Monday night marked the first episode of Week 2 of the PokerStars.net sponsored “Big Game” on Fox. The high-stakes cash game featuring a “Loose Cannon” qualifier from PokerStars battling against five poker pros airs at 1:00am or 2:00am nightly in most markets.
Daniel Negreanu was the high roller at the table, buying in for $200,000, while everyone else purchased $100,000 in chips. This week’s “Loose Cannon” is William Davis, who candidly told “Big Game” hostess Amanda Leatherman prior to his battle, “I could win or lose a pot worth more than my house.” Davis’ wife is not a fan of Negreanu, who serves as the face of the “Big Game,” because he talks too much.
The “Loose Cannon” made his presence known early, raising to $1,200 pre-flop with pocket deuces and receiving a call from defending World Poker Tour Championship winner David Williams, who held pocket tens, including a club. The flop came 5-4-4 with two clubs and Williams check-called a bet of $2,100. The turn put a third club on the board and the action went check-check to the deuce of clubs on the river, giving Davis a boat and Williams a flush. Williams checked, Davis bet $6,000, and Williams tanked before electing to abandon ship.
Then, internet entrepreneur Jason Calacanis raised to $1,200 pre-flop with pocket deuces, 10-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Doyle Brunson popped it to $4,800 with pocket queens, and Davis 4bet to $14,800 with a wired pair of jacks. Brunson pushed the action to $46,400 after trying to push all-in, but the action on the “Big Game” is Pot Limit before the flop and No Limit thereafter. Davis released his hand, causing host Joe Stapleton to comment, “That was some power poker. A $60,000 pot without a flop.”
The hand of the night occurred when Williams bet $3,000 holding A-4 of spades on a flop of 8-8-Q with two spades for the nut flush draw. Davis called with K-10 of spades for the second nut flush draw and the turn brought the deuce of spades, filling both players’ flushes. Williams bet $7,000 and Davis called to bring a fourth spade on the river. Williams bet $20,000 and Davis insta-called, shipping the $64,400 pot to Williams. Just like that, the “Loose Cannon” was down $43,000 out of his $100,000 stake.
Brunson hit the deck hard on Monday night’s episode, picking up pocket queens twice and pocket kings once in the first 10 hands. He was up over $20,000 by the time all was said and done, roughly tied with Williams. In the final hand shown, Davis picked up aces and raised to $1,200. Cash game guru Abe Mosseri called with J-6 of hearts and the action flop came 5-5-8 with two hearts. Davis bet $3,200 with his overpair and Mosseri called to bring an offsuit deuce on the turn. Davis fired out another bet, this time $9,000, and Mosseri called despite not receiving the right price to hit his flush draw. The river brought another offsuit duck. Davis bet $23,000 and Mosseri folded, ending the action for the evening.
Davis was still down $28,000 to close out the episode. The “Loose Cannon” qualifier had an Aggression Factor of 2.7, the second lowest at the table, through the first 30 hands. Negreanu had a Pre-Flop Raise Percentage of 30%, the highest of the group, while Davis turned in the second highest tally at 23%.
The PokerStars.net-backed “Big Game” airs daily on Fox. Check your local listings for more details.