The skinny redhead burns; the scent of sulphur sends Puff the Magic Dragon flying through your nostrils, and before you know it a discarded match on a hike through the Californian hills leads to horse owners trotting them down a billowing freeway in a bid to save them from becoming toast.
Wildfire.
It spreads rapidly, given the right circumstances.
Short-Deck No-Limit Hold’em Poker, anyone?
Born in the private Asian cash games, and given centre stage at the Triton Poker Series events in Montenegro and Jeju, Short-Deck is fast becoming as cool as squid ink eyeballs.
PokerStars are about to add it to their lobby.
America’s Cardroom, the same.
And yesterday, for the first time since Homo Sapiens left Africa to look for a football to kick about, the game showed up in a Western live arena.
The 2018 Poker Masters is now four events old.
The latest, Event #4: $10,000 Short Deck Poker, gave players three bullets worth 100,000 each, and for most of them, a new concept to master.
The event attracted 55 entrants, and there were six left at the end of Day 1.
Final Table Standings
Seat 1: Dominik Nitsche – 4,980,000
Seat 2: Ryan Tosoc – 3,025,000
Seat 3: Maurice Hawkins – 1,025,000
Seat 4: Cary Katz – 830,000
Seat 5: Isaac Haxton – 1,775,000
Seat 6: Andrew Robl – 4,865,000
I’m pulling my finger from my mouth and holding it in the air when I say only Cary Katz and Andrew Robl have experienced this format of poker.
Let’s take a look at the highlights.
The Run-In
Hawkins Becomes a Contender.
Maurice Hawkins tripled up when all-in holding pocket kings against the QTdd of Ryan Tosoc, and the Tc9s of the chip leader Dominik Nitsche. The Cowboys managed to run through a five card town lined with Gattling guns without receiving a single shot, and Hawkins emerged the other end as a contender.
Dominik Nitsche Eliminated in 6th Place.
Oh boy, the beauty of Short-Deck.
Nitsche went from the chip leader to first to bust after clashing with Isaac Haxton in the following hand.
Nitsche moved all-in for 1,440,000, holding pocket jacks, and Haxton made the call with pocket tens. Unbeknown to the pair, Andrew Robl had folded a ten, leaving Haxton with a single out heading to the flop, but he didn’t need it. The dealer burned and turned the allotted number of cards, handing Haxton a straight, and we had a new chip leader, and only five players remaining. Nitsche earned $33,000 for his endeavours.
Hawkins Doubles
Hawkins looked down to see the rockets and raised to 800,000. Ryan Tosoc made the call holding T9ss. The dealer put the Td9d6h flop onto the felt to give Tosoc the lead with the two pair hand. Tosoc moved all-in, and Hawkins made the call and was at risk of finding something else to do. Then the dealer placed the 6c down on the fourth-street, giving Hawkins a stronger two pair hand, and the double up.
Cary Katz Eliminated in 5th Place.
Katz limped into the action holding KQhh. Sitting in the next pew was Haxton, who moved all-in, and Katz called what little he had left. Haxton turned over AdTc, and despite Katz taking the lead after flopping a second queen, Haxton turned an ace and rivered a ten to bust the man who brought the game to the ARIA from his recent trip to Jeju.
A Double Decker For Tosoc.
Tired of the taste of metal in his mouth, Tosoc reminded his tablemates that he was a force to be reckoned with after doubling up twice, firstly through Robl: AT>AQ, and then Haxton AJ>KQ.
Andrew Robl Eliminated in 4th Place.
Then we lost the most experienced Short-Deck proponent at the final table in Andrew Robl.
The first blow came when Robl saw a Kd8h6c flop with both him and Hawkins searching for a straight with Robl holding 9d7s, and Hawkins sitting behind T7cc. The turn card was the 9h filling Hawkins up, and both players checked. The river card was the, Ah, to give Robl a weaker straight (the ace plays like a five). Hawkins checked, Robl bet 900,000, Hawkins raised to 2,400,000, Robl called and looked as sick as a walnut left in bathwater overnight when he saw the nut hand.
That hand saw Robl drop to 400,000 in chips.
Robl would double against Haxton when his K7hh turned a boat against AT, and then his luck ran out when he moved all-in holding T9o and Tosoc also moved all-in holding QJo. The battle of the short stacks went the way of Tosoc who flopped trips and turned a full house to seal the deal. Robl walked away with $55,000.
Chip Counts
- Maurice Hawkins – 7,840,000
- Ryan Tosoc – 4,995,000
- Isaac Haxton – 3,665,000
Haxton Doubles Through Tosoc.
Haxton limped into the hand holding pocket queens, and then called after Tosoc jammed AK. Broadway decided to shut down for five cards, and Haxton gathered up a chip stack capable of winning this thing.
Ryan Tosoc Eliminated in 3rd Place.
Tosoc moved all-in for 490,000 holding ATo, and Haxton made the call with AJo, and there were no flags of victory for Tosoc once the dealer had done his job.
We were heads-up.
Tosoc banked $77,000 for his troubles.
Heads-Up
Haxton won the first four hands to take a 2:1 chip lead.
Hawkins fought back like a tiger to take the lead.
Then Haxton doubled up.
Hawkins limped into the pot holding pocket queens, and then called after Haxton moved all-in holding AJo. A second ace appeared on the turn smelling all fresh and fancy, and Haxton took a big lead.
Then it was Hawkins’ time to double up, after the pair both turned a straight in a limped pot, only for Haxton to find himself staring up at a loftier hand.
And then it was over.
Hawkins looked down to see 97dd and moved all-in. Haxton peeled back the top of his cards, saw an ace and a queen, and thought, ‘What the hell.’ The dealer planted the Ad8h8c onto the flop, improving Haxton’s lead, but giving Hawkins a straight draw. The Kc reduced Hawkins’ odds. The Qh gave him zero odds. It was all over. Ike Haxton was our champion.
Final Table Results
- Isaac Haxton – $176,000 (300)
- Maurice Hawkins – $115,500 (210)
- Ryan Tosoc – $77,000 (150)
- Andrew Robl – $55,000 (120)
- Cary Katz – $44,000 (90)
- Dominik Nitsche – $33,000 (60)
Only 18 people in poker’s history have won more live tournament dollars than the $19,313,033 that has passed through Ike Haxton’s bank accounts, and yet, despite making more final tables than an Ikea table maker, this victory was only the fifth of his illustrious career.
It was also the first time he has ever played Short Deck.
Let’s hope this success gives him the confidence to try the more significant buy-in events on future Triton Poker Series events.
Here is the current state of affairs with three tournaments remaining.
Poker Masters Leaderboard
– Brandon Adams – 510 points
– Isaac Haxton – 480
– David Peters – 300
– Keith Lehr – 300
– Jared Jaffee – 210
– Jonathan Depa – 210
– Brian Green – 210
– Cary Katz – 210
– Maurice Hawkins – 210