Brothers in Arms

[user253757]

Level 24 : 15,000/30,000, 4,000 ante

From left to right, Marcus Cohen, Joseph Wang, and Alex Ortiz Vazquez show that poker doesn't always have to be a game defined by grim faces and grudges

In one of the last hands played before the recent break, Marcus Cohen opened for 55,000 from early position (this hand occurred in Level 23, when blinds were set at 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante).

Next to act, Joe "J.J." Wang flatted the bet, but when the action moved to Alex Ortiz Vazquez he decided on a three-bet jam for 526,000.

The action then folded around to Cohen, who tanked long and hard before deciding to lay his hand down. Before he did so, Cohen commented on how he "can't ever fold here," before ultimately contradicting himself.

Wang did the same, deliberating for a long while and talking himself through the hand before sliding his hand into the muck.

As Ortiz dragged the pot in, all three players began to exchange notes, commiserating on the strength of their respective hands. Wang claimed to have laid down , while Cohen mentioned not wanting to flip a coin with his .

Ortiz, for his part, said he held , confirming that a coin flip would have decided the hand.

After the hand was long over, a second visit to the table saw Cohen state that he "played this well to get the chips, not trying to flip a coin for all of 'em. That's not tournament poker. I'm trying to win this thing."

Countless amateurs who have looked down at a pocket pair and refused to find the fold button may disagree, but Cohen's disciplined laydown was the sign of a player looking to make good on his word.