On Day 1 of the Aussie Millions, Gus Hansen travelled from $20k to $66.7k. How can he triple his chip pile? It is interesting to discover that he improved his pile primarily on 4 palms. Can you play with them the same way?
Hand 11: By 10.22k to 15.23k
Blinds: 100/200
Position: BB
H: Jc-9c
2 players limp and yet another player raises to 800. There’s 1500 from the bud, and it will cost 600 longer for Gus to call. He has suited connectors and is getting over 2 to 1. He calls. The limpers fold.
Flop: Jh-6s-3h. Gus check calls, the 1200 bet to the 2100 bud Poker.
Turn: Js. Gus check raises all-in.
Conclusion: Standard play.
Hand 14: From 12.6k to 28.85k
Blinds: 100/200
Position: 1st
Hand: Kd-9d
Gus raises to 600 and has 2 callers.
Flop: 8d-6s-3d. Gus stakes, one participant calls, and another check raises to 3200. He calls as does the other participant.
Turn: 6d. The check-raiser checks, and Gus moves .
River: 2s.
Conclusion: A loose racket raise under the gun by Gus. The BB made a very strange call on the turn–believing Gus was still bluffing.
Hand 17: From 26.6k to 53.2k
Blinds: 100/200/25
Position: 2 off button
H: Jc-5c
Gus raises to 600 and the button makes it 1200. Gus callssince this is a min increase which looks like he needs a telephone.
Gus and the min raiser checks.
Switch: 8c.
Gus bets 2000, his competitor increases to 6000, and Gus moves with his flush. His opponent calls with a set of 9’s.
Gus wins.
Conclusion: A loose racket raise leads to a big win. I have been in the position of the player with the group, and that I predicted although I was 99.9% sure my competitor had the flush. I dropped as well.
Hand 31: By 54k to 68.8k
Blinds: 300/600/75
Position: two off button
H: Ac-Td
Gus opens to 1800.
Fop 10s-8d-3s. Gus stakes 4800 into the 6450 pot and the button calls.
Switch 8s. Both players check.
Gus stakes 6300 and has called. He wins because his competitor mucks after seeing Gus’ hand.
Conclusion: Pretty standard play. His opponent could have attempted to bluff a flush by betting the turn and the river.
Overall, it’s intriguing to understand that Gus won big pots twice by playing hands that many players wouldn’t play, and needless to say, entering the pot with a raise.
Mitchell Cogert is the author of”Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves.” It is the only reference book to show the plays the Pros use to acquire a poker tournament. These plays are based on reviewing 20 years worth of tournament poker strategies and by actual play against Daniel Negreanu, Erick Lindgren, David Pham along with other top pros. The publication is highly rated with 4.5 out of 5 stars on amazon.