Ivey vs Mercier
High Stakes Poker, Season 6, 2010. A cash game episode.
From the same episode as Dwan vs Ivey
Why it is famous
Phil Ivey called off a big stack with one pair against a pro’s squeeze and shove, and was right. It is the flip side of the hand where he folded the best hand to Tom Dwan in the same episode.
What to take from it
Nines are too good to fold against an aggressive squeeze, and a re-raise before the flop would only turn them into a bluff. Call, then let the flop decide.
The hand
Ivey 9♠9♦
Mercier A♥4♥
Hansen Q♣6♦
Elezra 9♣5♣
Before the flop
Blinds 400 and 800. Ivey has the button.
Hansen raises to 4.2K.
Elezra calls.
Ivey calls.
Mercier raises to 22.1K.
Another player folds.
Hansen folds.
Elezra folds.
Ivey calls.
The flop
Board 7♥3♦2♠
Mercier bets 28.7K.
Ivey raises to 78.7K.
Mercier raises to 185.1K and is all in.
Ivey calls.
Everyone left is all in, so the rest of the board comes out with no more betting.
The turn
Board 7♥3♦2♠8♣
The river
Board 7♥3♦2♠8♣Q♠
Ivey wins at the showdown with Pair of Nines.
The decisions
- Ivey. Nines are too good to fold against a squeeze from an aggressive player. Re-raising would turn them into a bluff, because better hands do not fold.
- Ivey. Nines are an overpair on a low board. Raising charges overcards and draws, and finds out whether the bet was a continuation bet.
- Ivey. A squeezer’s range on seven-three-two is full of overcards and draws, such as ace-four with a gutshot. Few hands beat nines here, and the price is good. Ivey called, and his nines held up.
What the sources do not say. Mercier squeezed from the small blind. The table size and the final pot are not documented; five players are shown. Mercier’s stack is worked out from his all in. Ivey covered him.
Sources
Practise it in 5 minutes Play this hand, one decision at a time.
Quads is for adults, 18 and over. It teaches with play chips only: there is no real money, ever.