Episode Two of High Stakes Poker Season 12 aired Monday night on PokerGO, bringing us the action we want and a couple of big coolers for one unlucky entrepreneur after last week's kick-off show.
The lineup saw all players from Episode One return, along with the addition of Santhosh Suvarna to the mix. Typically, Suvarna dominates the action at any table he sits at -- and, to be fair, he did scoop two sizable pots -- but this episode's highlight was all about the Battle of the Andrews.
Three Andrews took to the felt, but only two would survive the episode's runtime. AndrewSasson took on his namesakes AndrewPacheco and AndrewRobl in two massive pots that led to his demise.
Two rivers, one outcome
Sasson's first knockdown came courtesy of Pacheco. In a Suvarna-straddled pot, Pacheco raised to $3,000 with Q♣ Q♠ and picked up one caller in the form of Sasson's J♠ J❤️. Suvarna folded rags from the straddle and the two Andrews went heads-up to a flop of J♦️️ 3♣ Q❤️ -- a disaster for Sasson as he faced the ultimate cooler, set over set.
After downplaying the strength of his hand pre-flop, Sasson continued to play it cool, simply calling Pacheco's continuation bet of $3,000. The turn 6♦️️ brought even more draws into play and Pacheco sized up his bet to $10,000, prompting a raise from his counterpart to $60,000. With $165,000 left behind after his initial bet, Pacheco opted to move all-in over the raise.
Sasson called quickly, confidently turning over his set before seeing the bad news. The players ran two rivers, but there was no miracle one-outer for Sasson and the $365,100pot went Pacheco's way.
Going home broke
The second knockdown, the blow that spelled the end for Sasson, came a little later in the episode, again in a straddled pot. Robl put in the squeeze to $10,000 with 7♠ 7❤️ after a number of players limped into the pot. Suvarna's call behind prompted both JenniferTilly and Sasson to follow suit.
The four players saw a 10♣ 6♣ J♦️️ flop, providing Sasson's 9♠ 8♦️️ with an open-ended straight draw. Action checked through to the turn J❤️ at which point Robl, perhaps correctly sensing his hand was best, threw out a bet of $10,000. Tilly and Suvarna cleared out, but Sasson made the call. The river 7♦️️ improved both players' hands, but gave Robl the edge with a full house against Sasson's straight.
With $63,100 in the pot, Robl chose the right time to get greedy with a massive overbet of $150,000, essentially Sasson's entire stack. Clearly pained by the spot, Sasson moaned to the table, "Am I going home broke? Really? Am I going home broke? I have a straight, I have to call." The chips went in the middle and Robl announced his full house, taking down the $363,100 pot.
The knockout blow came moments later as Sasson picked up K❤️ Q♠ in the straddle. Suvarna's raise to $5,000 with A♦️️ J♠ led Sasson to commit his remaining $11,000, trying to spin it up. The ace-high flop didn't leave many outs for Sasson and just like that, his High Stakes Poker run came to an end.
The next episode of High Stakes Poker airs next Monday, March 4th at 8:00pm ET on PokerGO and features the return of high stakes cash game legend Phil Laak.
All Images Courtesy of PokerGO
