Episode link: https://solveforwhy.io/programs/poker-out-loud-season-2?cid=2036710
Poker Out Loud was created by Solve For Why, an advanced poker training company. Solve For Why’s founder and lead instructor is Matt Berkey, a long-time high-stakes poker professional in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Poker Out Loud is a unique approach to poker training and entertainment. Top poker professionals play a cash game format, while all wearing noise-cancelling headphones. Before their actions, they speak their thoughts out loud, revealing to the audience their thought process and reasoning behind each poker decision.
The stakes are $5/$10 at this No-Limit Texas Hold’em table, and every player has all of their own action. While nobody in the game is known to be proficient at lip reading, they’ve been asked not to look at their opponents as they verbalize their thoughts. When the action isn’t on them, tunes fill their ears to ensure they can’t overhear any information by accident.
About halfway through the day’s action, Berkey’s sitting on the biggest stack at $4,790, and Kelly Minkin has the smallest with $2,635.
One of the season’s biggest pots thus far gets underway in Episode 6 when Matt Hunt looks down at A-J offsuit, opening it to $35 from the hijack. Berkey flats on the button with J-8 offsuit. Kelly elects to 3-bet to $135, saying, “I like squeezing out of the blinds with mediocre suited Aces.” Both opponents call, and Berkey’s worst hand shifts to the best when he flops top pair on 8d5c2d. Kelly bets $300 into $410 with overcards and some backdoors, and only Berkey matches it.
The 4s turn gives Kelly a gutshot to a wheel, and she bets about 70% pot, hoping Berkey will fold a draw or overcards to the board. Berkey doesn’t believe the story she’s telling and calls. Kelly finds one of her ten outs on the river, completing the wheel.
“I have to shove this river—I was going to shove if I missed, anyway. Gotta go with the line,” she says, putting in her remaining $1,525. Berkey pays it off, convinced that she doesn’t have enough combos containing an Ace in this spot. Kelly takes the pot and the chip lead.
Later on, Christian Soto (Chin) opens J-10 offsuit to $40 in the cutoff, and next-to-act Kelly 3-bets the button small to $105 with A-2 offsuit. Hunt flats with a pair of black 9s in the BB, and Chin comes along as well. The flop is a relatively disconnected one, improving nobody: K63 rainbow. Action checks to Kelly, who continues for about 60% pot. Only Hunt calls.
Kelly doesn’t slow down on the 7s turn, firing about three-quarters pot. Hunt explains that while he doesn’t feel great about this spot, he can’t fold just yet. Kelly gives up on a 10d river when checked to.
You can watch this episode in full, along with every other episode from all seasons of Poker Out Loud, at solveforwhy.io. Be sure to use promo code POLBLOG for 25% off your first month!
