$10000 NL HE MTT: A three-way hand in the WSOP Main Event - could the hand have been played differently?

[blkmoney12]

Game

Hold'em

Game Format

No Limit

Table Format

MTT

Buy-in

10000

Game Options

1. Deep Stacked

Currency

$

The wsop Main Event is down to the final two tables and there was a hand that notably changed the fortunes of the three players involved.

The three players were dealt a very dramatic hand featuring QQ, KK, and JJ. Take a look at the video attached for details on the hand. (there is also another video with some similar implications from a Main Event a few years ago - some of you may remember this one, too) Poker entertainment at its finest...lol

Some of you may have seen this hand but tell me, could or should this hand have been played differently at all?

Final 2 tables from the Main event 2023

The bubble to get to the FT from 2018

 

[AKQ]

Absolutely could have been done differently

When GTO gives an answer its often a frequency between multiple options and sizings

Exploitative Play could also go an entirely different direction.

The JJ jam was a blunder but it paid in heaps lol

 

[fundiver199]

Obviously its a huge set-up, but given the action and situation I think, both JJ and QQ could have considered getting away. JJ was not getting the best risk-reward having to jam for around 6 X the size of the 3-bet, and when he get action, he is pretty much always a 4:1 dog or flipping against AK. So I think, JJ can and perhaps even should fold there, since it also dont make sense to cold call a 3-bet out of position.

But with that being said JJ is the hand, which is just on the cusp. Jamming TT would be a clear mistake, and folding QQ would also be a clear mistake. So it also depends on, what he think about the two opponents, which we dont know from just watching one hand. And it depends on, how he want to approach the situation. Winning the title in the WSOP main event has added value in itself, and some players might value that higher than getting an extra payjump or reaching the final 9.

And for QQ its pretty much the same facing a cold 4-bet jam and a call. At this point QQ dont look to hot, and he is pretty much hoping to be against exactly JJ and AK, I guess. So factoring in ICM it would be pretty resonable to fold QQ, but again its close. Calling with JJ would be a clear mistake, and folding KK would also be a clear mistake. So to sum it up I dont think, anyone made a real mistake here, but the huge confrontation also did not have to happen.

 

[AKQ]

 

[BigXerxes]

Obviously its a huge set-up, but given the action and situation I think, both JJ and QQ could have considered getting away. JJ was not getting the best risk-reward having to jam for around 6 X the size of the 3-bet, and when he get action, he is pretty much always a 4:1 dog or flipping against AK. So I think, JJ can and perhaps even should fold there, since it also dont make sense to cold call a 3-bet out of position.

But with that being said JJ is the hand, which is just on the cusp. Jamming TT would be a clear mistake, and folding QQ would also be a clear mistake. So it also depends on, what he think about the two opponents, which we dont know from just watching one hand. And it depends on, how he want to approach the situation. Winning the title in the WSOP main event has added value in itself, and some players might value that higher than getting an extra payjump or reaching the final 9.

And for QQ its pretty much the same facing a cold 4-bet jam and a call. At this point QQ dont look to hot, and he is pretty much hoping to be against exactly JJ and AK, I guess. So factoring in ICM it would be pretty resonable to fold QQ, but again its close. Calling with JJ would be a clear mistake, and folding KK would also be a clear mistake. So to sum it up I dont think, anyone made a real mistake here, but the huge confrontation also did not have to happen.

I agree with fundiver %100. What I would add is that table dynamics are going to play a big role. I think if the 3-bet had come from Macieras the 4-bet with JJ would be a lot better. Macieras and Payne were the two most active and aggressive players at the table. I could see cold 4 betting even with 1010 given the HJ open from Payne with a 3-bet from Macieras. However Aguilera really hadn’t got out of line at all from what I caught of the stream. I think to put in the cold 4 all in vs his 3 bet we want something better then JJ

 

[dallam]

This deep it definitely could, but that was maybe the seventh day when they were constantly playing this main event, and at this point the excitement was just huge.

In general you would be happy to pick up either of these hands, and making a shove for possible chips when it's needed. However I do believe most of the poker players like me f.e. have a little right to ever judge situations like these, what an enormous buy-in and long rival, this was not only a hand of their tournament life, but maybe the crown-hand of their entire poker carreer.