The latest episode of High Stakes Poker Season 12 opened with Brandon Adams sitting on a stack of nearly $2 million, covering the entire table - that is, until Andrew Robl decided to plop down a stack or two of cranberries. Robl's additional chips served as Chekhov's Gun for the episode, setting the scene for a monster pot between the two big stacks.
Before the Adams vs. Robl clash, Hustler Casino Live regular Nikhil "Nik Airball" Arcot lived up to his well-earned moniker in a pot against fellow HCL combatant Charles Yu. The stakes were already high - $1,000/$2,000 - but Yu set the tone early with a $4,000 straddle and his timing proved nothing short of omniscient.
The action folded to Airball in the big blind and - surprise, surprise - he came in for a raise to $20,000 with 
. Yu, with 
in the straddle, considered a re-raise, but knew his opponent well and simply flat-called. The 
flop left Airball drawing thin, but, undeterred, he continued for $15,000. Yu called quickly and the 
on the turn offered Airball outs to a win and a valid reason to continue his bluff - and bluff he did, $50,000 into the middle. Yu took a moment, cutting out chips as if to raise, but again opted for a call. The 
completed the board and Airball checked his cards before announcing all-in. Yu wasted no time in calling for his remaining $202,000 and scooped in the $577,000 pot.
Airball did manage to quickly recoup some of his losses by running an impressive bluff against DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang. On a board of 
, with $161,000 in the pot, Airball pulled the $233,000 all-in trigger with just 
. The play - perhaps well-timed, perhaps reckless - worked out, as Tang reluctantly folded his 
.
Then, the moment the add-on foretold arrived - it was time for Robl to deploy the Chekhovian cranberries. Adams came in with a raise to $5,000 with 
, prompting folds from the two players behind him, but not from Robl in the big blind. Instead, Robl bumped it up to $40,000 with his 
. Adams, with the benefit of position, made the call and the two saw the 
flop - not exactly what either had in mind. Both players checked, bringing in the turn 
, which gave Adams an open-ended straight draw and Robl a gut-shot straight draw. Again, action checked through and the river came down - you guessed it - the 
, giving both players a straight.
There's $83,000 in the pot and the river brings you the nut straight in a three-bet pot. The action checked through to the river and now rests on you - do you bet or check to hopefully check-raise? If you're Robl, this time you opt for the latter. For Adams, in position and facing an opponent showing nothing but weakness post-flop, it's a different question, but the answer is always bet. Thus, Adams slid $70,000 into the middle and most likely began to root for a call.
Instead, Robl reached for the cranberries of destiny in his stack and grabbed a handful - $350,000 worth. Adams didn't love the spot and took his time before coming to a decision, perhaps contemplating Robl's pre-flop aggression. Eventually, he cut out the calling chips and stuck them in the middle, only to hear - and then see - the bad news. Robl, as he is wont to do, scooped in the nearly seven-figure pot.
High Stakes Poker Season 12 airs exclusively on PokerGO on Monday nights at 8:00pm ET.
Images Courtesy of Antonio Abrego/PokerGO
