High Stakes Poker S8 E6: How to Get Tom Dwan to Lay Down Pocket Kings

Wednesday's latest "High Stakes Poker" episode on PokerGO featured a new lineup including some first-time players.

The game, which took place at PokerGO Studio, was $200/$400/$400 no-limit hold’em with an option straddle. Rick Salomon bought in as the big stack for $500K, while everyone else appeared to buy in for $100K.

Here’s how things look the first time the show broadcast the stacks:

Salomon vs. Bellande – “I Got It”

As Tom Dwan, winner of a monster three-way all-in hand the week before, was taking a seat at the table, an $800 straddle was on when Jean-Robert Bellande raised to $3,000 from the cutoff holding the k♥️

Salomon checked his flush draw and then called when Bellande bet $2,000 with his set of kings. The 7♣️ turn gave Salomon the club flush and he checked to Bellande, who bet $9,000. Salomon woke up with a check-raised to $29,000 and Bellande paused for a few beats before calling.

The 2♠️ river changed nothing and Salomon put out a big bet, enough to cover the $64,800 Bellande had behind.

“I can just hear you saying, ‘I got it. I got it,’” Bellande quipped. “I can beat aces and sevens, Rick.”

Eventually, Bellande called off and indeed Salomon said, “I got it.” He then tabled his flush to take down the $201,200 pot.

“JRB has been unlucky on this season of High Stakes Poker,” commentator Gabe Kaplan offered.

Dwan vs. Salomon – “Damnit, Rick”

Salomon double straddled to $1,600 and Dwan raised to $5,000 from the hijack holding the a♠️k♦️. Salomon defended with the k♥️10♥️ and the flop came down 8♣️9♥️q♥️. Both players checked and the a♣️ turn paired Dwan, who checked. Salomon, who had a straight flush draw, bet $20,000 and Dwan called.

When the 3♥️ completed the board on the river and gave Salomon the heart flush, he bet $54,000.

“Damnit, Rick,” a perplexed Dwan said before taking a sip from his Starbucks. After a couple of minutes in the tank, Dwan laid down his hand and gave the $109,600 pot to Salomon.

“You bluffed me,” Dwan stated. Salomon proved him wrong by showing him his heart flush.

Schwimer vs. Bellande – Giving It Up on the River

With an $800 straddle on, Bellande raised to $3,000 from the cutoff with the 8♥️6♥️. Michael Schwimer, who you might recall as being the big winner in the Season 8 debut episode of High Stakes Poker, then three-bet to $11,000 with the q♦️j♦️ on the button and Bellande called to see a 6♣️7♣️j♦️ flop.

Bellande, who flopped a pair of sixes, check-called a bet of $14,000 from Schwimer, who was in the lead with a pair of jacks. The 9♦️ turn gave Bellande an open-ended straight draw to go with his pair and he checked to Schwimer, who bet $23,000.

Bellande quickly called and the 2♦️ bricked the river. Bellande checked and Schwimer bet $17,000, which was half his remaining chips. With $116,800 in the pot, Bellande gave it some serious thought before laying it down.

Leforbes vs. Perry – Flopped Flushes

Sean Perry straddled to $800 and Damien Leforbes raised to $3,000 under the gun with the 3♠️2♠️. Dwan called from the button with the a♥️j♠️, Perry came along with his 8♠️7♠️, and it was three-way action to the 10♠️a♠️k♠️ all-spade flop, which gave two players a flush.

Two checks saw Leforbes continue for $7,500 with the best hand and Dwan, who had a Royal Flush draw, called before Perry check-raised to $42,000. Leforbes called off the $34,500 he had behind and Dwan got out of the way.

The 7♥️ turn left Perry drawing dead and Leforbes was pushed the $121,600 pot after the meaningless 3♥️ was run out on the river.

Dwan vs. Schwimer – “durrrr” Gives Up on Kings

In the last hand of the episode, an $800 straddle was on when Schwimer put on an additional $3,000 sleep straddle from the cutoff. With folds in front of him, that straddle stood. Dwan then three-bet to $11,000 with the k♦️k♣️ in the big blind and Schwimer opted to call with his 4♦️3♣️ to see a j♠️a♣️9♠️ flop.

Dwan checked and then called a bet of $11,000 from Schwimer, who was bluffing. The 5♣️ turn saw Dwan check for the second time and Schwimer, who picked up a gutshot wheel draw, moved all in for $64,200.

Dwan hit the tank for several minutes before laying down the cowboys and giving up on the $109,600 pot.

“Boom,” Schwimer said with a smile before showing the bluff.

Here’s how things stacked up at the end of the episode: