Poker Out Loud Season 2, Episode 8 Recap

Episode link: https://solveforwhy.io/programs/poker-out-loud-season-2?cid=2036712

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.

Everyone present has bought into this $5/$10 No-Limit Texas Hold’em game with their own money at risk. When the action isn’t on them, they’re listening to high-volume music, enabling the players to speak freely about the moves they make. They’ve also been asked to avert their eyes from the opponent whose action it is to prevent information from being leaked through lip reading.

Several minutes into Episode 8, Chewy wakes up with red Queens in the cutoff, opening it to $35. Kelly 3-bets to $115 in the big blind with J-10 suited, and Chewy opts to flat. “It’s not a full-on trap per se, but it’s a better way to extract value from what I perceive her range to look like,” he says. Chewy flops the nuts on QcJc3s, and Kelly continues for about 75% pot, having hit middle pair with some backdoor draws.

The turn adds the Ad, and Kelly checks for pot control, knowing the strength of her hand has diminished. Chewy disguises the strength of his hand with a check. The 3c river pairs the board and completes the flush draw, and Chewy bets 60% pot when checked to. Kelly quickly mucks.

“He actually busted me in the Millionaire Maker in 2015,” we hear Kelly say about Chewy during an off-the-felt interview. “I learned a lot from that particular hand; just how he played and how he got me to believe the story he was trying to tell.

A few hands later, Berkey opens 8-5 suited to $50 from the cutoff, saying simply, “Alright, it’s time to get into a fist fight.” Chin’s holding K-J offsuit and debates the merits of calling or 3-betting, eventually deciding on a flat. Kelly holds on in the small blind with 10-9 offsuit, flopping top pair on 10c4s2s. Chin bets $75 into $160 with his overcards, and Kelly check-raises, putting $200 on top. Chin calls, calling the raise “weird.” Kelly continues for 60% pot on the 3d turn and takes it down.

Jordan finds himself way ahead in the chip counts at this point with $7,160 in front of him. Chewy’s sitting in second with $4,100, Jack is just above what he started with, and Kelly, Berkey, and Chin are all hovering around $2,800.

The very next hand, Kelly opens A-6 offsuit to $40 on the button. Jordan 3-bets to $200 in the small blind with 4c3c, and Kelly calls, suspecting he’s weak. Jordan continues for three-quarters pot on Qs3d2h, and Kelly calls.

The 9d hits the felt on the turn, and Kelly bets $575 into $1,010 when checked to. “A middling card like this is deceptively good for me because her hands that floated that pick up gutshots are going to be drawing here, but I’m not worried about her having a 9,” Jordan says as he calls, hoping for a low card on the river. He gets his wish with the 6c and checks. Kelly checks back, having hit a pair, and Jordan scoops.

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!