It took all of one episode for Vanessa Rousso to go busto on the PokerStars sponsored “Big Game,” which airs on Fox. This week’s table, which was spread with $600,000, saw online qualifier Bob Ferdinand, affectionately dubbed the “Loose Cannon,” spar with five of the game’s top pros. At stake is a $50,000 North American Poker Tour passport, which currently belongs to David Fishman. Ferdinand is the final “Loose Cannon” of the season.
The action on the “Big Game” is Pot Limit pre-flop and No Limit thereafter with blinds of $200/$400 along with a $100 ante paid entirely by the player on the button. Each “Loose Cannon” is staked $100,000 from PokerStars and keeps any profits.
In the first major pot of Monday’s kickoff episode, Ferdinand check-called a bet of $4,000 from UB.com pro Phil Hellmuth with A-J on a flop of Q-Q-A for aces-up. Hellmuth held Q-6 in the hand for trips and the turn was a seven. Ferdinand once again check-called, this time a bet of $12,000, and the river was an ace, giving the amateur a better full house than Hellmuth. Ferdinand fired out $18,500 and Hellmuth began to reel, lamenting, “Is this even possible?” Hellmuth called reluctantly, shipping the $73,800 pot to the qualifier.
Hellmuth would exact revenge with K-Q against Rousso, who held K-J on a king-high board. The pot totaled $54,000 and initiated Rousso’s downward spiral. On the next hand shown, Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier bet out $3,600 on a flop of 7-7-K with two clubs holding pocket nines, including the nine of clubs. Rousso, who had A-5 of hearts, made it $8,000 and the turn was the six of clubs, giving Grospellier a flush draw.
Rousso checked when the six hit and Grospellier hit the table as well to bring the deuce of clubs on the river. Rousso continued firing, this time $16,000, and Grospellier called, scooping the $55,000 pot with a flush. Rousso was down $55,000 through just 12 hands out of the 150 played during the week.
Introduced in recent weeks on the “Big Game” is a segment dubbed “Couch Cannon” in which only the hole cards of the “Loose Cannon” are revealed, allowing the audience at home to play along. During Monday’s installment, Hellmuth rivered trip nines against Ferdinand with A-9 to draw out on top pair. The pot, the largest of the night, amounted to $113,000 and shaved Ferdinand’s stack by $56,000. He was down $21,000 at the time.
Rousso’s witching hour came after she raised pre-flop to $1,000 with Q-J of hearts and received a 3bet from DoylesRoom Brunson 10 member Amit “amak316” Makhija, who pushed it to $3,500 with pocket jacks. Rousso came along and the flop came 10-4-J, giving her top pair against Makhija’s set. Rousso check-called a bet of $4,000 and the turn was a queen.
Rousso checked two pair and Makhija moved $10,000 in chips to the center of the table. Rousso shoved over the top for $35,800 and Makhija called with his set. The DoylesRoom pro told Rousso that she could run the river as many times as she wanted and so four final cards were dealt. A three, nine, king, and deuce fell on the four river runs and Makhija scooped the entire $87,000 pot, the second largest of the night. Rousso collected her belongings and headed for the exit, refusing to rebuy.
At the end of Monday’s episode, Makhija was up $37,000, Hellmuth was up $33,400, Grospellier was up $26,700, and Ferdinand was $5,400 in the black. Poker pro Abe Mosseri was down $3,100, while Rousso was busto. A new pro will take to the felts in her place on Tuesday night.
You can catch the PokerStars sponsored “Big Game” late nights on Fox. Check your local listings for more details.