March 07 2011, Rich Ryan

In the first episode of High Stakes Poker Season 7, the pro’s and the businessmen butted heads in some massive pots. Vanessa Selbst lost a massive pot when Phil Ruffin flopped a set of threes against her overpair and David Peat drew out on Bill Klein with a pair and a flush draw against Klein’s aces. The action did not slow down in the second episode of the season, especially on the last hand when there was a $600,000 pot played between two pros.

SPOILER ALERT: If you are waiting to watch the HSP episode, read no further.

Here’s how the players were seated and what their stacks looked like to start the episode.

Croak Folds a Flush: In the first hand of the episode, Peat limped in with from early position, Antonio Esfandiari limped behind on the button with and Robert Croak and Ruffin completed in the blinds with and respectively. The flop fell and Croak checked to Ruffin who bet $3,000. Peat, Esfandiari and Croak all called.

The turn was the and all four players checked. The on the river gave Croak a flush, yet Ruffin led for $50,000 into a pot of only $16,000. Action folded to Croak who tanked momentarily before mucking the best hand, and Ruffin triumphantly tabled his straight. Croak admitted he folded a flush and both Esfandiari and Vanessa Selbst were confused as to why.

Peat Trips up Klein: Selbst opened to $2,500 from early position with . Esfandiari called with from the hijack seat, Klein called with from the small blind and Peat protected his big blind with . Klein’s trap was foiled when the flop fell . He checked to Peat who fired $5,000 and the action folded back to Klein who check-raised to $15,000. Peat called.

The turn was the and Klein led for $20,000. Peat quickly called and the fell on the river. Klein led again – this time for $40,000. Peat was never folding but thought about raising for about half a minute before he finally called. Klein opened his kings but they were no good against trip fives and $160,800 was shipped to Peat.

“I didn’t want to take from charity.” Peat explained when his tablemates asked why he didn’t raise.

“It’s called being a nit,” Selbst needled.

Hero Call?: David Peat straddled for $1,600 and Barry Greenstein opened to $5,100 with . Ruffin called with from the small blind and Peat defended his straddle with . The dealer flopped and the action checked to Greenstein who continued for $8,000. Ruffin released and Peat made the call.

Both players checked the on the turn, and after the rivered Peat led for a measly $2,000. Greenstein promptly raised to $20,000 and Peat called even quicker. The Robin Hood of poker rolled over his hand to show he had trip kings and Peat mucked his hand looking utterly confused.

Klein Gets Tricky: Bill Klein started the action by limping with , and Peat raised to $3,500 right behind him with . Selbst called with , Ruffin defended his big blind with and Klein called, as well. The flop was and the action checked to Peat who continued for $8,000. Selbst folded, Ruffin called, and Klein surprisingly raised to $23,000. The action was on Peat and Ruffin tried to call, which led Peat to fold. Ruffin then called and the turn brought the . Both players checked. The river was the and Ruffin checked again. Klein bet $29,000 into $69,200, and Ruffin immediately folded.

High Stakes Legends: This week’s edition of High Stakes Legends profiled Benny Binion. Binion of course opened the famed Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas, which hosted the World Series of Poker for over 30 years. The Horseshoe played host to huge cash games, as well, attracting the best players in the world to the property.

Oops: Ruffin limped in with and Peat tried to isolate him by raising to $3,500 with . The remaining players folded, Ruffin called and the flop fell . Ruffin led for $5,000 and Peat called.

“Obviously he has larceny in mind,” host Norm Macdonald commented.

The turn was the and Ruffin quickly bet $20,000 into a $19,000 pot. Peat stuck to his guns, however, raising to $50,000. Ruffin snap-called. The river was the and Ruffin slowed down, checking to Peat who fired one more bullet worth $100,000. Ruffin called and Peat sheepishly turned over the bluff.

Kara Scott asked Ruffin whether or not he thought Peat could’ve had him beat and Ruffin responded, “Nope, he could’ve had anything. I had $600,000 and it was about $100,000 so it was an easy call.”

Run It Once: Antonio Esfandiari opened to $2,500 with from under the gun, Ruffin called with , Peat called with , Selbst called with and Greenstein defended his big blind with .

The flop: – Whammy!

Selbst and Greenstein checked to Esfandiari who continued for $6,200. Peat called with just a pair of sixes and the action folded back to Greenstein who check-raised to $30,000. Esfandiari put in a third bet worth $106,000, Peat got out of the way and Greenstein moved all in.

“Once or twice?” Esfandiari asked, pushing his stack in the middle.

The $593,900 pot was the biggest of the season and Greenstein always runs it once, making this hand even more sick. The spiked on the turn to give Esfandiari a leading flush, but if the board paired then Greenstein would re-suck and take the pot. The bricked on the river however and Esfandiari scooped the monster pot.

The action has been fast and furious this season, and Andrew Robl will join the table on next week’s episode. If the teaser trailer is any indication, there is going to be ever more action and more all-ins than this past week.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

April 04 2011, Rich Ryan

In the first session of season seven of High Stakes Poker, amateur Phil Ruffin walked away with heaps – around $300,000 to be exact – while fellow amateur Bill Klein lost over $400,000. This week marked the start of a new session, headlined by 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Jonathan Duhamel, the “Unibomber” Phil Laak, and one of the best, young players in the world; Jason Mercier.

Here’s how the entire table looked.

