Poker After Dark - Bottom Pair Is Good

  Three grand might sound like a lot of money, but in this episode of Poker After Dark, the hit poker show on NBC hosted by Shana Hiatt, it was just the big blind. It was Mega Match week, and each player had put up fifty large of their own money to try and take the same from five other players, the winner walking with $300k. In this particular hand two players who seemed to always get in each other's way tried to duke it out again.  Jen Harman was already out, gone in fifth place, and famed high stakes cash game player David Benyamine was out in sixth, and only Phil Ivey, Barry Greenstein, Eli Elezra and Allen Cunningham remained. In this hand it was Eli and Phil butting heads, each trying to get a read on the other. They were not doing a great job. In fact, they seemed to be playing strictly by the numbers poker.  Ivey started things off with a limp in calling the $3k with: ... Eli, from the big blind, checked it to the flop with his: ... The dealer peeled off three board cards, ad the flop was: ... Eli was first to act, and he checked his queen high hand to Ivey.  Now, checking to Ivey is not always a great idea. In fact it is only a great idea if you have the nuts and want him to feed you. This time Eli didn't have anything, but neither did Phil. But Phil bet. He put out a little $5,000 bet, and Eli folded like he couldn't get out fast enough.