The atmosphere crackled with intensity as the 2023 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas reached its fever pitch during the bubble phase. In a pivotal hand on Day 2 of the event, poker legend Joe Hachem found himself at the heart of a gripping showdown against chip leader Ben Bianco.
With pocket Kings in his grasp, Hachem faced off against Bianco’s pocket Aces. Hachem’s three-bet to 120,000 was met with a daring four-bet shove from Bianco, setting the stage for a high-stakes exchange.
Amidst a backdrop of palpable tension, Hachem folded, revealing his Kings while Bianco confidently laid out his Aces. The revelation stunned the table, leaving spectators in awe of the unfolding drama.
“Oh my goodness, oh no, “ came the simultaneous response from commentators Henry Kilbane and Ashley Frank.
The Hand
Ben Bianco raised the bet to 40,000 with blinds at 10,000/15,000 from under the gun. Holding a pair of kings and sitting on a stack of 500,000 chips, Hachem increased the bet to 120,000. The action folded back to Bianco, who re-raised, going all-in. Armed with a pair of Aces, Bianco knew he had to avoid a King or a potential four-card straight or flush draw to eliminate Hachem just before reaching the money.
However, Hachem surprised everyone by not snap-calling. As Hachem pondered his decision, an announcement came over the speakers, signaling the shift to hand-for-hand play as the bubble approached.
“This would be the sickest fold,” Hachem remarked. “I know you’ve just got it.”
As Hachem prepared to fold his cards, Bianco interjected, suggesting he would reveal his hand after Hachem folded.
Hachem displayed his two Kings.
“You are a sick man,” Bianco complimented him.
The climax arrived swiftly as shortly after this pivotal hand, the bubble burst, securing a minimum payout of $18,700 for all remaining players, marking a crucial turning point in the tournament.
Reactions to the Action
Adding an unexpected twist to the proceedings, popular poker streamer “Beriuzy” had pledged to leap into a pool if Hachem folded. True to his word, as Hachem reluctantly laid down his hand, “Beriuzy” made good on the promise, jumping fully clothed into a frigid Sin City pool, captivating the audience and providing an eccentric moment of levity amidst the high-stakes tension.
Before Day 3 commenced, Hachem shared his perspective, “It all boiled down to table dynamics. I actually knew as soon as he raised. It only took me 30 seconds. I could have been wrong. But sometimes, you just know.”
Source: PokerProNews
