Poker Player Attempts Insane Bluff Playing for $1.1 Million
Table Of Contents
A poker player pulled off one of the biggest tournament bluffs of the year — with $1,186,880 on the line — at the final table of the Asian Poker Tour (APT) $10,000 Championship Main Event.
The bluff propelled John Niko Costiniano of the Philippines, who got Taiwan's Hao Chuang to fold the nut straight on a paired board, to a runner-up finish in the $5 million guaranteed tournament to take home $732,780 and the video clip of a lifetime.
"Who Actually Bluffs Here?"
The hand, which took place at the streamed final table with eight players remaining, began with Costiniano raising to 200,000 in middle position with A♣10♠ and Chuang coming along in the small blind with K♥Q♦.
The flop landed 2♣J♠J♦ to miss both players while giving them backdoor potential. Chuang checked and Costiniano continued for 260,000. Chuang check-raised to 410,000 with his backdoor staight draw and Costiniano called for the same reason.
The 9♥ turn gave Chuang a gutshot and he sized up to 760,000. Costiniano, now with just ace-high, decided to call.
The 10♦ river was the perfect card for Chuang as he made the nut straight and Costiniano improved to a pair of tens. Chuang bet 1.8 million and Costiniano did the unthinkable, turning his hand into the bluff by raising all in.
Chuang had 1.6 million behind and was getting an excellent price to call, but figured his opponent must have a full house and gave it some serious thought.
"Gross spot for Hao Chuang. Who bluffs this spot?" a commentator said. "That is a sick play by John Costiniano, putting it all on the line ... Who actually bluffs here? It's suicidal."
After several minutes in the tank, Chuang folded the winner and Costiniano proudly tabled what was certainly the bluff of the tournament.
River Sizing Mistake?
The hand quickly drew attention on social media, with poker pro Chris Conrad noting that, if Chuang had bet all in on the river, "this hand is easy," and that it was Chuang's "one bad sizing that led to other problems."
"One of the grossest feelings in poker," added cash game pro Andy “Stacks” Tsai, "going from begging to get called to vomiting in your mouth. Well played."
Chuang would ladder one spot before falling in seventh place for $180,395. India's Nishant Kishanlal Sharma ultimately prevailed to win the trophy and $1,186,880, while the final table also included German crushers Dominik Nitsche (4th - $401,225) and Martin Finger (9th - $97,760).
APT Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nishant Kishanlal Sharma | India | $1,186,880 |
| 2 | John Niko Costiniano | Philippines | $732,780 |
| 3 | Alexandru Papazian | Romania | $523,770 |
| 4 | Dominik Nitsche | United Kingdom | $401,225 |
| 5 | Neng Zhao | Australia | $317,870 |
| 6 | Hao Shan Huang | Taiwan | $247,575 |
| 7 | Hao Chuang | Taiwan | $180,395 |
| 8 | Matas Cimbolas | Lithuania | $123,290 |
| 9 | Martin Finger | Germany | $97,660 |
Images courtesy of APT
