Poker After Dark Week 7 Recap

By Dennis Oehring

"Commentators Week" on Poker After Dark saw Howard Lederer demonstrate why he is considered one of the best in the game. Being on the short stack in early 6-handed play, Howard stayed focused, played great poker, caught some cards late in the match, and rallied to win the $120,000 prize money.

The match was highly entertaining as well as instructional. The stories Mike Sexton related about poker legends Stu Ungar and Jack Straus in and of themselves made watching the match worthwhile. I learned some things about both players that I never knew before. And seeing what hands these poker analysts selected to play, especially when combined with having position, were elements of the match that I know will help my own short-handed game.

Chad Brown got off to an early chip lead, only to find himself the first player eliminated. Next to visit Shana at the bar was Michael Konik, who nursed a short stack for as long as he could before finally finishing in 5th place.

Mike Sexton then found himself on the short stack, and with the blinds escalating needed to make a move. With the blinds at $1000/$2000, he pushed all in for his last $10,200 in chips with the K deuce of clubs, only to be called by Lederer from the big blind with a dominating K Q. No help came for Sexton, and the match became three-handed.

Gabe Kaplan held the chip lead to begin 3-way play, but was soon relieved of most of his chips when Lederer woke up with pocket kings and called an all in bet made by Gabe holding an A 5. Howard made a full house on the turn, and Gabe was drawing dead to the river, leaving him with only a few thousand chips. He made his final stand holding an A 4 against Phil Gordon's K J, and was a favorite to win, but four clubs hit the board and Gordon, who held the J of clubs, made a flush to send Gabe out in 3rd place.

This left Howard and Phil heads-up, but Lederer held a 3:1 chip advantage. After trading blinds for a half dozen hands, Lederer won the match when Gordon pushed all in with a K 9 only to find himself dominated by Howard's K Q. A queen on the flop all but sealed Howard's victory.