Last week, PokerGo hosted almost a week of High Stakes Poker Live action, sponsored by CoinPoker.
Millions of dollars changed hands during the four biggest sessions, with blinds ranging from $500/$1,000 to $2,000/$4,000.
The largest pot in the show's entire history was seen in the final session.
Eric Wasserson called a 3-bet of $80k preflop and check-called every street, Michael Moncek bet $100,000, then $330,000, then all-in for $1.6 million.
"This would be an insane fold," Eric said as he thought things over. "I kind of want to fold."
Then a few moments later, he said "whatever" and made the call. Nick Schulman called him the GOAT, which might have been a tad generous relative to the call.
Monchek shook his head in displeasure, surprised that Eric had such a strong hand.
"Maybe the biggest nitroll of all time" Mike said after the stun wore off.
"I said immediately, 'I have a huge hand,'" Wasserson replied. "I've never played a pot that big before."
Update: it’s 10:44pm in Vegas. Day 4 high stakes poker. Just punted 1.7 on the river and got nitrolled by a flush (unpaired board). Immediately double through robl. Morale still very low. 75 min left. Do we have a chance?? Is it too late to sell pieces? Stay tuned
When PokerGo posted this hand, Mike had continued tweeting about the "nitroll."
I want to apologize to Eric and all the viewers for how I acted on stream after the 97dd vs T7cc hand. I was completely in the wrong. I do not feel nit rolled. He also does not have to punt back to me and I was VERY out of line. I will not act like that in the future. GG!
"You are my boy," Wasserson replied, "I wasnt offended at all it was a completely normal reaction you have NOTHING to apologize for. Anyone saying differently has never really gambled for high stakes before…"
Fans saluted Mike's gesture, and honesty.
At the very end, when the stakes rose to $2,000/$4,000, Mike lifted his spirits by pulling off a beautiful bluff against Robl.
Robl limped for $2,000, Texas Mike reraised to $29,000, and called a three-bet of $175,000. On the flop, Robl bet $150,000 into a $370,000 pot, and Moncheck called. The turn was checked, and on the river, Andrew bet $500,000, and Mike quickly shoved. Robl laughed.
"You're so sick, you always put me in this situation," Robl immediately said.
"You got the bears?" he asked Mike. "That would be pretty funny, if you had the bears."
"That's the 85," Nick Shulman revealed to the audience.
"What year did the Bears win the Super Bowl?" Rick Salomon asked.
Moncek said, "'85," and gave a smile to Robl.
"What? You said in '84?" Robl laughed even harder. "What's going on?"
After thinking for a bit more, Robl finally threw the kings away. Mike showed his cards.
"You're the best Mike"
"What did you fold?" one of the players asked Robl.
"The best hand," he replied with a smile.
"Is this real life?" Texas Mike wrote a couple of days later. "Fired biggest failed bluff maybe ever on stream (don’t watch enough triton cash 😂) and still end up positive on the week???? Holy f. 4 days of high stakes poker, small winner. LFG. See y’all in the 1-3 streets I’m OUT for a minute!!"
In the final hand of the show, Wasserson and Robl went all in pre-flop for a $2.4 million pot.
Wasserson had straddled to $8,000, Robl raised to $20,000, and Wasserson repopped it up to $150,000.
With about $1.2 million behind, Robl went all-in. Texas Mike and Salomon had both called with hands that were well below this pay grade, and got out of the way.
Wasserson snap called when it got back to him.
They decided to run it once, but Eric asked the dealer to run another out of curiosity, and saw that he would have won the second board.
“I did it for you, it was a pity one time,” Eric told a satisfied Robl.
After this hand, Wasserson's profit for the week fell from $4.5 million to $3.2 million.
"It was a crazy weekend," he shared his emotions . "First off, shout out to the king of the poker world Andrew Robl for being such an amazing host as always. Pretty poetic that he got me the very last hand we played — this rivalry is far from over.
