Andrew Robl’s Towering Stack
When Episode 5 of High Stakes Poker Season 11 kicked off, Andrew Robl had a massive stack of over $2 million in chips, and his appetite for more action was evident. Airing on PokerGO, this episode featured an array of high-stakes poker players, including Rob Yong and Rick Salomon, each boasting stacks exceeding $1.1 million.
The Starting Lineup
The eclectic cast of players included the likes of Jean-Robert Bellande, known for his controversial fold in the previous week’s episode, as well as Charles Yu from Hustler Casino Live fame and Ferdinand Putra. The combined chip stacks at the beginning of Episode 5 tallied just over $6.1 million. Here’s how they started:
- Andrew Robl: $2,286,000
- Rob Yong: $1,460,000
- Rick Salomon: $1,158,000
- Jean-Robert Bellande: $620,000
- Charles Yu: $488,000
- Ferdinand Putra: $406,000
Salomon’s Early Dilemma
Action unfolded quickly in Episode 5. In the very first hand, with a $4,000 straddle in play, Salomon cautiously limped in with K♣Q♦. Bellande, seated on the button, raised to $25,000 with 8♠7♠. Robl, in the small blind, surprised everyone with a hefty three-bet to $100,000, holding just 6♠5♣. This aggressive move forced Yong, in the straddle, to fold pocket jacks, but not Bellande. The flop revealed 10♥7♥Q♣, providing little help for either player. Robl, with an unimpressive six-high and no draw, opted to check, allowing Bellande to bet $125,000 and snatch the first pot of the episode.
In the following hand, Robl displayed his seriousness when he three-bet to $60,000 with K♦K♣. Putra, on the button, called with 9♠9♥, and then Salomon, in the big blind, raised it to $260,000 with A♥K♥. Facing the action, Robl didn’t hesitate to go all in. Putra folded, and Salomon, facing a difficult decision, chose to preserve his remaining $900,000 stack by folding his inferior hand.
JRB’s Costly Hand
Jean-Robert Bellande, who had made a notorious fold in the previous episode, found himself in another costly hand against Charles Yu. From an early position, Bellande raised to $10,000 with 10♣7♣ and received calls from Salomon’s 7♥6♦ in the big blind and Yu’s Q♣10♦ in the straddle. The flop brought 9♣K♦7♠, and action checked to Bellande, who fired a bet of $20,000 with a bottom pair. Yu was the sole caller.
The turn revealed J♣, completing Yu’s straight draw but also offering Bellande a straight flush draw. With the nuts, Yu checked and then raised a bet of $60,000 up to $215,000. Bellande, unable to find a fold, chose to call and see the river card, which turned out to be an unhelpful 9♦. Both players checked, and Yu seized a $503,000 pot.
Bellande’s fortune quickly turned around when his pocket kings went all in preflop against Salomon’s pocket queens in a $631,000 pot. They decided to run the board twice, with both outcomes favoring the best preflop hand.
Robl’s Bluff and Putra’s Upset
On a board of 9♦2♦J♠Q♠5♦ with $83,000 in the pot, Robl attempted an overbet bluff of $150,000 with A♣K♦. Bellande was holding Q♥10♦ but made an impressive call. Robl then jokingly claimed to have a flush, leading to Bellande folding his cards. Robl graciously pushed the pot towards Bellande, admitting his jest.
The most significant upset of the night came when Salomon’s K♠K♥, on a flop of 2♥2♦7♦, was outdrawn by Putra’s A♣2♣. Despite the turn card being 10♥, Salomon bet $200,000, only to be shoved all in by Putra for an additional $152,000. They agreed to run it twice, with neither river card revealing a king. Putra scooped the massive $893,000 pot, capping off the episode with five players holding stacks of $1 million or more, including Robl, who boasted over $2.2 million.