Donald Maloney just won another big knockout pot, and he recounted the action soon after it happened as he was stacking the chips.
According to Maloney, he opened from the cutoff for 21,000, and both the button and the big blind called.
The flop was . The big blind checked, and Maloney continued for 26,000. The button folded, and the big blind check-raised to 68,000. Maloney called, and the turn was a . The big blind bet 75,000, and Maloney called. The river was a , and the big blind shoved for 170,000.
Maloney said he tanked for close to ten minutes and factored in that the player had opened a lot of hands and had been playing very aggressive poker. That eventually led him to call.
The big blind showed for a pair of fives. Maloney had to eliminate him and grab a significant pot.
Joe McKeehen raised to 17,000 from the cutoff, and the player on the button thought for a moment before moving all in for his last 140,000. Hye Park was in the small blind and moved all in over top. McKeehen folded.
The button was at risk with , and Park was ahead with .
The board ran out , and neither player held a heart, so Park's pair of kings were good to take down the pot and send his opponent to the rail.
With about 200,000 in the pot and the board reading , Dennis Zollo was under the gun and moved all in for roughly 153,000. His opponent was in middle position with roughly 128,000 remaining and facing a tough decision, as he was in the tank for a few minutes before he called.
Zollo tabled for a set of queens, and the middle-position player showed for the nut flush draw and a pair of aces.
The river was the , and Zollo improved to quads to earn the pot and a significant chip increase.
Donald Maloney eliminated Scott Davies just before the break and he related how the action went down.
Davies opened from late position for 14,000, and Maloney three-bet from the small blind to 32,500. Davies called, and they saw a flop of . Maloney bet 26,000, then called a shove from Davies.
Davies had and two pair, and Maloney had .
The turn was another but the river delivered a to give Maloney the better full-house to bust Davies.