A cooler or a bad beat may make big headlines, but it is the guts of a well-timed hero call that really ignites the table. This past weekend, Andrew Moreno did just that during the thrilling heads-up of the $100K GTD tournament at The Lodge, leaving everyone speechless with his incredible queen-high hero call. This hand was posted on X (Twitter) by The Lodge and you can check the video below to watch it.
The Hand
With the blinds at 20K/40K/40K, Moreno was on the button with a stack of 2.2 million, holding Qh Jd. Collin Rountree had a slightly larger stack of 2.4 million with Js 3h in the big blind. Moreno open-raised to 100K, a standard play with a decent starting hand. Rountree, perhaps relying on his instincts, decided to defend his big blind and made the call to see the flop.
Flop: 10h 4s 6h (Pot: 240K)
The flop missed both players, but with two hearts on the board, it presented potential draws. Rountree checked, probably assessing whether Moreno would continue his aggression. Moreno, aware that this flop didn’t scream strength, continued with a bet of 180K to apply the pressure.
But Rountree wasn’t ready to give-up and he check-raised to 530K. His play here was bold, turning his hand into a bluff, leveraging his slight stack advantage and putting Moreno in a tough spot.
Turn: 4c (Pot: 1.3M)
The board paired but didn’t improve either player’s hand. Rountree, who displayed aggression on the flop, slowed down and checked. This check indicated weakness or a desire to control the pot size. Moreno decided to check behind, keeping the pot manageable and gathering some more information.
River: Kc (Pot: 1.3M)
With the king on the river bringing no help, it was still a tricky spot for both players. But this time, Collin stunned, putting Moreno all-in for his last 1.6M and leaving himself with just 5 blinds behind.
The Hero Call
This was a tense moment. Moreno went into the tank, verbalizing his thoughts: “Could be king-ten… maybe 4-x of hearts…” He knew that many hands in Rountree’s range had missed, and his river move felt desperate. After careful analysis, Moreno made the hero call with just queen-high.
Why it Worked
Moreno’s call was based on his good read. He correctly read that Rountree’s check-raise on the flop could be a bluff or a semi-bluff, and the river move was an attempt to push him off a weaker hand. Rountree’s line was inconsistent, and Moreno’s instinct kicked in, leading to a brilliant call that won him the pot.
This hand is a masterclass in how to read your opponent, trust your instincts, and make the big calls when it matters most. Moreno’s hero call is a hand we all will remember for a long time.
Victory For Moreno At Last!
After the hand won by an incredible hero call by Moreno, Collin was left with just 5 BB stack, which he shoved on the next hand, holding 10h 6d against the As 6s of Moreno. The flop Ah 10s 8d gave Collin some glimmer of hope but the turn 5c and the river Kd provided no help, ending his run in second place. Moreno won the tournament, bagging a $30,544 in prize money.
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Images & Hands Credit: Lodge Poker Club
