Europe’s most successful casino featured some top-class cash games this week.

Phil Gruissem, Dan Cates, Igor Kurganov, Liv Boeree, Jan Jachtmann and Max Altergott all played in the high-stakes Celebrity Cash Kings game.

Over the course of four days there was one very impressive, extended PLO session.

We’ve picked out one of the most dramatic hands of that session for you.

Jachtmann Sinks Bojang

We’ll go through the hand from former PLO champion Jan-Peter Jachtmann’s point of view. Blinds are €100/€100 with both a €200 and a €400 straddle.

After Dan Cates folds King’s Casino manager Leon Tsoukernik calls €400 (stack: €140,000). Behind him Jachtmann (stack: €66,000) also calls with
J J 10 10 7 7 6 6      

Now Ismael Bojang (stack: €59,000) raises from the button to €2,000. Max Altergott calls from the first straddle. Tsoukernik and Jachtmann over-call from middle positions.

There are now four players in the hand and €8,600 in the pot. The flop falls  10 10 5 5 3 3    

Altergott, Tsoukernik and Jachtmann check. Bojang bets €5,500. Altergott and Tsoukernik fold but Jachtmann calls. There’s now €19,600 in the middle and the players’ effective stacks are €52,000.

The turn is the 8 8

Jachtmann checks, Bojang comes out with a pot-size bet of €19,600 and Jachtmann does come along after some consideration. The pot has grown to €58,800 and the remaining effective stacks are €33,000.

The river is the 6 6

Jachtmann checks again, Bojang bets €32,000 and Jachtmann takes three minutes before he announces call. Bojang nods and knocks the table appreciatively and shows A A Q Q Q Q 7 7 for a pair of queens and a busted nut flush draw.

The whole €122,800 goes to Jan-Peter Jachtmann’s two pair.

Hand Analysis

This is quite a dramatic development that deserves a closer look. Jan-Peter Jachtmann holds J♥ T♥ 7♣ 6♣, which is a peculiar hand in PLO. A two-gapper can hit the flop perfectly.

If the flop is 98X the hand has 20 outs to a straight. Jachtmann is also double-suited so he has the chance to hit two flush draws.

It’s a hand you’d like to see the flop with, but if you don’t hit that 98X flop it’s usually not worth much anymore. Note also that it can’t make a nut flush.

Bojang raises from the button, which doesn’t mean much. He’s bound to have something but it’s difficult at this point to limit his range.

The majority of his hands would supposedly be high cards and/or high pairs. Three players call and we’re going to the flop.

Gutshot Flop

The flop is T♦ 5♦ 3♣ to give Jachtmann top pair and a gutshot. It’s checked around to Bojang on the button who bets two-thirds of the pot. This bet is a lot more descriptive than the earlier one.

Bojang wouldn’t bet into three players on such an uncoordinated flop. Altergott and Tsoukernik now face easy decisions. Sandwiched between other players and without any proper hand value, they fold.Play PLO on partypoker Now!

Jachtmann holds top pair, which in PLO is not a great hand, but he gets good pot odds and his hand has potential. If Bojang holds an overpair without a flush draw the chances are 50:50 and thus Jachtmann’s call is correct.

The turn 8♥ makes things even more interesting. Jachtmann checks again and now Bojang fires a perfectly sized pot bet. He can still have the best hand, he draws to the nuts, and he decides to exert maximum pressure.

Jachtmann’s hand has improved slightly. He adds a second gutshot draw – this one to the nuts – but there will be only one more community card.

With pot odds of 2 to 1 he needs 33% equity for a call but he’s actually 38% against Bojang’s hand. If Bojang didn’t have the flush draw Jachtmann’s hand would be even stronger.

River Reflections

The 6♥ on the river gives Jachtmann a second pair so his goal is now to reach the showdown. Bojang on the other hand has to ask himself whether his overpair can win the pot after he missed his flush draw.

After quickly checking Jachtmann’s stack he decides to turn his hand into a bluff. If Jachtmann had only a few chips left a bluff wouldn’t make any sense as Jachtmann would have to call anyway.

But in this spot Bojang can still generate fold equity and maybe force hands like two pair to fold.

Bojang played his hand really well and he really puts Jachtmann to the test. A call would cost him €32,000 to win €90,800, which means he’s getting good pot odds, but his hand is rather mediocre.

At the end of the day the flush draw that didn’t come in was probably the decisive factor for Jachtmann’s call. It’s also a move that shows how top players always mix up calculation and intuition.

Conclusion

A fascinating hand and both Bojang and Jachtmann try hard to win it.

Both play their hands well until Jachtmann comes out on top with a hero call on the river.