Phil Hellmuth Performs Close to Flawless Poker on Episode 2 of the PokerStars Large Sport

Phil Hellmuth was the star of the present in what was an exhilarating Episode 2 of the PokerStars Large Sport on Tour, which airs on Fox Sports activities 1.

The “Poker Brat” made some tough however right calls, pulled off a strong bluff, and hit a beneficiant river card en path to a worthwhile session within the $100/$200 ($200 massive blind ante) pot-limit maintain’em money sport.

However the viewers on this distinctive poker present are as a lot within the efficiency of the “Unfastened Cannon,” a leisure participant who’s staked $50,000 and should flip a revenue over 150 arms to money out these winnings, as they’re the poker celebs. This season’s first Unfastened Cannon is poker content material creator Nikki Limo, who completed Episode 1 — 31 arms — with a $27,200 revenue.

The 2 aforementioned poker gamers had been joined on the desk as soon as once more by Hollywood actress Jennifer Tilly, PokerStars professional Lex Veldhuis, actress Arden Cho, and the VPIP king Alan Keating.

Hooks for Hellmuth

The session started with Keating elevating to $900 with A♥4♥ earlier than Limo made a pot-size elevate to $3,000 with Ok♠Q♦. Within the small blind, Hellmuth regarded down at J♦J♣ and made the decision, as did Keating.

To the flop the trio went, which fell 8♥7♠9♣, considerably of a dud for these three arms. Motion checked round to the 2♣ flip, no enchancment to any participant. Hellmuth this time wager out $5,000, sufficient to scare the others away.

On the subsequent hand, with the board displaying 8♣8♠2♣4♠8♥, Cho tried to bluff on the flip and river, the final wager at $4,800 with Ok♣J♣. However the 17-time World Collection of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner made a hero name with A♥10♦ and took down the pot.

Keating Gonna Keating

Seeking to get her failed bluff a refund, Cho opened the motion on the following hand to $600 from the cutoff with the highly effective 6♥3♥. Keating, additionally with an absolute monster – 9♦7♥ – three-bet to $2,300 on the button.

Veldhuis, recent off his six-figure PokerStars Spring Championship of On-line Poker (SCOOP) title, referred to as with Ok♠Q♠ within the massive blind, and Cho referred to as to the 4♣5♣8♥ flop.

Oddly sufficient, Veldhuis nonetheless had the most effective hand with king-high. However he was up towards two straight attracts. Motion checked to the button, who wager $4,000, sufficient to get Veldhuis to ship his playing cards into the muck, however not sufficient to persuade Cho to fold.

The 8♦ modified nothing, and in some way nine-high was within the lead. Each gamers checked earlier than the 6♣ gave Cho a pair on the river. Sadly, for the actress, it gave her opponent a straight. Cho checked after which Keating wager $16,000 earlier than displaying the 9♦, leaving his fellow Hustler On line casino Dwell competitor confused. She inevitably made the wrong determination to name, leaving her caught over $75,000.

Unfastened Cannon Makes an attempt to Bluff a Poker Legend

Previous to the beginning of Episode 2, Limo in her interview talked about that she wished to set off Hellmuth. She had a possibility halfway by way of the present, however would want to attach on a draw.

Right here’s how the hand, some of the entertaining in Large Sport historical past, performed out. Limo, on the button with 9♣8♥, raised to $900, referred to as solely by Hellmuth’s J♦10♠ within the massive blind. Following a darkish verify and a flop of 7♥5♣J♥, Limo wager $500 with a gut-shot straight draw earlier than calling a check-raise to $1,200.

The flip was the uneventful 4♠, and the Poker Corridor of Famer wager out $2,000. However the Unfastened Cannon didn’t come to nit it up. She raised to $6,000, however disappointingly obtained a name.

When the 4♣ paired the board on the river, Hellmuth checked, leaving his opponent in a little bit of a pickle. It was both verify and give up the pot as nine-high couldn’t presumably win, or make a big wager and hope to get a fold.

She opted for the latter and fired out a wager of $10,000 after appropriately calling out Hellmuth’s precise hand.

“I believe you’ve got jack-ten,” Limo advised Hellmuth earlier than betting. “May I fold you off jack-ten?”

Hellmuth went into a quick tank earlier than making one other distinctive name, his second of the day, taking a bit out of the Unfastened Cannon’s earnings. However she’d bounce proper again and get most of these chips again shortly after in a pot towards Keating, at all times one of many loosest gamers in any sport.

Tilly Battles Hellmuth

Via the primary half of the episode, Hellmuth needed to earn his cash by making some clever selections. The deck would assist him out in a later hand towards Tilly.

In a straddled pot, Hellmuth limped in early place for $400 with 7♥6♥. Tilly, within the cutoff with Ok♦10♣, raised pot to $2,100 and went heads-up to the flop with the World Collection of Poker G.O.A.T. It got here out 5♥4♥9♣, giving the preflop limper a straight flush draw.

Tilly, who fully whiffed that flop, checked after which picked up high pair with the Ok♠ on the flip. Each gamers surprisingly checked to the 3♣ on the river, which accomplished the straight however not the straight flush. Hellmuth wager $4,000 with the nuts, and the Bride of Chucky star couldn’t discover a fold with high pair.

Hellmuth wasn’t completed making performs. In a while he’d get frisky in a three-way pot with Q♥10♥ on a board of 7♠8♥J♥Ok♠5♠, betting $3,000. Keating, who had the most effective hand with Q♦7♦, folded and allowed the Poker Brat to tug off the bluff.

The present ended with Keating, holding pocket kings, busting Cho and her ace-jack. Limo, who gave some chips again to Keating a bit earlier due to an unlucky river card, nonetheless completed the second episode within the black up $21,400.

Keating, who was down over $160,000 at one level, was on the comeback path, however nonetheless down $96,300 after 60 arms. Veldhuis was within the lead with a $83,200 revenue, whereas Hellmuth was up $49,800 with 90 arms left. The total standings with 90 arms and three episodes remaining are as follows: