Classic Boatman Speech Play Secures Gigantic Chip Lead Pot

Chris Bean

Level 17 : Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

There were 60,000 in the middle and four players saw a flop of 7?7?2?. Barny Boatman bet 15,000 from the hijack and was called by Sascha Minerva on the cutoff.

Fabian Rolli check-raised to 60,000 from the big blind and was cold-called by under the gun Maor Zaharagi. Boatman was undeterred by all the action that followed his initial bet by raising to 190,000 which gained a fold from Minerva and Rolli.

Zaharagi went into the tank and stared down Boatman. The Londoner looked at the board, then turned to his opponent and said "What's your kicker?" which prompted Zaharagi to rip it all in for 400,000. Boatman snap-called.

Maor Zaharagi: 7?6?
Barny Boatman: 2?2?

Boatman's speech play worked like a treat as it triggered Zaharagi to shove with trip sevens against his flopped boat. The J?A? completed the board and Boatman is the first player to pass the seven-figure mark and took the chip lead. The Israeli Zaharagi exits before the money despite coming into Day 2 as third in chips.