Is this the Weirdest Played Hand Ever on High Stakes Poker?

Monday’s High Stakes Poker episode on PokerGO, the fourth of Season 14, had a Friday night Hustler Casino Live vibe.

Alan Keating, Ryan Feldman, Britney, and Peter, all of HCL fame competed in what was one of the most action-packed episodes of High Stakes Poker the past few seasons. One hand in particular stood out that will have those who study game theory asking “WTF.”

Keating, as he always does, brought the action and made it difficult for his opponent’s to get a bluff through. Feldman, the co-founder of Hustler Casino Live, would lose a monster pot when he picked the wrong player to try to push around, while Marc Kulick, the only player at the table to have appeared in the first three episodes of Season 14, made his presence felt once again.

There was $1.4 million on the table when the session began, and here’s a look at the starting stack sizes.

Getting to Know the Infamous Steve

The first hand of Episode 4, available on-demand via PokerGO, began with two players who only want to be referred by their first name — Peter and Steve — going at it. Peter is a mainstay on HCL and one of the loosest and most unpredictable players in livestream poker history. Steve, you may recall, won the infamous $540,000 pot against the “mystery player” who turned out to be indicted attorney Tom Goldstein during last summer’s Million Dollar Game on Hustler Casino Live.

Steve made his presence felt with numerous teeny tiny bets that would turn out to be costly. His unique style of play started on the first hand when Peter raised to $2,000 with Q♦J♦ to which Steve called in the big blind with 7♠6♦.

The flop came out 5♦A♦9♠, giving both players a drawing hand. Steve would lead into the preflop raiser with a $5,000 wager, more than the size of the pot. Peter called and then paired up on the Q♥ turn. Steve downsized his bet to $400 into a pot of $14,600. He would, however, fold to a raise to $12,000.

Peter would also take a $120,000 pot against Kulick after his K♣9♣ out-flopped A♣Q♣.

Tough to Bluff Keating

Kulick, who has won some of the biggest pots during Season 14, learned a valuable lesson — bluff Alan Keating at your own risk.

The next juicy hand started with Keating raising to $2,000 with the trusty old 8♦3♦. Feldman, in position, called with K♥J♠, as did Kulick on the button with K♠5♦.

The flop showed 8♣6♣A♥, only hitting Keating. He would lead out with middle pair for $6,000, which convinced Feldman to fold. Kulick, however, called with king-high, but didn’t improve on the 2♥ turn. Keating checked and then called a $20,000 bet before the 7♠ hit on the river.

Neither player had improved their hand, so Keating checked it back to the button. Kulick, who knew he couldn’t win at showdown, went for a gusty bluff of $45,000 against a stingy opponent. Keating thought for a while before making a tough but correct call to win the $149,000 pot.

Poker Livestream Producer Picks a Bad Time to Jam

Feldman, producer and owner of Hustler Casino Live, was active during Episode 4. But the chips weren’t flowing in his direction, much of that due to a play he made against a familiar foe.

David limped for $400 from under the gun with Q♠9♠ before Peter made it $1,400 with K♠K♣. Britney called with 7♠5♠, and that was followed by a three-bet to $9,000 from Keating on the button with 9♦8♠. Feldman would then make a four-bet to $24,000 from the small blind with 5♥5♣.

Peter, who had the best hand, re-raised to $68,000, which forced everyone before Feldman to fold. But the former Live at the Bike producer, who had $126,000 total, decided to six-bet shove, and his opponent unsurprisingly snap-called. They agreed to run the board just one time, and it came out 10♠3♥Q♣2♥8♦, giving Peter the $263,400 pot.

This Hand Probably isn’t GTO Approved

The Hand of the Night was one of the most entertaining in High Stakes Poker history. It involved some odd-sized bets, a multi-way huge pot, and nobody actually holding a monster hand.

Action kicked off with Britney calling the $400 big blind with Q♠10♥, and Keating followed suit with 8♠5♦, as did Kulick on the button with A♣2♦. David, in the small blind, raised his A♥K♠ to $6,000. Steve, the big blind, made the call with A♦7♣. Kulick and Keating would call, but Britney decided to get out of their way.

The flop came out A♠5♥Q♦, three players flopping top pair and at least something for everyone. David checked the best hand and then Steve bet $400 into a pot of $24,800. Keating called, but Kulick, the weakest of the three aces, raised it to $15,000. David, Keating, and Steve all called to see the 9♣ on the turn.

None of the four remaining hands in the pot improved, and David once again checked the best hand. Steve then made his trademark $400 bet, which confused HSP announcers Nick Schulman and AJ Benza. Keating and Kulick both called, but David was done check-calling and went for a raise to $40,000.

That wasn’t enough to convince the weaker-aced Kulick to fold, but it did get Steve and Keating off the hand, which turned out to be quite beneficial to David when the 5♠ turned over on the river. Keating would have hit trips to take down the pot. David went for one last bet, this time for $45,000. Kulick did not believe his opponent’s story and felt his hand was good, so he called it off. But he’d find out the bad news when David turned over his “Big Slick” to win the $255,600 pot.

The show closed with Feldman getting it all in for $104,000 with A♠J♣ up against Steve’s superior Q♠Q♦. Each player would win one runout, so they chopped the hand.

Past High Stakes Poker Season 14 Episode Recaps

_{*Images courtesy of PokerGO/Antonio Abrego}