Season 3 of The Big Game on Tour comprises ten episodes in total.
There was a lot to be excited about with the return of The Big Game, but besides loose cannons, one man we were really looking forward to seeing was Alan Keating. Known for his splashy style and devil-may-care attitude, Mr. Keating stated in no uncertain terms that he “just wanted to brawl.”
And brawl he did!
While everybody else bought in for $50,000, Keating made sure he had the entire table well and truly covered, entering the game with a quarter of a million. It was a bit of a flex, no doubt about it, but who wants to bother with those pesky rebuys every time you lose a measly $50,000, right?
No Bad Starting Hands
Most serious players will tell you that proper hand selection is key to succeeding in poker. But Mr. Keating doesn’t adhere to that particular piece of advice, as any two cards seem to be good enough if he’s in the mood for some action.
So, it is only fitting that the new season of The Big Game opened with a hand featuring Alan Keating and the loose cannon Nikki Limo. Keating opened the action with K-2 off; Nikki called in the cutoff with QhTh and proceeded to flop a straight flush draw.
Alan kept the heat on the flop and barreled again on the turn when he paired his king. On the river, Nikki made her straight and raised Keating’s min-bet. The raise was called, and Nikki picked up the pot worth over $20,000 while Mr. Keating dusted off $10k to begin the proceedings.
He was just warming up, though, as it wasn’t long after this hand that Keating found himself involved in a big all-in pot with Jen Tilly. It all started with Alan squeezing with 6h5h, but we don’t want to spoil the fun in case you haven’t seen the first episode just yet.
Soon after, Mr. Keating found himself in yet another big pot with a flush draw that materialized on the river, but things didn’t quite go to plan.
All in all, Alan Keating was involved in nearly all major pots we saw on Episode 1 of The Big Game on Tour, and in most of them, he was the one driving the action. This approach resulted in a significant loss at the end of the first session, but there is more than enough time to turn things around.
Great Opportunity for the Loose Cannon?
Alan Keating has been true to his words and he’s shown the poker world once again that he loves playing way too much to follow any strict strategy. He makes his own rules and enjoys poker the way he wants, which is probably not the best thing for his bankroll, but he can clearly afford it.
For Nikki Limo, the first loose cannon to be seated, this spells opportunity. While a couple hundred thousand may not be a big deal to Keating, it’s safe to assume Nikki would be thrilled if she walked away with a six-figure profit.
Alan will provide action, when it is warranted and often when it isn’t, there’s no doubt about it. But he isn’t just giving money away. To take it, the loose cannon will have to stand her ground and likely make some tough decisions along the way.
Mr. Keating will put on the pressure when he’s bluffing and when he has the goods, and with Nikki only having a single shot at the game, that pressure is further compounded.
Going into the next episode, Alan Keating is stuck, the loose cannon is up about $20,000, so she can’t rest on her laurels as there are still 120 hands to go. So get your popcorn ready for May 18, which is when Episode 2 will be out, and be prepared to see some fireworks!