On Sunday’s episode of the GSN cash game franchise “High Stakes Poker,” Full Tilt Poker pro David Benyamine pushed Daniel Negreanu off of a winning flush for a massive $265,500 pot. New episodes air at 8:00pm ET on Sundays.
The first session with a brand new slate of players aired over the weekend on “High Stakes Poker.” Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Phil Ivey each bought in for $500,000, the most of anyone at the table, and the latter made his presence known early and often. Ivey raised to $4,000 pre-flop with 10-5 and received a call from Negreanu, who held just 4-2, and Doyle Brunson, who had 6-3 of clubs. The flop came 4-9-5, giving Ivey middle pair, and he bet $10,000. Brunson was the lone caller and a queen hit on the turn. Brunson check-called a bet of $26,000 from Ivey and the river was another five, improving the “Tiger Woods of Poker” to trips and missing Brunson’s straight draw. Brunson checked, Ivey bet $60,000, and “Texas Dolly” got out of the way.
In the largest hand of the night, Negreanu raised to $3,000 pre-flop with 10-9 of spades, Brunson came along with pocket queens, and Benyamine called with 7-5 of spades. The action flop came down 9-3-8 with two spades. Benyamine checked with straight and flush draws, while Negreanu made an $8,000 continuation bet with top pair and a flush draw. Brunson called with an overpair and Benyamine also obliged, bringing a disastrous queen of spades on the turn. The action checked around and the river was a red ace. Benyamine checked, Negreanu bet $26,200, Brunson called with a set, and Benyamine pumped the action to $101,200.
Facing Benyamine’s massive re-raise, “High Stakes Poker” host Gabe Kaplan speculated on Negreanu’s thought process: “Daniel is not putting Benyamine on a small flush. He’s putting him on a bluff or maybe the stone nuts.” Negreanu wound up folding and Brunson made the call, shipping the largest pot of the night – $265,500 – to Benyamine. Brunson was down $150,000 after buying in for $300,000. The poker legend has won 16 straight times on televised cash games, putting his streak at risk when the session wraps up in a few episodes.
Negreanu’s woes continued, as he picked up pocket jacks and raised to $3,000 pre-flop. Eli Elezra made it $13,000 with A-9 and Negreanu called. The flop came 10-Q-2 and Negreanu check-called a bet of $19,900 from Elezra to see another queen on the turn. Negreanu once again elected to check-call a bet, this time $25,000, and a river ace gave Elezra top pair. The action went check-check and Elezra scooped the $118,600 pot. Negreanu lamented after the ace on the river, “This is just sick, so sick. What the hell is going on?”
“30 Seconds with Kara Scott” focused on who each of the “High Stakes Poker” combatants were close with away from the table, while the PokerStars-sponsored segment “Did You Know?” featured Negreanu discussing the etiquette of calling the clock. Both are new vignettes in Season 6 of “High Stakes Poker,” which also features Scott interviewing players following critical pots.
Making his “High Stakes Poker” debut on Sunday night was Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier, who played just one hand of significance during the episode. In it, he raised to $3,000 before the flop with J-7 and received a call from Ivey, who held pocket eights. The flop came 2-7-8, giving Ivey top set, and the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event November Nine member bet $5,000. Grospellier called and the turn was a six. Ivey bet $15,000 and Grospellier got out of the way.
Mike Matusow, who returned to the “High Stakes Poker” felt for the first time since Season 4, did not play a hand. Next week, Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond joins the table. New episodes of “High Stakes Poker” air on Sundays at 8:00pm ET on GSN.
Daniel is once again proving his ability to read peoples hands is once again awful.