The PokerStars sponsored “Big Game” once again boasted new episodes this week. The series airs nightly on Fox and featured a highly entertaining Monday night episode in which PartyPoker pro Tony G dropped $177,000 and accepted a $100,000 loan from Daniel Negreanu.
The “Big Game” has blinds of $200/$400, with Pot Limit action before the flop and No Limit thereafter. The person on the button pays the entire $100 per person ante and this week’s Loose Cannon online qualifier is Aaron Jensen, who hails from Seattle and is seeking money for his wedding. Each Loose Cannon is staked $100,000 and can keep any amount they win.
The action started off fast and furious, with Jensen raising to $1,400 pre-flop with 9-8 of hearts and finding three callers. The flop came Q-4-10 with two hearts and Jensen led out for $3,000 with a flush draw. Tony G came along with Q-J for top pair and the turn was a five. Jensen check-called a bet of $10,000 to a nine on the river. Both players waived the white flag and the European bad boy scooped a $32,000 pot.
His fortunes would quickly turn for the worse, however. In a battle of the blinds, Tony G raised to $1,200 with 6-5 and GoDaddy Girl Vanessa Rousso peeked down at pocket aces. She called the raise and the flop came 6-J-5, giving Tony G bottom two pair. He led out for $2,000, Rousso made it $5,000, Tony G 3bet to $20,000, and Rousso called behind. An ace on the turn saved the day for Rousso, who called a $10,000 bet from Tony G with a set.
The action card came on the river. A five hit, giving both players full houses, but Rousso’s aces-full was superior. Tony G checked in the dark and Rousso shoved all-in. Tony G insta-called and the pot of $192,000 was pushed towards Rousso. Tony G joked, “That’s shutting me up” and vowed not to reload if he went busto.
Through 20 hands, Scott Seiver sported a VPIP (Voluntarily Put Money into the Pot) of 55%, while DoylesRoom pro Todd Brunson was the quietest player at the table at 15%. On a flop of 8-7-3 with two spades, Tony G bet $4,000 with K-5 of spades and Negreanu called with 7-6 for middle pair. Seiver pushed the action to $21,000 with top set and Tony G moved all-in. Seiver called all-in and the duo agreed to run it once.
The board filled out 9-3, no spades, and Seiver doubled up. Thinking that all of his chips had been shipped to Seiver, Tony G walked offstage, but returned following a commercial break. He was down $174,000 on the night and had a stack of just $4,000 behind him, or 10 big blinds. After nursing the short stack for a few hands, Tony G received a loan of $100,000 straight from Negreanu’s pocket.
Jensen continued to apply selective aggression, raising to $1,300 pre-flop with pocket nines. After a call from Negreanu, Seiver 3bet to $6,200 with Q-9 and Jensen came along to see a flop of 10-3-2. Seiver made a continuation bet of $7,000 and Jensen raised to $35,700. Seiver tanked in his trademark “hands to the nose” pose before deciding to get out of the way.
Players’ PFR, or Pre-Flop Raise, stats were shown. Seiver was the most aggressive one at the table and had a PFR of 37%. Brunson, contrastingly, had not yet raised pre-flop. By the end of Monday’s kickoff episode, Rousso was up $110,000, while at the other end of the spectrum, Tony G was down nearly $180,000.
The show airs late night on Fox during the week. Check your local listings for more information.
just goes to show with Tony G, that its not skill that makes you a poker player its money,,