Last week, I talked about one of the toughest plays I’ve ever made: folding pocket kings preflop on Day 1 of the WSOP Main Event. That was a wild one. But if you thought that was intense, just wait till you hear what happened on Day 2. This next hand isn’t just the biggest hand I played—it’s hands down the craziest bluff I’ve ever attempted in my entire poker career.
Setting the Stage
I came into Day 2 feeling good. I’d bagged 78,000 from a 60K starting stack, despite a rocky Day 1. First level of Day 2, things were going my way. I was hovering around 95K and hadn’t really faced any heat yet.
That was about to change.
The Hand Begins
We were playing 400/800 when the hijack opened to 1,700. I looked down at A♠J♠ on the button and opted to flat. Then the big blind—Gabriella, a solid player with a recent $18K tournament win in Florida—put in a squeeze to 6,500. Hijack called, and I came along for the ride, tossing in the extra 4,800.
The flop came down: J♥ 9♥ 4♣.
Top pair, top kicker. Backdoor flush and straight draws. Not bad.
Gabriella led for 6,500. Hijack called. Easy call for me too.
The Turn
Turn came the 10♥, a dream card. It gave me more equity and added the nut flush draw to my hand.
But dreams can come with a price.
Gabriella came out swinging, betting 27,000 into a pot of about 40K. Hijack got out of the way, but folding wasn’t even an option for me. I still had top pair, top kicker, plus the nut flush and straight draws. We were going to the river.
The River — Decision Time
The river? 5♥. Front door flush gets there.
Now the pot was a hefty 92K, and I was sitting on an effective stack of 53K.
Gabriella checked—quickly. Too quickly. And that got me thinking.
This wasn’t a great card for either of us, but especially not for her. If she’d made the flush, most players don’t check. They jam. They want value, afraid of a check-back. But a check? That often screams “I don’t have it.”
Now, I could have just checked back. I had top pair, top kicker, after all. But given the way Gabriella played the hand, I wasn’t convinced I could win at showdown. It felt like she had kings or queens—hands that beat me, but ones she might fold if pressured.
So I went into the tank.
Thinking It Through
I had to consider everything:
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Gabriella had started the day strong but already lost 30K.
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It’s early on Day 2—nobody wants to bust here.
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At this stage of the Main Event, bluffs are rare. Which makes bluffing powerful.
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I represented the flush very credibly: I’d call preflop with suited aces, and I’d definitely play A♥J♠ like this.
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And she checked the river. Most flushes don’t do that.
Plus, my specific hand blocked some of her best value hands—Aces, and Jacks, the latter being a possible set she might call with.
And finally: who on earth turns top pair, top kicker into a bluff?! Nobody. Which made this spot perfect.
The Shove
I went for it. All-in for my tournament life.
Gabriella asked for a count. Not a great sign. Then she started talking.
“How do you even have a flush here?” she asked aloud.
Believe me, I wanted to answer with a detailed breakdown of all my suited combos. But I just sat still and stared at the felt.
Seconds felt like minutes.
Then, she tossed in a single chip. Call.
I sighed. “Nice hand,” I said, fully ready to grab my backpack and make the walk of shame.
But then… she tabled K♣J♦.
Just top pair. No heart. No kicker to speak of. Just disbelief in her eyes and a firm “I don’t believe you” call.
Chop pot.
After all that, we split it. Unbelievable.
Final Thoughts
This was one of those spots that you replay in your head for weeks. On paper, bluffing with top pair, top kicker is madness. But poker isn’t just about cards—it’s about stories, pressure, psychology. And in that moment, the bluff made sense.
Even if it didn’t quite get through.
