Poker After Dark - Sweet Money

  There is a saying in poker, that money stolen is sweeter than money earned. When you win a pot with a bluff, holding a hand that would lose if it stayed to the river, you are getting money you did not technically "deserve", which is actually a key component in a winning strategy.



  In this case, during the final heads up round of Hecklers' Week on Poker After Dark, Shawn Sheikhan had won three pots in a row against Phil Hellmuth, and had a massive chip lead. Up to this moment, Shawn had had a hand each time, and this time he didn't.



  Shawn raised it to $4,100 with:






... which is a decent heads up hand. Phil called with:






... The flop came:







... missing both players. Phil would have had a chance to steal here, but he had simply checked in the dark before the cards hit, which made it Shawn's turn to act. Shawn also checked. The turn came:





... which was useless, and once again Phil checked. Shawn took the initiative and bet out $6,000. Phil had no choice but to fold the hand, and ship Shawn the fourth pot in a row. Phil was trying to play patient and wait for Shawn to slip up, but he missed an opportunity right there to come back over the top and steal some of the Sheik's thunder.