SPOILER ALERT: If you are waiting to watch the HSP episode, read no further.

(NOTE: All eight players started with $200,000, except for Bill Perkins who bought in for an extra $15,000. Don’t ask.)

It’s a Trap!: Bill Perkins raised to $2,800 with , Haralabos Voulgaris called with , and Jonathan Duhamel called from the small blind with . The flop fell , and Duhamel checked. Perkins put out a continuation-bet worth $5,500, Voulgaris called and Duhamel folded.

The turn was the , and Perkins quickly fired $12,800. Voulgaris again called. The on the river changed nothing, and Perkins coolly tossed $15,000 in the middle. Voulgaris called.

“You got me,” Perkins sighed, shaking his head.

Voulgaris tabled his pocket kings, and Perkins angrily mucked his hand.

When I Had You to Myself: “Silent” Mike Baxter opened to $2,500 with , Jonathan Duhamel called with , Julian Movsesian followed suit with a black pair of fours on the button, and Bill Perkins joined the party with from the small blind. The dealer fanned , giving Perkins and Baxter jacks and fives. Perkins checked, and Baxter continued for $7,000. Duhamel released his hand, Movsesian called, and Perkins check-raised to $27,000. Baxter tank-called, but Movsesian got out of the way.

The turn was the and Perkins announced, “Thirty-thousand.”

Baxter quickly folded the second-best hand, and Perkins raked in the pot. The businessman from Texas offered to show his hand for $5,000, but no one even took the offer seriously.

Mercier Turns Two-Pair: Julian Movsesian raised to $3,800 from under the gun with . Mike Baxter called on the button with , and Jason Mercier defended his big blind with . The flop came down , Mercier checked, and Movsesian tossed out $8,500. Baxter folded, and Mercier called, which was a wise decision because the peeled on the turn. Mercier checked again, this time with the best hand, and without hesitating, Movsesian chucked $15,000 into the pot. Mercier called.

The river was the , and Mercier checked a third time. Movsesian immediately fired $20,000, and Mercier almost beat him into the pot with the call. Movsesian knew straightaway that he was beat, and surprisingly mucked his pair of aces before Mercier tabled his two-pair.

High Stakes Legends: The subject of this week’s High Stakes Legends segment was Thomas Austin Preston Jr., better known as Amarillo Slim. In the 1970′s, Slim became the world’s most famous poker player, making appearances on both The Johnny Carson Show and 60 Minutes. Slim owns 4 WSOP gold bracelets, and is unquestionably one of the most influential rounders of all time.

That’s How You Win $9 Million: Bill Perkins straddled to $1,600, and the action folded to Jonathan Duhamel on the button who bumped it to $4,200 with . Julian Movsesian called from the big blind with , and Perkins surrendered his straddle. The flop came down , and Movsesian check-called $5,500 from Duhamel with just ace-high. Movsesian binked a pair when the turned, but he checked, giving Duhamel a free river card. That decision would come back to haunt him, because the on the river gave Duhamel trips. Movsesian led for $10,000, and reigning WSOP Main Event champion raised to $32,300. Movsesian called, but quickly dished his cards into the muck once Duhamel announced he had a five.

“That’s how they win $9 million, kids,” Phil Laak needled.

Double Straddle OMG: Phil Laak straddled to $1,600 and “Silent” Mike Baxter double-straddled (OMG) to $3,200. The action folded all the way to Haralabos Voulgaris, who raised to $8,500 from the big blind, and Baxter defended his double-straddle with . The flop fell , and Voulgaris led for $8,500. Baxter called.

The turn was the , and Voulgaris slowed down, checking to Baxter who bet $20,000. Voulgaris released the best hand very quickly, and Baxter successfully pulled off the stone-cold bluff.

Duhamel Turns Nuts: Bill Perkins straddled to $1,600, and “Silent” Mike Baxter remained active, opening to $4,500 with . Jonathan Duhamel called on the button with , and Julian Movsesian defended his big blind with . Perkins unhappily mucked from the straddle, and the flop came down – oh, boy. Movsesian checked, Baxter made a continuation-bet worth $11,000, and Duhamel called. Movsesian mucked, and the on the turn gave Duhamel the nut-flush.

Baxter checked, and Duhamel bet $17,600. Baxter called. The river was the , and Baxter checked again. Duhamel quickly bet $33,500, and Baxter made a crying call.

“I wanted to show people that I will call so I don’t get bullied,” Baxter later told HSP hostess Kara Scott. “I had a pretty good feeling I was beat there.”

Stack Sizes

Here’s how the stacks looked towards the end of the episode.

Flush Over Flush on Final Hand: On the final hand of the night, Jason Mercier raised to $2,300 with , and was called by Bill Perkins (), Phil Laak (), “Silent” Mike Baxter (), and Jonathan Duhamel (). The dealer fanned , giving both Baxter and Duhamel flush draws, and the two checked to Mercier who continued for $5,400. Perkins and Laak folded, while Baxter and Duhamel called.

The on the turn was a big, red, brick, and all three players checked. The river brought another deuce, but the was yahtzee for Baxter who led out for $22,000. Duhamel called with his inferior flush, Mercier mucked, and Baxter tabled the nut-flush.

The teaser for next week’s episode showed a lot of Bill Perkins. We’ll see if his jaw gets him into any trouble, or if the wealthy businessman can add to his colossal bankroll.

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