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Level: 9
Blinds: 1,500/3,000
Ante: 3,000
2026 NOIR Poker Series
$5,500 Main Event
Day: 1a
Players Left 82 / 444
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Level 8
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
The players are going on another 15-minute break.
Level 8
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
In the 997th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas and joined by Nacho Cuesta of Master Poker Tells.
Cuesta's greatest strength has always been the observation of patterns and details under pressure. For more than five years, he has systematically studied how decisions are physically executed in live poker. While much of modern poker study focused on solvers, ranges, and theoretical optimization, he has focused on a far less structured dimension: the physical execution of actions.
In live poker, the mind decides. The body executes. And when cognitive load increases, repeatable patterns appear. That is where micro tells and macro tells are born.
Not since Mike Caro, the "Mad Genius of Poker," has there been someone so devoted to live tells in poker. In this episode, he offers a trio of hands that really drives the point home.
Master Poker Tells highlights "74 Unique Poker Tells Most Elite Players Still Don't Recognize." They have been validated as universal tells across six categories:
- 10 Check Tells
- 20 Betting Tells
- 13 Eye Tells
- 10 Verbal Tells
- 11 Body Language Tells
- 10 All-In Tells
Be sure to check out the audio version of the PokerNews Podcast that is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.
A new PokerNews Podcast drops four times a week in July! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!
Level 8
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Nicolas Chouity raised to 5,000 from the cutoff, and Bora Kurtulus three-bet the big blind to 17,500. Chouity called.
Kurtulus led out for 8,500 on the 4♣A♣3♦ flop, and Chouity called.
When Kurtulus saw the 5♣ land on the turn, he quickly jammed, putting Chouity all in for his remaining 50,000 or so. Chouity gave it some thought before letting out a sigh and sliding his chips into the middle.
Nicolas Chouity: A♠10♠ 
Bora Kurtulus: A♥K♦
Both players had a pair of aces, but Kurtulus's kicker had him in front, leaving Chouity needing a ten to win or a deuce to chop the pot.
Neither came on the 7♠ river, and all of Chouity's chips were sent over to Kurtulus.
Level 8
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Boris Smuskevicius raised under the gun to 5,000, and Iurii Okolovich three-bet the button to 17,500. Smuskevicius called.
Both players checked to the river on the 3♥2♥9♦10♦A♣ runout. Smuskevicius checked for the final time, and Okolovich bet 11,000.
Smuskevicius squeezed his cards and commented, "Always an ace on the river, always."
After a few more moments, Smuskevicius called and tossed the chips in Okolovich's direction. Okolovich tabled A♠K♣ for top pair, and Smuskevicius shook his head before mucking.
Level: 8
Blinds: 1,000/2,500
Ante: 2,500
Level 7
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Jose Assorio raised under the gun to 4,000, and Ehsan Amiri three-bet from the next seat to 13,000. Aren Bezhanyan cold-called from the cutoff, while Assorio folded.
Amiri bet 14,000 on the 7♦5♦Q♥ flop, followed up with another 35,000 on the 5♣ turn, and then made a tiny bet of 2,000 on the 10♠ river.
Bezhanyan called on every street before mucking when Amiri tabled A♣Q♣ for a pair of queens.
Level 7
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Christopher Rossos raised the button to 4,000, and Fahredin Mustafov three-bet from the big blind to 16,000. Rossos called.
Mustafov bet 9,000 on the monotone K♥4♥2♥ flop, which Rossos called.
The K♠ turn and J♣ river checked through, and Mustafov took down the pot with A♣Q♥ for ace-high.
Level 7
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Simone Andrian raised from early position, and only Halef Celik wanted to play from the big blind.
Celik checked after the dealer spread the 6♥K♦4♣ flop, and Andrian fired a continuation-bet of 3,000. Celik called and then checked the 5♠ turn, which Andrian also checked.
Another five, the 5♣, completed the board, and Celik fired for 11,000. Andrian didn't think for long before folding, surrendering the pot to Celik.
Level: 7
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 2,000
