ShareDoug Polk suffered two costly bluff attempts within a week, resulting in a loss of approximately $700,000. The first incident occurred during a $1 million game on Hustler Casino Live. Polk attempted a bluff, but it backfired, diminishing his stack.
During the Hustler Casino Live game, Polk found himself in a memorable hand against Tom Dwan. Holding 5♠4♠, Polk initially raised to $3,000 and called Dwan's three-bet with 7♥7♣. The flop of 2♠7♦K♦ favored Polk, who called Dwan's bet of $15,000. The turn brought the 6♥, completing Polk's open-ended straight draw. Dwan bet $30,000, prompting Polk to raise to $115,000. Surprisingly, Dwan took an extended period to make a decision. Eventually, he called, and the river revealed the 6♠, giving Dwan a full house. Polk, unable to win without betting, defiantly wagered $420,000, but Dwan called, securing the pot of $291,000.
In the WSOP Event #8: $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship, Polk faced Chanracy Khun. With a comfortable lead, Polk attempted another bluff. After Khun limped the button with 8♠6♣ and Polk checked Q♦4♦, they saw a flop of 5♣6♦3♥. Khun bet 160,000, and Polk called with an open-ended straight draw. The turn brought the K♣ and Polk check-raised to 900,000. However, Khun called, and the river got the 9♥ without benefiting either player. Knowing his queen-high hand couldn't win, Polk pushed Khun to the test by betting his entire stack of 2.34 million. Khun made a brilliant call with the third pair, securing a crucial victory and winning the tournament.
While Polk's bluffs didn't eliminate him from the WSOP, they disadvantaged him. The bluffing guaranteed the outcome, but Polk's loss amounted to around $700,000 from these unsuccessful bluffs. Polk, a popular YouTuber and poker player, focuses on strategic decisions rather than solely considering results.
