High Stakes Poker Season 12, which airs on PokerGO, is becoming legendary after yet another wild session — the 10th episode — which saw Santhosh Suvarna scoop another monster pot against a familiar foe.
Last week, Suvarna hit runner-runner to suck out against Andrew Robl in a $992,000 pot, the largest in High Stakes Poker history. This week, the river was again kind to the high stakes cash game regular against the same opponent. The two poker players were joined at the table by the same cast of characters as viewers watched compete last week — Charles Yu, Stanley Tang, Nik Airball, and Brandon Adams. Stack sizes when the show began were as follows:
| Player | Chip Stack |
|---|---|
| Santhosh Suvarna | $1,154,000 |
| Andrew Robl | $921,000 |
| Charles Yu | $601,000 |
| Stanley Tang | $525,000 |
| Nik Airball | $484,000 |
| Brandon Adams | $315,000 |
Tang Loses One, Wins Two
It wasn’t long before the juicy action started. In fact, the first hand was quite entertaining. Tang raised to $5,000 with 9♠9♦ before Airball made it $30,000 from the small blind with A♠J♦.
Tang called and then neither player particularly enjoyed the 3♥5♥K♣ flop. But Airball ripped out a $20,000 continuation bet, which didn’t convince the DoorDash co-founder to fold. The turn was the 3♣, again no help to either player.
Fearing not the call on the flop, Airball made an $80,000 wager with ace-high, enough to take down the pot with the worst hand. Tang then tangled with Robl, both players flopping top pair (king).
On the turn, Robl, drawing to a three-outer, would crack ace-king with two pair, and inevitably take down a six-figure pot to recoup his losses to Airball. Tang would win another decent pot against the same player immediately after.
Nik Airball Has Some Bluffs in His Arsenal
Say what you want about Nik Airball’s play, but one thing you can’t deny is that he isn’t afraid to attempt a huge bluff. After having defeated Tang with a bluff to kickstart Episode 10, he gave it another shot against Adams.
Action began with Tang raising to $5,000 with 6♣4♣. Suvarna, holding 8♥5♠ called in position, as did Airball, sitting on 9♠8♠ in the small blind. Adams then three-bet to $30,000 with A♦J♦ in the big blind, and all three players called to see a flop of K♠K♦4♠.
Following an Airball check, Adams bet $40,000 with ace-high, which got everyone out of the hand except for Airball, who raised it to $313,000, enough to scoop the pot with eight-high.
Robl on a Draw Looking to Crack Top Set
Minus last week’s $992,000 runner-runner suck out loss, Robl’s been on quite a hot streak on shows like High Stakes Poker. But the tides seem to be turning.
The legendary high stakes cash game crusher had a second battle with Tang in one of the best hands of the episode. Tang started things off by raising to $5,000 with J♥J♣ and received a call from Robl, in the big blind with K♣9♣.
If you love juicy flops, you won’t be disappointed to know it came out 5♣J♠10♣, top set against a flush and straight draw. This hand was destined to be huge. Following a check, Tang bet $10,000, and his opponent called to the A♠ on the turn.
Not much changed with that card as Robl was still chasing both draws. He again checked and then called a $60,000 wager. But the 6♠ didn’t complete either draw, and Robl would inevitably fold to a bet of $100,000.
On the ensuing hand, Yu and Adams would race for a $569,000 pot. But it was a bit anticlimactic as they ran it twice and ended up chopping it up. Robl’s bad luck continued as he turned trips in a hand in which Tang flopped a flush. Thankfully, for the future Poker Hall of Famer, the river brought about four-to-a-flush, which saved him a bunch of money.
Santhosh Chases a Draw Against Robl
Robl would play another monster pot, this one against Suvarna, who was chasing a draw. Tang, however, opened the action to $5,000 with Q♦J♦. Santhosh called in position with 5♥2♥, along with Robl and his 8♦8♣ in the big blind.
The flop came out 4♠10♥3♦, creating some potential. Tang would make a $7,000 continuation bet with nothing, and both opponents called to the 8♥ on the turn, perhaps the juiciest card in the deck.
Robl, who turned a set, checked, as did Tang, who picked up a gut-shot straight draw. Suvarna made it $36,000 with an open ended straight draw and a flush draw, while Robl raised it to $165,000, enough to get Tang off his hand. Suvarna, however, had too big of a draw to fold, so he made the call and binked the flush with the J♥ on the river. Robl led for $80,000, and then found out the bad news after Santhosh called and took down a pot of $529,000, the biggest non-chopped pot of the night.
Robl’s reign as the dominant force on High Stakes Poker has taken a break, at least for now, while the legend of Santhosh grows.
The Largest Pot in High Stakes Poker History
Past High Stakes Poker Season 12 Episode Recaps
You can catch the full episode on PokerGO and future episodes, which air each Monday at 5 p.m. PT.
To watch new episodes of High Stakes Poker, visit PokerGO.
*Images courtesy of PokerGO/Antonio Abrego
