A Different Kind of Speech Play

Monika Kostanjevec

Level 12 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Scott McKernan has been having incredible success with an interesting and novel strategy.

Twice in a row when he was in the big blind, an opponent moved all in. The first time, a player had just busted in the big blind, making McKernan the only blind. Nevertheless, the player on the button open-shoved. According to the table, McKernan made a speech asking his opponent why he would move in on his big blind, since there is no small blind. He then looked down at his cards to find pocket kings.

He called his short-stacked opponent, who had (and lost with) J?8?.

An orbit later, the player under the gun moved all in with McKernan in the big blind. Again, McKernan asked his opponent the same question: “Why would you move in on my big blind?” He then looked down at his hand and found - pocket kings.

The all-in player held A?J?, which was no match to McKernan’s K?K? on the board of 10?Q?10?Q?6?.

Opponents might now finally become weary of moving in on McKernan’s big blind. Stay tuned to see if a better strategy emerges, but for now, McKernan’s seems like the one beat.