Friday, 29th March 2024 08:49
Home / Uncategorized / EPT12 Malta: What do you say to the man who just bluffed off his chips?

What exactly do you say to the player you just busted in what was likely the biggest hand of the high roller event so far? All that Byron Kaverman could manage was “good game.”

To back up a little, this one had been huge. It was started by Charlie Carrel, who bet 50,000 from the cut off, not knowing it would be the last he would play. Kaverman was on the button, and three-bet to 125,000. Back on Carrel he then four bet to 425,000, leaving himself 475,000 behind. Kaverman called.

carrel_kaverman_ept12malta_24oct15.jpgCharlie Carrel (left) and Byron Kaverman
By now this was the kind of hand that gets a bit of attention, playing on in total silence, gripping (and free) entertainment for the rest of the table. The flop came K♥ 4♦ 2♣ which Carrel bet at, making it 125,000. Kaverman raised his hand, like you would if you were about to drop it on the table to make a fruitless check. But after counting what Carrel had left he called, watching a Q♥ arrive on the turn.


Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.


Then came some thinking, only this time it was all Carrel’s part. In hindsight it turned out he was thinking what to do with his jack-nine bluff. His options now were limited. Check, and maybe hope Kaverman felt the same way and go for a lucky river. Or shove and hope to goodness that it would be enough to make Kaverman think Carrel’s action denoted unbeatable strength.

Carrel chose shove.

Kaverman snap called. Carrel new he was beaten even before Kaverman showed aces.

Which leaves the question of what you say to a man in that situation, dusted off after bluffing off his chips against an almost unstoppable hand?

“Did you say good game?” asked Benjamin Pollack.

“What? Replied Kaverman, momentarily distracted stacking up more than two million chips. “Yeah I did. It wasn’t a needle!”

byron_kaverman_ept12malta_24oct15.jpgByron Kaverman
Others at the table laughed in that nervous way you might if something potentially bad nearly happened to you, but didn’t.

“You can’t say ‘unlucky’,” suggested Pollack, not in these circumstances.

“Nice try?” joked the dealer.

“That’s even worse!” said the now grinning Kaverman.

Either way he’s up, and Carrel is out.

Very well played indeed.

Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.


Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

Study Poker with Pokerstars Learn, practice with the PokerStars app