The latest episode of High Stakes Poker Season 12 opened with Brandon Adams sitting on a stack of nearly $2 million, covering the entire table - that is, until Andrew Robl decided to plop down a stack or two of cranberries. Robl's additional chips served as Chekhov's Gun for the episode, setting the scene for a monster pot between the two big stacks.
Before the Adams vs. Robl clash, Hustler Casino Live regular Nikhil "Nik Airball" Arcot lived up to his well-earned moniker in a pot against fellow HCL combatant Charles Yu. The stakes were already high - $1,000/$2,000 - but Yu set the tone early with a $4,000 straddle and his timing proved nothing short of omniscient.
You can always rely on some wild action when Airball is at the tableThe action folded to Airball in the big blind and - surprise, surprise - he came in for a raise to $20,000 with 
. Yu, with 
in the straddle, considered a re-raise, but knew his opponent well and simply flat-called. The 
flop left Airball drawing thin, but, undeterred, he continued for $15,000. Yu called quickly and the 
on the turn offered Airball outs to a win and a valid reason to continue his bluff - and bluff he did, $50,000 into the middle. Yu took a moment, cutting out chips as if to raise, but again opted for a call. The 
completed the board and Airball checked his cards before announcing all-in. Yu wasted no time in calling for his remaining $202,000 and scooped in the $577,000 pot.
Airball did manage to quickly recoup some of his losses by running an impressive bluff against DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang. On a board of 
, with $161,000 in the pot, Airball pulled the $233,000 all-in trigger with just 
. The play - perhaps well-timed, perhaps reckless - worked out, as Tang reluctantly folded his 
.
Then, the moment the add-on foretold arrived - it was time for Robl to deploy the Chekhovian cranberries. Adams came in with a raise to $5,000 with 
, prompting folds from the two players behind him, but not from Robl in the big blind. Instead, Robl bumped it up to $40,000 with his 
. Adams, with the benefit of position, made the call and the two saw the 
flop - not exactly what either had in mind. Both players checked, bringing in the turn 
, which gave Adams an open-ended straight draw and Robl a gut-shot straight draw. Again, action checked through and the river came down - you guessed it - the 
, giving both players a straight.
Brandon Adams came unstuck against the player who can't seem to loseThere's $83,000 in the pot and the river brings you the nut straight in a three-bet pot. The action checked through to the river and now rests on you - do you bet or check to hopefully check-raise? If you're Robl, this time you opt for the latter. For Adams, in position and facing an opponent showing nothing but weakness post-flop, it's a different question, but the answer is always bet. Thus, Adams slid $70,000 into the middle and most likely began to root for a call.
Instead, Robl reached for the cranberries of destiny in his stack and grabbed a handful - $350,000 worth. Adams didn't love the spot and took his time before coming to a decision, perhaps contemplating Robl's pre-flop aggression. Eventually, he cut out the calling chips and stuck them in the middle, only to hear - and then see - the bad news. Robl, as he is wont to do, scooped in the nearly seven-figure pot.
High Stakes Poker Season 12 airs exclusively on PokerGO on Monday nights at 8:00pm ET.
Images Courtesy of Antonio Abrego/PokerGO
