Best Hand Folds What Would Have Been Nearly $1M Pot on High Stakes Poker

Alan Keating returned to the High Stakes Poker streets for the fifth episode of Season 14, released Monday on PokerGO, and he played, and lost, a $700,000 pot after getting it all in drawing dead. But there was another equally entertaining pot that nearly became the largest ever on the show.

Keating, a Hustler Casino Live fan favorite lost a monster pot to HCL owner Ryan Feldman, who otherwise hasn’t run so hot on the iconic poker show. Those two high rollers competed in a juicy $200/$400 no-limit hold’em cash game against Marc Kulick and a few first-name-basis-only HCL regulars, including Peter, an unpredictable high-stakes player who isn’t afraid to play any two cards or bluff in any spot. Here’s a look at the Episode 5 opening chip stacks:

Chasing a Straight

It took all of one hand before one player decided to play for his stack. Feldman began the first hand with a limp for $400 with J♥9♥ and then Kulick raised to $1,200 with A♠2♦. Peter, on the button with 4♠4♣, went for a three-bet to $12,000. Both players called.

The flop came out 3♥K♣4♠. Action checked to the button who fired out a continuation bet of $10,000 with middle set. Feldman folded, but Kulick called with a gutshot straight draw, which didn’t come through on the 7♦ turn card. He again checked, and then faced an all in bet of $22,800.

Kulick, the biggest stack in the game, was getting nearly 4-1 on his draw, so he made the call chasing a four-outer. The card he needed didn’t hit on the river, and Peter earned better than a double-up on the first hand of Episode 5.

Is this the Weirdest Played Hand Ever on High Stakes Poker?

Bluffing into Keating’s Flush

Kulick would continue to dump chips when he picked the absolute worst spot to bluff. The hand began with Steve, the player who won the infamous Tom Goldstein botched $540,000 pot on HCL last year, limping for $1,000 with Q♠4♥ as did Britney, who was on the button with K♣9♣.

Keating, in the small blind with A♦4♦, raised it up to $8,200. Kulick, the straddler, had Q♣J♥ and came along for the ride, as did Steve and Britney. The three cards on the flop showed 8♦6♦3♠, which only hit Keating in any significant way. He continued his aggression on the nut flush draw with a $16,000 wager. But despite his opponent’s all missing the flop, Kulick would raise his queen-high to $45,000 into a four-way pot.

Steve and Britney sent their cards into the muck, but Keating wasn’t going anywhere drawing to the nuts. The 10♦ on the turn didn’t give him the nuts, but it did give him an unbeatable flush. He went for a slowplay as he checked it over to the bluffing Kulick, who obliged with a $125,000 bet. Keating then moved all in for $419,000 total, and his opponent quickly folded.

Keating would hit another flush on the turn, this one seven-high, against Steve, who turned middle pair and paid off a $35,000 bet on the turn before folding to a large river bet.

Could Have Been Biggest Pot in High Stakes Poker History

The largest pot ever on High Stakes Poker was one turn call away from happening. But the player holding the best hand — David — couldn’t make the six-figure call.

The hand began with a limp for $800 from Feldman and his 5♠2♠. Kulick, who looked down at Q♥Q♦, raised it to $3,400. David then picked up K♠K♣ and three-bet to $20,000. Britney, in the big blind with 3♥3♣, shoved her entire $32,800 stack in the middle.

Feldman folded and Kulick, who couldn’t reopen the action as the raise wasn’t large enough, called. David also called to see a flop of 10♥8♦4♦. Kulick led for $125,000 and received a call from David. The turn was the 10♣, which paired the board. Kulick, with an over pair, went all in for $323,000.

David had his opponent slightly covered but was concerned Kulick turned trips. If he called, it would have brought the pot to $996,100. The largest pot in High Stakes Poker history, won by Santhosh Suvarna for $992,000, took place during Season 13. Suvarna still holds that record as David feared the trips and folded his hand. Kulick would take down the pot after a blank landed on the river.

Feldman and Keating Go at It

Keating would continue his table dominance against the co-founder of Hustler Casino Live. The board showed 4♦2♦4♣9♠10♦ and the pot had reached $71,000. Keating, with 3♠3♥, went for some value and bet $34,000. Feldman, holding A♠K♥ for the nut no-pair, would pay it off.

The two would tangle once again for a much larger pot that would set Keating, who had surpassed $1 million in his stack, back a bit. Feldman limped for $1,000 with 8♣6♣. Kulick, who had 9♥6♦, raised to $5,000. Keating, in the straddle with A♠K♠, re-raised to $36,000, and both players called.

The A♦7♥5♣ flop hit all three players in some way. But action surprisingly checked around, and the 4♠ on the turn ensured this pot was going to be huge. Feldman, who had the nuts, bet $80,000 following a Keating check. Kulick was drawing to the nut straight but only had three outs. He called.

Keating, who flopped top pair and top kicker, moved all in drawing dead. Feldman, whose stack was much smaller, called for $258,000, while Kulick let his drawing hand go. The remaining two players would turn over their cards, and the river 10♠ was meaningless. Feldman took down the $704,400 pot, the biggest thus far in Season 14.

Past High Stakes Poker Season 14 Episode Recaps

_{*Images courtesy of PokerGO/Antonio Abrego}