Season 12 of High Stakes Poker on PokerGO concluded with the 12th and final episode Monday. No doubt it was legendary season full of monster pots and thrilling moments, but none more so than the five hands mentioned in this article.
This year’s series of cash game shows featured some of the game’s biggest and most entertaining stars, including the return of Phil Laak. Many other High Stakes Poker regulars and popular players such as Jennifer Tilly and Jean-Robert Bellande made their presence felt. And then some new blood like Nik Airball and Santhosh Suvarna came ready to play in games that ran as big as $1,000/$2,000 blinds with straddles.
But the 12th season of the iconic poker show, which initially launched in 2006 on the Game Show Network, will forever be remembered by one hand — more on this in a bit — that is, at least for now, the largest hand in High Stakes Poker history.
The Bricks of Cash Come Back
As a throwback to the 2000s poker TV era, High Stakes Poker Season 12 featured some bricks of cash on the table at times. One hand Laak played during Episode 5 stands out.
Action began with Laak limp-trapping with A♠K♣ for $1,600 (double straddle on), as did Bellande with K♥7♥ behind him, and then Brandon Adams on the button with A♥10♦. Chino Rheem followed suit in the small blind with 3♥2♥. But Suvarna, holding 9♠9♣, opted for a raise to $11,600.
Laak decided it was time to make a move with Big Slick, so he $42,400, and only Suvarna called. The flop came out 3♠2♣8♥, no over cards to the pair of 9’s. Laak, with just ace-high, shoved his bricks of cash in the middle, an all in bet for $167,000. But Suvarna was unable to make the call.
Cooler River Between $1 Million+ Stacks
Adams and Andrew Robl were the only two players sitting on more than $1 million during Episode 8. And the perfect hand viewers were looking for occurred.
Preflop action kicked off with Adams raising to $5,000 with 8♦7♦, and then Robl, seated in the big blind, three-betting to $40,000 with K♥Q♥. Adams made the call to the 4♠9♠5♣ flop, not exactly what either player was hoping would come, so they both checked.
The 10♣ on the turn made for a couple of draws, but they again checked. When the J♥ on the river gave both players a straight, blood became inevitable given the stack sizes. Robl, with the nuts, slowplayed his hand and checked.
Adams, who rivered an inferior straight, bet $70,000. The trap worked perfectly for Robl, and he came with a check-raise to $350,000. There wouldn’t be a raise on top, but Adams did call off the bet before finding out the bad news that he’d lost a $783,000 pot. Robl’s stack had cracked the $2.8 million mark.
The Largest Pot in High Stakes Poker History
In Episode 9, Robl was running hot through the first half of the show. And it appeared that he was about to win another big pot against Suvarna, a player he’d already stacked. But the tables were turned in what was quite the sick suckout.
Robl, in the small blind with 5♣4♣, raised the straddle to $16,000. Suvarna, sitting on A♣K♥ in the straddle, made it $54,000, not enough to convince his rival to fold.
The 4♠4♦2♠ flop once again smacked Robl in the face, leaving Suvarna in deep trouble. After Robl checked, he’d call a bet of $45,000 before seeing the K♦ on the turn, a glimmer of hope for Santhosh. Surprisingly, both players checked.
But the K♠ on the river completed the runner-runner suckout. Robl, however, wasn’t concerned he was up against a king, so he made a massive bet of $300,000, to which Suvarna moved all in for $395,000 total. It was only $95,000 more to call, meaning Robl was pot committed. He would make the call, and then discovered he’d lost a $992,000 pot, the biggest in High Stakes Poker history.
If Airball Makes the Call, Suvarna’s Hand Will Be Topped
The potential for the first ever $1 million+ hand on High Stakes Poker arose during the final episode of Season 12. Stanley Tang opened for $5,000 with the A♦7♥ and Yu called from the button with the Q♥9♥. Airball came along from the small blind with the 6♦6♣, Adams did the same from the big with the J♦J♣, and the flop fell 8♦10♥6♥.
Three checks saw Yu bet $10,000 with his straight and flush draws, and all three of his opponents called. After the dealer burned and turned the 2♠, Airball led out for $50,000 and Adams released. Tang did the same but Yu called to see the J♠ on the river, which gave him the nuts.
Airball bet $200,000 with a set of sixes and Yu, who had the bigger stack, took a sip of his tea before raising all in. Airball had $482,000 back and for the second time in the episode went deep into the tank.
Eventually, it was Robl who called a clock giving Airball, who had been tanking for 10 minutes, one last minute to act on his hand. After about 30 seconds, Airball folded and Yu pulled in the $1,044,000 pot (which included his last uncalled bet).
Nik Airball Set Up on High Stakes Poker; One Player Turns a Straight Flush
One of the Biggest Pots in HSP History
In the first significant hand of Episode 6, Adams opened for $5,000 with the Q♦J♥ and Suvarna three-bet to $21,000 with the A♦Q♣. Airball then looked down at the K♦K♣ in the big blind and four-bet it to $100,000. Adams got out of the way but Suvarna called to see a flop of 4♥Q♥10♦, which gave him top pair.
Airball continued for $75,000 with his over pair and Suvarna just called prompting the dealer to burn and turn the 4♣. With $358,000 in the pot, Airball moved all in for $308,000 and Suvarna, who had $348,000 back, thought a bit before calling to create a $974,000 pot!
They agreed to run it twice, but neither the 8♠ river on the first run out nor 8♦ on the turn helped Suvarna and Airball scooped one of the biggest pots in High Stakes Poker history.
PokerNews High Stakes Poker Season 12 Episode Recaps
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*Images courtesy of PokerGO/Antonio Abrego