Tom Dwan Dominates High Stakes Poker En Route to $500K Win

This week’s episode of High Stakes Poker on PokerGO started off with the players still talking about Doug Polk folding the second nut straight to Phil Hellmuth shove with the nut straight last week, but quickly turned into an episode of the Tom Dwan Show – and he wasn’t even in the game when the episode began.

It didn’t take long to get a six-figure pot. On the second hand of play, James Bord raised to $1,100 with , Jake Daniels called with , and Hellmuth defended his big blind with . The flop came and Hellmuth checked to Bord, who bet $2,000. Daniels called only to have Hellmuth raise to $5,000. Bord folded but Daniels called to see the turn. Hellmuth check-called Daniels’ bet of $7,100 to bump the pot to $30,100. The river completed the board and Hellmuth led out for $14,000. Daniels raised to $57,000 and Hellmuth went into the tank.

“I keep thinking, ‘I’m going to fold this and he’s going to show me the bluff and I am going to quit,” Hellmuth said while contemplating his decision.

After 2:35 of waiting, Daniels asked for a clock and Hellmuth was given two minutes to make his decision. Hellmuth ultimately called to take down the $144,000 pot and added $73,500 to his stack.

On the next hand, Polk left and was replaced by Rick Salomon with Dwan taking his spot in the four seat. Before seeing a single hand, Dwan asked the double the stakes from $200/$400 to $400/$800 and nobody resisted, setting up a night of six-figure pots.

Dwan started his reign of dominance by taking down a $57,800 pot, winning another $1,400 after running the turn and river twice against Bord in a $171,000 pot, but all of that was just whetting his appetite for winning a huge pot without a showdown.

Brandon Steven opened to $2,400 with , Dwan called with , and Bryn Kenney called from the big blind with . The flop came and Kenney checked to Steven who continued for $5,000. Holding a flush draw and middle pair, Dwan raised to $18,000. Kenney folded and Steven called. The turn gave Dwan two pair and after Steven checked, Dwan fired out $33,000 into the $44,400 pot. Steven responded with a raise to $87,000. Dwan took a little more than two minutes before moving all in for $227,000. A visibly frustrated Steven folded his hand instantly and said, “you guys are impossible to bluff. It’s amazing.”

It wouldn’t be a Season 8 episode of High Stakes Poker without a bit of a Hellmuth rant. Hellmuth called from UTG with . Bord raised to $2,600 with , Salomon called from the button with , Kenney came long from the big blind with and Hellmuth called. The flop got all four players to check. The turn was the and Hellmuth bet $7,000 and only Bord called. The river was the and Hellmuth continued to be aggressive, betting $9,000. Bord raised to $33,000 forcing Hellmuth into a decision.

“I just can’t fold this, I guess,” Hellmuth said after 90 seconds and the 15-time WSOP bracelet winner threw in a call. After being shown the nuts, Hellmuth stood up and treated his tablemates and viewers at home to a monologue on Bord.

“I love playing against you, I want you every fucking day,” Hellmuth said. “You deserve to lose after all of those weird beats you put on me.”

With Hellmuth done holding the spotlight, Dwan resumed his domination as the episode drew to a close.

After Dwan straddled to $1,600 and Salomon double-straddled to $3,200, Steven raised to $10,000 with , Daniels called with , Dwan called with , and Salomon made it a four-way pot with . The flop came [ and everybody checked to Steven who fired $17,000 into the $41,200 pot. Daniels and Dwan called while Salomon got out of the way. All three remaining players checked through the turn that gave Dwan two pair. The river completed the board and Daniels checked, Dwan bet $43,000 which forced Steven to fold. Daniels called and was shown the bad news as Dwan’s two pair allowed him to rake in the $178,200 pot.

Dwan then took down a $106,600 pot before the final hand of the night, which turned out to be the biggest of the week. Salomon straddled, Bord raised to $3,200 with , Daniels three-bet to $10,000 with , and Dwan also called with . Action was back to Salomon and he called with as Bord folded. The flop got Daniels to bet $12,500 and both Dwan and Salomon called. Daniels then fired $33,000 after the turn and once again, Dwan and Salomon called. The river was the which finally got Daniels to slow down. He checked, allowing Dwan to bet $75,000 with his queen-high flush. Salomon called with his baby flush and realizing he was behind, Daniels folded. Dwan tabled the winning hand and scooped the $320,500 pot, winning an additional $189,000 as play wrapped up for the week.