While high stakes poker seems exciting, many times the reality turns out to be that you are just doing a glorified bit of grinding. Let’s take for instance a session that Phil Ivey had at a couple of $1,500 – $3,000 7-Game tables. Ivey took down a series of really massive pots, but wound up really grinding out a small profit due.
Phil Ivey is considered one of the best stud players in the world and he schooled Patrik Antonius and UarePileous to the tune of $50k in Stud 8. Ivey brought it in with a 2c, Antonius completed with the Jc and UarePileous raised with a 6c. Ivey and Antonius called. Ivey caught and ace and bet $1,500. Antonius caught the 9d and called. UarePileous caught the Qs and called. Ivey caught the 8s on fifth and bet. Antonius caught the Ah and called. UarePileous called after catching the 7d. UarePileous caught an open pair of sevens on sixth and checked to Ivey who caught the 4d. Ivey bet and Antonius made the call having caught the Ah. UarePileous called as well. The river started with a check from UarePileious and a bet of $3,000 from Ivey. Antonius raised to $6,000 and UarePileous folded. Ivey then three-bet and Antonius flat called. Ivey turned over 5-5-3 to show a wheel and Antonius mucked his hand.
Ivey took a nice $46,799 pot a while later during pot limit omaha with a strong bet on the turn.
Two hands later, he took what proved to be the largest pot of the night in a hand against Nizot Skizared. Ivey raised to $3,000 pre-flop and was called. On the flop of 5d-8c-9c, action was checked to Ivey, who bet $3,000. Nizot Skizared raised pot to $12,600. Ivey called and the 9h fell on the turn. Action was checked to Ivey, and he bet $22,500. Nizot Skizared made the call and the 10c fell on the river. Action was again checked, and Ivey bet $63,600 into a $73,799.50 pot. Nizot Skizared laid it down and Ivey took a $73,799.50 pot. After this hand, the game broke with Ivey up about $20,000.
Ivey had his hands full with UarePileous on the other 7-Game table. The two exchanged some sizable pots during Holdem and pot limit omaha. The first came in Holdem. UarePileous started the hand with $25,734.50 and Ivey over $159k. Pre-flop, UarePileous had the button and raised to $1,800. Ivey immediately went for the kill and pushed all-in. Opps was the operative work when UarePileous called and held pocket queens against the pocket sixes of Ivey. Ivey picked up a straight draw on the turn, but a river king sealed the hand for UarePileous and awarded him a $51,468.50 pot.
Ivey donated some more to UarePileous four hands later in pot limit omaha. UarePileous raised to $1,800 pre-flop and Ivey made the call. On a flop of Jh-Kd-5h, Ivey checked and UarePileous bet $3k. Ivey raised pot to $10,200 and was called. Action was checked around when the As fell on the turn. The river fell the 9s and Ivey checked to UarePileous who bet $17,700. Ivey made the call and UarePileous showed Ah-Kc-Js-10c for top two pair. Ivey could not beat it and UarePileous was shipped the $59,399.50 pot.
The last big pot of the night went to Ivey without showdown. Ivey three-bet to $3,600 pre-flop and was called. On a flop of Kh-8c-9c, Ivey bet $5,400 and was called. The turn 6d was checked around. The river fell the 7d and Ivey again checked to UarePileous, who bet $14,800. Ivey then check-raised the size of the pot to $62,400 and UarePileous ran away. Ivey took down the $47,599.50 pot.
Action concluded between the two a few hands later. UarePileous finished up about $50k at this table, but Ivey finished about break even thanks to wins at this table earlier in the session from other players. For the session, Ivey finished up about $20,000, or about 6.5 big bets. While this isn’t a lot, there are many limit players that would love to have that sort of win rate. Of course, Ivey blows more than $20,000 betting on craps, so this probably won’t go down as a memorable win. However, it does prove the point that not all successful sessions are going to be six figure scores or better. In the end, a win is a win, and I’m sure Ivey will take it.
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