With three players left and millions on the line, Scott Stewart made a high-stakes move that left Eddie Pak second-guessing his aggression. In a hand that showcased both tactical patience and precise execution, Stewart turned pocket aces into a winning play without ever needing to see a showdown.
A Preflop Clash of Styles
Blinds were at 500,000-1,000,000 with a big blind ante of 1,000,000, and Pak, sitting on the button, decided to open with 6♠ 3♠, a speculative but aggressive play given his chip lead. Stewart, from the small blind, wasn’t having it. Holding pocket aces (A♠ A♦), he three-bet to 7,000,000, applying immediate pressure. Pak, undeterred, called.
The stage was set. Two players with very different approaches—one leveraging raw aggression, the other capitalizing on a premium holding—were about to engage in a hand that could shift the entire tournament’s trajectory.
Stewart’s Flop Setup Pays Off
The flop came A♥ 5♦ 5♠.
For Stewart, it was about as good as it gets. He now held aces full of fives, a near-unbeatable hand in this situation. His first move? A modest continuation bet of 2,500,000. The amount was small, subtle, designed to keep weaker holdings in play.
Pak, who had completely whiffed the board, didn’t give up. His hand had backdoor straight and flush potential, but more importantly, he likely sensed that Stewart’s bet size might indicate weakness. So, he called.
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The Turn Check That Invited Chaos
The turn brought the 8♣, a card that changed little in terms of actual hand strength.
This time, Stewart did something unexpected—he checked. It was a calculated move. Why fire another bet when Pak would likely fold hands like pocket nines or sevens? Checking here allowed Pak to continue bluffing, exactly what Stewart wanted.
Pak took the bait and bet 7,500,000. His line was consistent with someone trying to represent strength. But Stewart wasn’t going anywhere. He just called, keeping Pak’s range wide and his own intentions concealed.
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Pak’s Last Stand on the River
The river came the 2♦, completing a possible flush but doing little to actually improve Pak’s hand.
Stewart checked once again, giving Pak room to bluff. The chip leader fired 12,000,000, staying consistent with his previous aggression. At this point, Stewart had seen enough. After a brief pause, he moved all-in for 37,600,000.
Pak had nothing. Just six-high. His bet had been an empty attempt to push Stewart off what he assumed was a medium-strength hand. But Stewart’s patient line had allowed him to extract maximum value, and now Pak was stuck. He postured for a moment but ultimately folded, handing Stewart a massive pot.
What This Means for the Final Three
The dynamics shifted after this hand. With this pot, Stewart and Pak were virtually tied in chips, each holding an edge over the third player remaining in the tournament. Short-handed play at this stage is all about strategic adaptability, and Stewart just showed he could mix it up, even against the chip leader.
- Stewart’s preflop three-bet signaled strength but wasn’t overly aggressive.
- His small flop bet kept Pak in the hand without scaring off potential bluffs.
- Checking the turn allowed Pak to fire off a bluff, which Stewart controlled with a simple call.
- The river check-raise all-in was a calculated move, forcing Pak to either commit or fold.
At the highest level, poker isn’t just about playing good hands—it’s about letting your opponents make mistakes. Stewart did exactly that, and now he’s in prime position to take home one of the biggest titles of his career.
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