Poker is a game of skill and strategy where sometimes cruel variance dashes your dreams. The same happened recently at the Triton Poker Jeju Event #6 – $25,000 NLH WPT Global Slam where Justin Saliba, who was looking in good shape to seal the victory, found himself on the wrong side of the fortune in a thrilling clash against Russian pro Anatoly Filato.
This clash resulted in Saliba’s sad exit in 4th place for $675,000, while it pushed Filatov toward career-defining victory for $1,882,000, hinting that brutal swings in live poker sometimes dash your dream title hopes. Here is how it all unfolded between Saliba and the champion Filatov.
Preflop Action
In a pre-flop action with blinds running 300k-600k with a 600k ante, Filatov (SB) opened with Q♣ 5♣, while Saliba (BB) defended with Q♠ J♦. Filatov wanted to leverage the high blind pressure, while Saliba, wanted to make use of his dominating QJ, a hand that serves well post flop.
Flop: 4♠ 5♠ 9♥
Clipping a 5 pair on the flop, Filatov led out, betting to probably protect his hand and extract value in a hope of a fold here. Saliba opted to call, expecting a queen or jack on the turn.
Turn: J♣
With the turn J, Saliba took the lead in the hand. Filatov checked and Saliba bet over half-pot to extract good value with his top pair. In reply, Filatov checked-shoved, representing a stronger hand and putting pressure on his opponent. Despite facing the aggression, Saliba thought that his hand was too strong to fold, so he made the call and it was the right call, recognizing he dominated Filatov’s possible bluffs.
River: 5♥
Filatov hit trips to win. Saliba with the dominating QJ, who was ahead on the turn, unfortunately got eliminated in 4th place for $675,000.
A Tournament-Defining Moment
This was truly a crucial turning point in the $25,000 NLH WPT Global Slam tournament. If Saliba held, he would have had a commanding position on his way to winning the dream Triton title. But that was not to happen, Filatov eventually surged ahead to win the pot, dashing Saliba’s dream and eventually winning the title.
Power of Aggression
Filatov’s check-shove was an example of leveraging aggression to force tough decisions. Even though he was behind, he put Saliba to the test.
Brutal Variance in Poker
Saliba made the right call with the dominating hand, but cruel variance hit as Filatov rivered trips, highlighting the unpredictability that keeps poker thrilling. Despite losing the hand Saliba added $675k to his bankroll, showcasing his consistency at high-stakes events. His live earnings reached close to $10 million, putting among the elites of poker. Eventually, the tournament was won by none other than Anatoly Filatov, who took home $1,882,000 and his first Triton title.
Final Word
This hand showcases high-stakes drama, strategic aggression, and cruel variance in poker. It also reminds that making the right decisions sometimes does not guarantee success, but solid play like Saliba’s definitely wins in the long run.
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Source: Triton Poker
