By The Hill Poker Admin
Outcome
Preflop, with two players remaining and blinds of 125,000-250,000 and a big blind ante of 250,000, Mikita Badziakouski limped in from the button. Erik Seidel checked from the big blind. On the flop Seidel checked, and Badziakouski bet 250,000. Seidel called. On the turn both players checked. On the river Seidel bet 400,000, and Badziakouski raised to 1,400,000. Seidel called.
Analysis
In this hand, Mikita Badziakouski found himself in an interesting position on the river, facing an apparent blocker-bet sizing with top two pair and a smaller pair on board. The heads-up clash began when Badziakouski limped in with A-7 from the button, allowing Erik Seidel to exercise his option to check and see a free flop with 5-3 from the big blind. Seidel flopped trip fives and checked to Badziakouski, who bet a single big blind with his aces and fives with a seven kicker. Seidel called with his trips and the turn brought another low card. Seidel checked a second time with his trips, likely intending to keep as many bluffs as possible in his opponent’s range. Badziakouski opted to check behind, perhaps sorting his holding into the way-ahead or way-behind scenario, with him having a huge equity advantage against all high-card holdings while being well behind all 5-X and superior A-X combos. The river complicated things, as the 7
gave Badziakouski aces and sevens, which meant that he could now beat any A-X and was only losing to 5-X as well as any boats or better (A-A, 4-4, 7-7, A-5, or 5-5). Seidel broke with his pattern thus far and led out, firing just 400,000 into the pot of 1,250,000. This sizing might have led Badziakouski to believe he was more likely to be up against a value-betting A-X than a bluff or a monster, which might have opted to go bigger. As a result, Badziakouski decided to raise for value, making it 1,400,000 total. Seidel made the quick call and took down the healthy pot with his trip fives. He took the lead after the hand, but Badziakouski was ultimately able to regain control and close out the victory, securing the title and the top prize of more than $2 million. Seidel was awarded $1.3 million as the runner-up finisher. Seidel now sits in sixth place on poker’s all-time money list with $42.6 million, while Badziakouski is hot on his heels with just shy of $40 million.
