In our Poker Hand Analysis feature, we bring you a thrilling hand every week. Today, we delve into a hand that was recently live-streamed on Bally Live Poker’s YouTube channel around two weeks ago.
With the blinds of $50/$100 and a $100 big blind ante, the action began with Sergio Aido ($22.6k) who raised it up to $300 from UTG with 9c 8c. Double A from the button was in position and he decided to three-bet to $1k with Ad 9d. The rest of the players opted to fold but Sergio called to see the flop.
Flop 9s 5d 4d: Both Players Hit Top Pair
While the flop gave both players top pair, Double A’s hand with the superior kicker was a huge favourite to prevail. Sergio, first to act post flop, checked it to his opponent, who fired a bet of $1,000. Sergio decided to match the bet and both players went to the turn with $4.3k already in the middle.
Turn 8s Moves Sergio Into Lead.. Will A Lucky River Save Double A?
The turn 8s turned it in favour of Sergio as he moved ahead with two pairs on the turn. He made a smart move and checked once again. Instead of checking back, his opponent boldly placed a large bet of $4.3k. Sergio wanted to maximize value and so he responded with an all-in move. After careful consideration, Double A made the call and saw the bad news when his opponent turned over 9c 8c for two pairs. The river 10s did not help Double and Sergio Aido claimed the huge $45.5k pot.
Hand Analysis/Review
This hand in poker showcases the importance of position, hand reading, and strategic aggression. Pre-flop, Sergio opens the betting from UTG with a raise to $300. Despite having a speculative hand, Sergio chooses to raise to potentially steal the blinds or build a pot with a disguised hand. Double A on the button recognizes the aggression from Sergio and decides to capitalize on his positional advantage by three-betting to $1,000.
With a stronger hand and positional advantage, Double A aims to reduce his opponents and potentially take control of the hand post-flop. Sergio, facing the 3-bet, opts to call, considering the possibility to hit a favorable board or outplay Double A post-flop.
On the flop, both players hit top pair, but with Double A holding superior kicker, he takes the lead and bets $1k. Sergio, recognizing the strength of his top pair with a weaker kicker, chooses to call, hoping to improve on later streets.
The game changes when the turn brings a fortunate 8s for Sergio, granting him two pairs and shifting the momentum in his favor. Sergio wisely checks, inducing Double A to continue betting with his top pair and possibly weaker holdings. Seizing the opportunity to maximize value, Sergio shoves all-in, being confident in the strength of his hand and aiming to capitalize on Double A’s potential range of weaker hands. Finally, Double A’s move to call reflects the uncertainty of the situation, hoping his top pair and better kicker will hold up. Unfortunately, Sergio’s top two pairs prevail, securing him the coveted pot.
Check out the video below to watch the above hand and the rest of live stream from Bally Live Poker!
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