Thanks to the PokerGO team, Brent, and the crew for putting in the extra hours and letting the game run as long as it did.
Special shout out to Papi, Nick Schulman, the actual greatest of all time across the board, and of course Ali.
What can I say — I was very lucky these last few days.
Thanks to everyone who reached out with words of encouragement and congratulations. I never really thought I’d be a televised poker player, but here we are.
Shout out to Texas Mike — you have more gamble and heart than anyone in poker. Sorry for the nit roll, nothing but love for you.
– That’s a wrap on Season 17 of HSP – WOW, I never thought I could have so much fun getting my ass kicked. Props to Texas Mike for making the bluff of the season, and having me on dead tilt for two straight days. Very few people are able to pull the trigger and make bluffs like this at these stakes – my hat goes off to him. I don’t know of any poker player who has more heart.
Eric Wasserson, congrats you kicked my ass again and are still the luckiest guy I’ve ever played, and somehow, I can’t help but kind of love you, mixed with a fair bit of hate for all my money that you have.
Wouldn’t be highstakes poker without an appearance by fan favorites Darin Feinstein and Kirk Brown, you guys make the show fun.
Much love to the whole PokerGO. Their production turns what would just be a fun poker game into an exciting show/stream.
To all the spectators who were wondering this game is full of high net worth induvials, most who are not professional gamblers. I started at the smallest stakes in poker and have been fortunate, blessed and lucky beyond my wildest dreams. I am still trying to make money playing poker, but I play just as much now for the excitement, the fun and the joy, rather than the money – so don’t feel bad for me or any of the other players who lost – that’s life and the gamble you take when you sit down for battle at the poker table.
For all those spectators who were wondering I play my own money and did not have investors for this game. The finical details of the other players of the other players are none of my business – but as a betting man I’d make a wager most of them are playing all their own money. I promise you there is no illusion, this is 100% real money and real gambling. This game is played in a casino with cash chips, you can take them to the cage and cash them out for cold hard cash.
Can’t wait for season 18, Nov 22nd-25th. Santhosh and Kevin Hart will be making a return and I’ll be anteing up as well. I promise you I won’t be losing 3 seasons in a row!
If you want to pony up a few hundred thousand and play email vegas.hsp.desk@gmail.com, give a quick bio on your background and what stakes you’d be willing to play.
Rick Salomon took part in three sessions and lost the most ($2.2 million).
Robl recalled playing $50/$100 with Rick at the Bellagio many years ago. That session marked the beginning of Andrew's high roller career.
“True,” Steve “MrSmokey1” Bilirakis confirmed in the comments. “It was 100 200 or 200 400 and yes he was straddling every single hand to 4k or 5k or 6k. I had KK I raised to 18k. Rick 3b preflop to 56k with 56o. I called. Flop come K65r. He checked I bet about 30k. He raised to 100 i shoved about 350. Biggest pot I ever won."
"Actually someone opened to 18k i think it was Bryn Kenney. I 3b to 56k and Rick cold called. Flop 56K he check raised me...I shoved he called. He had 56o n I had KK"
In one of the first episodes, Robl and Wasserson played for a $2,478,000 pot, which also held the record for a couple of days.
Robl three-bet $110,000 and called a four-bet of $280,000.
The flop was checked, and on the turn, Wasserson bet $200,000 and, after much deliberation, called his opponent's all-in.
River was run twice, but the and didn't help Robl.
In one hand, Texas Mike won a seven-figure pot with A-high.
Robl three-bet $75k and called a four-bet $225k.
On the flop, Robl check-called $55k. On the turn, Mike bet $320k, Robl called.
The river was checked.
In another huge pot, Salomon and Moncek got it all in on the flop for a $2 million pot – no one had a made hand.
Salomon three-bet $26k and called a four-bet of $115k. On the flop, Mike bet $100k, Rick raised to $350k and called all-in.
The turn completed the flush.
Unofficial results of the main participants according to PokerNews.
