Actor William Tjokro took one on the chin repeatedly during Monday night’s new High Stakes Poker episode, his first ever appearance on the iconic poker show.
The newcomer ran into some horrendous luck, mostly against Andrew Robl, one of the best high-stakes cash game players in history. Those two weren’t the only players in the game. They were joined by Jean-Robert Bellande, Jennifer Tilly, Bob Bright, Stanley Tang, Rick Salomon, and Rob Yong. Stack sizes when the episode began were as follows:
| Player | Chip Stack |
|---|---|
| Andrew Robl | $500,000 |
| Rob Yong | $500,000 |
| Bob Bright | $150,000 |
| Jennifer Tilly | $100,000 |
| Stanley Tang | $100,000 |
| William Tjokro | $100,000 |
Salomon joined the table in the middle of the show, Episode 7 of Season 11. High Stakes Poker returned to PokerGO for the first time since Sept. 11 due to the Poker Masters, which ended over the weekend.
Does He Ever Lose a Hand?
Tjokro picked up K♠K♣ early on in the show and raised it to $1,000. Robl, in the big blind, gave some action with 4♣3♦ to see a flop of 2♣5♣2♥.
With an open-ended straight draw, the high roller legend checked to the amateur, who bet $1,500.
“It was a good flop for me,” Robl said before raising it up to $5,500.
A call was made, and then the 5♠ appeared on the turn. This time, Robl just bet out his draw, wagering $12,000, to which his opponent made the call.
The river 6♥ completed the straight, and Robl downsized his bet $5,000. Pocket kings weren’t going anywhere for that small amount, and the river suck-out hand took down a pot of $48,000.
On the following hand, Robl flopped bottom set against Tilly’s flush draw. The flush never came, and with $59,000 in the pot on the river, the talented poker playing actress went for $35,000 bluff with king-high. That bet, of course, didn’t get through as she was forced to fold to a raise.
Andrew Robl Plays Table Bully on High Stakes Poker
Newcomer Running Bad
Shortly getting some early breaks, Robl again got lucky against Tjokro. With $33,000 in the pot preflop, the flop came out Q♣3♥4♠. Tjokro continuation bet $15,000 with 8♠8♦ and then snap-called an all in check-raise for his $51,300 stack.
The pocket pair was way out in front as Robl turned over 6♠2♣ for a gut-shot straight draw. Both players agreed to run it once, and the turn brought about the 4♦, which changed nothing. But the 5♠ on the river completed the straight and the suck-out.
“I love High Stakes Poker,” Robl said with a laugh.
Robl would then win a $75,000 pot against Young with pocket kings that held up against a flopped middle pair.
Tjokro’s horrendous luck didn’t stop there, but this time it wasn’t against Robl. On a board of Q♣J♦9♥4♠10♦, he snap-called $64,000 all in with K♠Q♠ against Bellande. You may be thinking he finally won a pot, this one at $202,000. But you’d be incorrect as JRB turned over A♠K♣ for the nutter butters.
Tjokro Can’t Avoid the Bad Luck
It wasn’t all just luck that went Robl’s way during Episode 7. He’s won for years in some of the biggest games, and it can’t just be all about the breaks. Take, for example, a hand he played against Tilly in which he held ace-high on a board of 10x8x8xKx and convinced a pocket pair to fold to a $20,000 bet.
Robl wasn’t the only player to win some pots on the latest High Stakes Poker episode. Tjokro took down a sizable pot with two pair against Tilly and then was looking for more moments later with A♥K♥, which he raised to $1,200 preflop.
Bright, who earlier slow-played pocket aces, only called with K♠K♣, as did Salomon with 8♠3♠ and then Tilly with Q♥10♣ on the button. Yong would also come along for the ride in the small blind with J♦2♦.
The flop showed 4♣K♦J♥, hitting multiple players in some way. Tjokro, drawing nearly dead, bet $6,000. Bright, in true form, just called top set. Tilly, with an open-ended straight draw, also called, while everyone else folded.
When the 6♣ appeared on the turn, Tjokro bet $22,000 and Bright again just made the slow-play call. Tilly decided to give up on her straight draw, which she probably wishes she hadn’t given the river 9♣ would have completed her straight.
Now heads-up, Tjokro wagered $35,000. Bright found himself in a tough spot. He obviously wasn’t going to fold, but with potential straights and flushes out there, he decided on a call instead of a raise. Although he took down a $138,000 pot, it could have been much bigger had he been a bit more aggressive preflop, on the flop, or on the turn.
Episode 8 of High Stakes Poker Season 11 will air next Monday (October 9) at 5 p.m. PT on PokerGO.
Past High Stakes Poker Season 11 Episodes
Check out our past recaps from Season 10 of High Stakes Poker on PokerGO:
*Images courtesy of PokerGO/Antonio Abrego