There are good bluffs, and there are great bluffs. But the one we are talking about is probably the greatest poker bluff of all time. We are talking about the EPIC bluff by Tom “Durrr” Dwan, which will definitely leave you speechless!
In this old video from 2009 High Stakes Season 5, Tom Dwan plays with other legends like Brunson, Negreanu and Greenstein. He enters a multi-way pot and manages to pull off an incredible bluff, which is nothing but legendary!
What Happened Here?
Unable to grasp what you just saw? We feel you! Let’s review each move to understand what happened and learn the psychology behind this amazing bluff.
Preflop
Players have the following hands:
Brunson: A♠ 9♣
Eastgate: 4♥ 2♦
Negreanu: K♦ 4♦
Sahamies: 7♥ 6♠
Elezra: J♦ 9♠
Benyamine: 3♦ 3♣
Greenstein: A♥ A♣
Dwan: Q♣ 10♣
Greenstein from UTG raises to $2500 with pocket aces. However, eight other players call, and it becomes an eight-player pot of $21,600.
Flop
2♠ 10♦ 2♣
Greenstein having a pair of aces bets $10,000. Dwan hits a pair of tens with a backdoor flush draw. If Dwan calls, other players might also call behind. However, if he raises, he can easily represent a Trips of Twos and make others fold. So, Dwan raises to $37,300 (3.7X of Greenstein’s bet).
Elezra, Benyamine, Negreanu and Brunson fold their hands. However, Eastgate calls, which is a clear indication that he might be having a Deuce. Also, Greenstein calls with his pair of aces.
Turn
2♠ 10♦ 2♣ 7♦
Both Eastgate and Greenstein check. Dwan can only win this pot by bluffing with a strong representation of a Trips.
Greenstein being in the UTG position must be holding a strong hand with high cards like aces, kings or queens. So, it is very unlikely that he is holding a Deuce. So, Dwan can easily represent a Deuce here.
Dwan had played with Eastgate before and won a couple of times against him with really strong hands. Even if Eastgate has a Deuce, Dwan can still represent a Trips with a better kicker like Ace Deuce or even a Full House.
So, Dwan makes a huge bet of $104,200, and Eastgate folds quickly. However, Greenstein takes some time to think as he is holding pocket aces. Dwan will be in big trouble if Greenstein calls. But fortunately, Greenstein folds!
Isn’t this the greatest poker bluff of all time!
What can we learn from this Poker Bluff?
- Never make a small raise if you are holding a pair of aces, kings or queens. The equity of such monsters drops if it goes multi-way. Greenstein’s standard 3X the Big Blind with pocket aces invited the remaining players to call, and he ended up losing the pot.
- Always have some gaming history with your opponent before bluffing. Dwan had played with Eastgate before and knew that he could represent a Trips with a better kicker or a full house.
- Have a read on your opponents’ ranges according to their positions. If Greenstein was in the late position, it would have been difficult to bluff. Since he was in the UTG position, Dwan was easily able to guess his range and was certain that a Deuce was not in his range.
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