Doug Polk spent much of the latest episode of PokerStars' Big Game on Tour pushing his opponents around. But when he tried a huge bluff against Princess Love, she wasn't having any of it.
Love called Polk's $29,100 river shove with just middle pair, taking down a $65,800 pot after the pair agreed to run it twice.
And that wasn't the only big moment in Season 3, Episode 6. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe also got the better of Antonio Esfandiari in a six-figure confrontation that left the retired magician wishing he could make the cards disappear.
The second half of Season 3 features a colorful lineup. Alongside Polk, Esfandiari and Love are Hinchcliffe, mixed-game specialist Esther 'ETay' Taylor and Loose Cannon Scott Gaughan, whose budding comedy career helped earn him a shot at glory.
On paper, the lineup sounds nearly perfect – a balanced mix of entertaining professionals and recreational players. In practice, the game lived up to the hype as the six players battled at $100/$200 stakes.
Here are two of the biggest hands from the episode.
Esfandiari makes $50K vanish
Esfandiari and Polk were the outliers in terms of stack sizes, each buying in for $100,000 while the rest of the table, the staked Loose Cannon included, started with $50,000.
Early on, Polk dialed up the aggression to steal pots from Love and Gaughan – setting the tone and making it clear that he wasn't going to pull any punches.
While it looked as though Polk would end the episode with the most profit, a six-figure clash between Esfandiari and Hinchcliffe quickly dispelled the notion.
The always-entertaining Antonio Esfandiari returned to the Big Game on Tour in the back half of Season 3. It started with a raise to $600 from Esfandiari and his 
. Hinchcliffe came along from the small blind with 
and Gaughan followed suit from the big blind with 
.
The 
flop saw Hinchcliffe connect with two pair while Esfandiari picked up an open-ended straight draw to go with his overpair to the board.
Hinchcliffe opted to lead out for $500, clearing Gaughan out of the way. Esfandiari, however, responded with a raise to $5,000. The comedian came back over the top and the money went into the middle.
With $108,000 in the middle, Hinchcliffe had the best of it and wanted to run it once. The 
turn improved him to a full house, and he celebrated as though he had the pot locked up. Esfandiari still had two outs to a higher full house, but, despite Hinchcliffe's tempting of the poker gods with his premature celebration, the river 
completed the board.
Princess Love gets her revenge
After being bluffed on multiple occasions by both Polk and Esfandiari, Love was in no mood to fold when the final hand of the episode rolled around.
Hinchcliffe started the hand with a limp from up front with 
and Love did the same from the small blind with 
. Polk looked down at 
and raised to $1,000 to punish the limpers – but neither was ready to throw in the towel just yet.
The 
flop was a big one for Polk as he connected with a flush draw and an open-ended straight draw. And he let his opponents know.
"That is a huge flop for me," he told them. "Huge."
Doug Polk unleashed his aggression in Season 3, Episode 6 of the Big Game on Tour – but Princess Love caught him speeding. Polk continued for $2,200, shedding Hinchcliffe, but Love wasn't giving up her second pair and made the call. The 
turn changed nothing for either player.
With $7,600 in the middle, Polk opted to move all-in for the rest of Love's $29,100, a massive overbet – despite her warning him against it. Within seconds, she made the call.
As the table cheered Love on, she and Polk agreed to run the river card two times with $65,800 in the pot. The completed the first runout, guaranteeing Love at least half the pot and giving her a chance to scoop. The completed the second runout and the entire pot went Love's way.
"Payback!" she shouted at Polk with a smile on her face.
New episodes of the Big Game on Tour Season 3 air on Sundays on the PokerStars YouTube channel.
Featured image courtesy of Rational Intellectual Holdings.
