In this double elimination round of Poker Superstars III a WSOP champion showed how to play shorthanded with a decent pair. In this particular hand the Matador showed the right way to play a wired pair - if you are lucky enough not to get outdrawn along the way.
Johnny Chan declined to play the round, folding his:
... and letting the other two battle it out. Carlos Mortensen, from the small blind, completed his blind holding:
... He could have made a minimum raise, likely getting a call, and then moved all in after the Flop. There are two problems with that, however. If he did, and an over card came on the Flop, he couldn't reasonably believe he wasn't beat. If he did and there was no over card, but Freddy Deeb held nothing, he would get no more action.
He played it just right, as Deeb was holding:
... a hand unlikely to call an all in preflop, but a great hand to GO all in with, and that was just what Freddy did. He pushed all in, and Carlos called.
Now Carlos was in the hunt for all of Freddy's chips and there was nothing Deeb could do to change that - unless an Ace would hit the board.
Howard "The Professor" Lederer, commenting on the show along with Chris Rose, spoke up at this point. "Carlos has to be thrilled. He played it beatufully, trapping Freddy Deeb. He should be pleased." Indeed.
The board came:
... and the Matador's Tens held up.
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