The first episode of “Poker After Dark: The Cash Game” aired on Monday night at 2:05am ET on NBC. The installment ended with two titans of the game, DoylesRoom namesake Doyle Brunson and UB.com front man Phil Hellmuth, dominating the action. The former ended the episode up $135,000.
Five of the six members of The Cash Game table bought in for $100,000, while Tom “durrrr” Dwan dared to be different and came armed with $250,000. The blinds were $200/$400 and Ali Nejad flew solo, providing commentary on the action. Leeann Tweeden introduced the players to begin the first episode of the week, but did not conduct any interviews from the “Poker After Dark” suite. Brunson and Hellmuth combined for 21 of the group’s 22 World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets.
Hellmuth got the episode started off on the right foot. Phil Laak bet $3,200 on a flop of 5-9-2 with one club holding A-K and Eli Elezra came along with 9-7 of clubs for top pair. Hellmuth, who had 5-4 of spades, called to see an eight of clubs hit on the turn. Hellmuth bet $7,000, Laak got out of the way, and Elezra called to bring a four of diamonds on the river. Hellmuth bet $9,000 with two pair and Elezra called, shipping the $46,300 pot to the UB.com pro, who was quickly up $40,000.
After raised action pre-flop, Hellmuth and Full Tilt Poker pro Gus Hansen checked it down on a board reading Q-7-2-9-6. Hansen showed A-4 for ace-high, while Hellmuth held A-K for a better kicker. Hellmuth scooped the $35,100 pot at the expense of the “Great Dane” and continued his success in the televised NBC cash game.
Laak then tangled with Dwan, raising to $1,400 pre-flop with 9-4 of diamonds. Dwan made the call with 9-3 of hearts and the flop came 10-6-4. The action went check-check to the seven of diamonds on the turn, putting two of the suit on the board. Dwan bet $2,700, Laak called, and the river was the three of diamonds, filling Laak’s flush. Dwan check-raised to $23,200 and Laak called, giving the massive $55,100 pot to “The Unabomber.”
Then, the action heated up in the private cash game filmed at the Golden Nugget in Downtown Las Vegas. Dwan raised to $1,400 with pocket threes and Brunson 3bet to $4,900 with 10-9 of hearts. Dwan called to bring a flop of 9-9-5. Brunson led out for $7,000 with trips and Dwan called with two pair. The turn was a six. Brunson kept firing, this time $22,000, and Dwan called to see a jack on the river. Brunson moved all-in for $62,000, about a pot-sized bet, and Dwan tanked, repeatedly looking Brunson over, before calling. The dealer pushed the $193,000 pot, the largest of the episode, to Brunson.
Brunson and Dwan continued to joust. Dwan raised to $1,600 with J-5 of diamonds and Brunson called with K-Q. Elezra came along with 5-2 after putting in an $800 straddle pre-flop and the first three cards came Q-6-2. Elezra checked his gutshot straight draw, Dwan bet $4,100 with squadoosh, Brunson called with top pair, and Elezra mucked. The turn was the 10 of diamonds, giving Dwan a flush draw, and the youngster from New Jersey led out for $10,600. Brunson called and the river was the three of clubs. Dwan fired a third bullet to the tune of $24,700 and Brunson called, scooping the $84,500 pot.
By the time all was said and done, Brunson was up $135,000, while Dwan had bled $160,000, or two-thirds of his stack. “Poker After Dark” airs nightly at 2:05am ET on NBC.
