How to Play Poker Videos

Something that i dont understand from high stakes poker?

Okay in the hand where david benyamine is up against some rich dude i dont understand why he didnt just call the flop. He had a flush draw and it was obvios his oppenent had at least two pair+, maybe a combo draw and had little fold equity. It looked like he was getting 2-1. Was it because he (benyamine) would 4-bet all strong hands on that flop and only call with a flush draw therefore giving himself no implied odds because his hand was transparent? Another thing i didnt understand was why the announcer said that if the rich dude had reraised (3-bet) to 100k it would have been an easy call, but when it was raised to 125k, it was a harder decision. The link is here. Its not the first hand. (i think its the second or third hand in.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQY3runTGao&feature=related The hand that im talking about starts at about 4:50. @Pokercoach-"David can't throw his hand away, but in the same time he can't just call. " Could you explain why david cant just call? @Sabes- does benyamine really believe he has fold equity in that spot? The rich dude seems to have been making some loose calls and im sure the table has noticed. Plus, he always has something better than a pair in that spot. Your oppenent who cant laydown hands plus the fact that he probaly has a strong hand is not a spot where you want to bluff right? @Sabes- well, david knows that guy knows that david is supposed to have a big hand here follow that? I sorta follow that, but not sure w/e Guy really thinks about this kinda stuff. @Pokercoach "And even for us knowing that Guy has 2 pairs...I mean, it's the nut flush, with a lot of money in the pot and in front of the players." Ummm yea its the nut flush and the nut flush probaly has 30% equity against combo draws, sets, and 2 pair. He is getting an okay price. When he pushes allin i higly doubt he has the fold equity to make this a profitable move. Im still not comprehending why you dont just want to call. Yes he gets to see two cards, but he is putting his whole stack in which is like more 200bb. When all that money goes in you are never ahead. Add that with little fold equity and how is this a good move??? Or do you think benyamine has lots of fold equity when he pushes?

Public Comments

1. What is not shown in the youtube video, is that up until this point, Leliberte has been completely running over this game. If you notice, after his raise was reraised, Benyamine stood to get a better look at Leliberte's chip stack. When he realized how much money his opponent had backing his hand, he has to reconsider continuing with his. What he is thinking, at this point, is how big the bet on the turn is going to be if the club doesn't come. If he doesn't make his flush, the size of the pot would certainly warrant a big enough bet to put him all in. Most professional players try to avoid going all in, or "pot committing" themselves on a draw: especially in cash games.
2. i think you are partly right about benyamine reasoning...first of all, guy had been playing very loose and aggressive and had definitely shown that he was going to fire up the chips, and so david probably felt like he had more fold equity than he would against someone else, first because guy has a bigger range than anyone else at the table for this play considering his style and the fact that money is not a factor for him like it is everyone else in the game, and second because guy is inexperienced and may not have the poker math skills yet to understand how he can't fold(notice that guy hesitated a while on what was a forced call, mathematically there is no getting away from that hand)...second is what you said, the only hand david could have to really just call a 3-bet with on the flop would be a flush draw, if he had one pair he would fold and if he had a set he would shove in...and third is what daniel j pointed out, that david figured that by moving in he will get called and see two cards for all the money, and he decided to take those chances rather than just call and risk only being able to see one more card if he missed when gabe said that if guy had made it $100k more instead that it would have been an easy call for david, he meant that it not only would have cost david less in relation to his chip stack, but also he would have the right price to try to draw and make it profitable...by raising $125k more, as you said now he's getting about 2-1, and that's not the right price against what you can be close to certain is two pair or a set edit: well, david knows that guy knows that david is supposed to have a big hand here(follow that? lol)...so by making this play david knows that guy's first thought will be that david has a set, so realistically david probably thinks his play has some fold equity if guy does not have a set himself...not that he's banking on guy folding, but he thinks that he may fold, again since he is inexperienced and may not realize as clearly what a must-call situation he is in...and also, pokercoach brought up a very good point which actually comes into fruition in the hand itself, which is that david could cut a deal with guy...guy is a very generous person who is playing for a charity, and david probably realizes this and believes that maybe guy will cut him a break in terms of ev on the hand if it gets to a showdown edit2: well i think it's pretty clear here that david is "supposed to" have a big hand, obviously he only has a draw here, but he is representing a set for sure...i completely agree with everything pokercoach said, especially about how the other pros acted while david and guy were working out a deal...imo, the bottom line reasoning for david's play is that he thinks guy will put him on a set if he shoves, and if he gets called he can still make his flush or cut a deal...i won't go as far as pokercoach to say that i would make the same play, i wouldn't, but i can see why he would make this play...and let's not forget, i don't think any of us are in a position to really question david's play in any given hand
3. We are talking about big stakes here, when you put pressure on your opponent, he has to be concern (if he don't have the nuts). David can't throw his hand away, but in the same time he can't just call. Also keep in mind, that David knows that if he push all-in, he is facing three thing: 1 his opponent fold. 2 he catch his flush. 3 he knows he can make a deal! Period. That's why for most of the PL and NL games at the high stakes (Bobby's Room for example) There is a cap. Here there is no cap, but players make deal, all the time. "2 flops, 4, flops, take the pot I fold, give me half of the pot and I fold..." I mean so many deal. Some pros don't do deals, but most of them do. And I can tell you this: Everybody play for themselves of course, but I assure you one thing: They all have they're eyes on the "rich dude" chips stack. Period. That's how big high stakes pros leave. Shark don't always eat each other. When there is a "rich dude" at the Bellagio, every sharks are there. Same thing here, a "rich dude" wants to be on tv...Fine, let's take his money anyway. And they will....With a smill, so he will comeback and ask for more..... EDIT: There is too much money at risk...Or to make. Also I can assure you that, because of the "deal factor". And we don't even see the half of it, that influence David a lot. And as you know, he got the nut flush draw here, and Sammy is in the hand also! There is so much money for David to win, he can't pass this. If he call and don't catch the club...It's over. He is facing a huge bet on the tunr. Guy won't check that one! ONly 2 move to make: Fold or re-raise. And even for us knowing that Guy has 2 pairs...I mean, it's the nut flush, with a lot of money in the pot and in front of the players. David wants to go HU with one of them...Not both ( by the way, the comment on youtube from the first guy talking about Gold and how bad David play is...Are you kidding me? That's the thought of a small limit player) Anyway. Also that's not the first time they played him, they played him at the Bellagio already. They know Guy. It's not just about the session we are seeing...It's a lot more than that. What's the big risk here? If you remember after the call the "rich guy" said: "You know I don't care too much about the money, ...But we can make a deal if you want?" I'm not a mind reader, but I can assure you: He care about the money! And also pay attention to the other pros (like Sammy) Do you see how they act? They don't want David to get burn here. "Sure guys make a deal, run it twice!" Now I know it's a lot of money, but think about it from a different angle. Imagine it's you, playing your daily stakes ($1/2NLH I believe) Would you make that move? I'm pretty sure I would. Why? 3 reasons: 1 It's stakes I can afford, and feel confortable with. 2: I make my hand, I made my day. And also with my move...he can fold. 3: It's a cash game, If I feel I have an edge against a player, I'm going after him. Even if I have to re-buy. Winning poker is not based on one session...But based on the long run. Same thing for them. They play those stakes because they are skilled players and have the bankroll for it. Money should not interfere with your decisions.