Big Stacks Go to War

With the blinds now at 20,000 and 40,000, even a single called raise can create a sizable pot. Darkhan Botabayev opened preflop for 110,000 and was called by Dermot Blain from the blinds. They were the only players for a flop of {6-Spades}

. Blain checked to Botabayev, who bet 150,000, about two-thirds of the pot. Blain called.

The turn was the {5-Hearts}

. Taking an unusual line, Blain led into Botabayev for about half of the pot, 250,000 chips. Botbayev took thirty seconds before calling to the {10-Hearts}

river.

Blain didn't seem to like the call or the river. He checked to Botabayev, who put a whole stack of red (25,000) chips into the middle, a bet of 500,000. Blain rubbed his forehead and thoughts things over, staring the whole while at the board. He pursed his lips and nodded his hand and could be seen talking to himself, although the words were inaudible from the media desk. Finally he called.

Botabayev: {A-Clubs}

, ace-high
Blain: {J-Hearts}

, a pair of jacks

It was a huge call by Blain and it was correct. Botabayev was on a stone bluff. Blain's top pair was enough to drag a pot worth more than 2.0 million chips, pushing Blain's count north of 3.0 million!

Tags: Darkhan Botabayev Dermot Blain

2009 PokerStars.net APPT Macau

2009 PokerStars.net APPT Macau

Big Stacks Go to War