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Patrik Antonius has broken the record for the biggest US livestreamed cash game pot, scooping a massive $1,978,000 in a hand against Eric Persson on PokerGO’s nosebleed stakes No Gamble, No Future!
The show was billed as ‘Cash of the Titans’ with Antonius, Persson, Rob Yong, Andrew Robl, MJ Gonzales and Markus Gonsalves each bringing $1million to the table.
A minimum $500k buy-in and a $500k top-up, along with rising blinds, all but ensured that at some point there would be 7-figure clashes, and poker fans weren’t disappointed.
If you’ve never seen a $500k+ bluff, for example, then you’ll probably be as shocked as Rob Yong in the following hand from day two of the three-day clash...
By the time day 3 came around, the blinds were up to $1k/$2k/$2k and the scene was set for some monster pots. With each player having put $100k into a sidepot for the overall biggest winner, there was plenty of reason to take chances, the downside being of course falling into a potential $1million hole.
And that’s exactly the fate that befell Maverick Gaming CEO Persson, who famously gave Phil Hellmuth a taste of his own medicine last year...
Eric Persson on Instagram: “I'd like to apologize for giving Phil Hellmuth the double bird when I absolutely wrecked him in the $25,000 PokerGo Showdown today. I…”
No Hellmuth at the table this time, the stakes a bit high for big Phil, but for Persson it was another day at the poker office, seemingly unfazed by the massive stakes.
Three-way to the flop, after Persson raised from the hijack, Yong called from the button and Antonius bumped it up from the small blind, receiving two calls, there was already $94k in the middle.
Persson: Q♥ 9♥
Rob Yong: A♣ 2♣
Patrik Antonius: A♥ K♥
Flop: 3♥ 3♣ 8♥
Antonius led out with $40k and had barely got the words out of his mouth before Persson announced “140”, with Yong quickly folding. Undeterred, the flying Finn made it 250k and Persson called, unaware just how bad shape he was in.
Turn: A♠
With the pot, already sitting at $594k, locked up, Antonius ignored Persson’s “You don’t want to do that” warning as he slid $150k forward.
Again Persson quickly bumped things up, announcing “I’m all-in” and Antonius, after asking “What do you have”, decided to call.
Once the cards were turned over, Persson still didn’t realise how hopeless things were, calling for a 9 or Q before it was pointed out Patrik already had the aces.
“I’m dead...fuck!” said Persson, before adding: “Nice hand Patrik,” with Antonius scooping $1,978,000, the largest-ever televised pot in the US.
“We have just witnessed something extraordinary,” exclaimed Brett Hanks in the commentary booth, adding “Eric Persson is left with crumbs!”
Those crumbs – all $67,000 of them! – soon joined the rest of his buy-in, a cool $1million lost and, with no re-buy, Persson was out of the game.
Antonius handed back a big chunk of his winnings to Robl, losing a $1,269,000 pot, and by the end of the session it was Robl who was the runaway winner.
Robl: + $1,126,000
Antonius: +$484,000
Gonzales: +$34,000
Gonsalves: -$237,000
Yong: -$407,000
Persson: -$1million
