Honestly I haven't followed WSOP much this year, haven't even watched many of the ME episodes. I did watch the last 4-5 hours of today's broadcast though, and I think many of us were wow'ed by Cheong's plays. Haters will be haters, Phil Hellmuth will be Phil Hellmuth, until I see nuts after nuts instead of steals after steals on ESPN holecards cam, I am a fan for his plays.

-Props to mostly great plays for this year's FT by most people (at least from what I have seen after it was 5 handed)

-The hand that people will talk about for ages:

--Balls of steels, yes. I love Cheong's plays all night but that was iffy. Duhamel pulled off a weird line, he knows he's been bullied several times, you are basically praying he doesn't have a monster. His almost min-5bet was weird, if he was weaker you would figure he would bet a little more. Too much money on the line, and you've been running over the table too well to justify the risks.

--Flipside: 99s or 10s, or AQ, Duhamel will haev a hell of a time to call, but whether he takes the line he took is also in question if he had one of those hands. But if Duhamel's hand wasn't as strong, as Cheong is reading it to be, it would've been a great play. Worst case scenario he most likely would have 30% chance to suckout. Would've been a bigger fan if he covers Duhamel by more than 10m, which leaves him a bit more room if the plan fails. ALso heat of the moment, on top of the world, hard to blame the guy. I myself am capable of admitting I have done this quite a few times at FT with a bluff I wouldn't forget or forgive.

-Cheong has outplayed Duhamel while OOP the whole table, let's not forget that. It would be a different world if Cheong can have position on Duhamel when fold around to their blinds.

-Cheong displayed much better plays when handling 3 handed VS racner, big props

-Not a fan of the A3s call, as I think 20+million is a bit too much for a hand thats at best 60%. Why risk for hte race or possible domination when the table is bowing down to you?

-How many hands have we seen Cheong show after 5 handed (before the blowup)? Amazing efficiency.

-1 obvious hole was that Duhamel was clearly waiting to bluff-catch Cheong when the pot blows up big, and perhaps that's a sign that CHeong should've taken that Duhamel is willing to give up until the pot gets juicy. That AK hand was great example, was unfortunate Cheong wasn't rewarded with the luck that he deserve with the aggression


Major props to the live feed and broadcasting, and I am sick to believe Hellmuth laid 5 to 1 and won. I am 100% for racner at this point, although both of the finalists showed class at this final table.

Cheong's plays were absolutely inspiring. I hope ESPN does not try to tweak it to show like he is a maniac who just hold the nuts everytime, doesn't get enough value, and blows up. It is obvious that they will show both hands where Cheong's bluffs failed, but I hope they include other ones that worked.

Props to bringing good poker back to the WSOP FT.

Clearly anyone who watched the final table and final 4 especially knows CHEONG! robbed so many pots over and over... bluffing is part of the game.. he had 2 bad misteps and that makes you lose mtts... its a shame CHEONG! couldnt slowdown cuz he woulda won.... GG CHEONG!

6bet Bluff_LOLL Cheonggg

how can u not give a 6 bet bluff anything but props? i have a ton of respect for him

the guy was a complete monster the whole tourney. (he's also a very likeable guy)

/BOW

A lot of respect, no doubt. Smart play though? Questionable.. Duhamel was able to catch a good hand at an appropriate time. He wanted to play large hands only when he has a great hand, and had one and unfortunately CHeong obliged. If Cheong would just signal this one and make Duhamel "waste" his QQs, he would really have Duhamel where he wants him to be at, waiting for monster again while slowly being chipped away. Just too much too risky when he has so much control I thought. Props for sticking to your read, but less props for wrong read.

Thats fair, but if you put yourself in Cheong's position and know that Duhamel knows that you have been bullying him and the whole table, it makes you question Duhamel's 5 bet, which was outstanding by the way. Duhamel is certainly capable of making a stand there, being tired of Cheong getting away with so much, especially taking note of the size bet, not even double of what the 4 bet was. Makes it seem like, okay, I know you are bullying everyone, and I know you can't shove or call. Cheong just went with his read and it was wrong, outstanding play by Duhamel.

I think you are being too results oriented if you say it was horrible, etc. Was it ideal? Obviously not, but you have to stick with what has gotten you to that point, and not play like a bitch (John Racener)

Note I didn't say it was horrible, but questionable. Do note that there is several millions of dollars at stake.

I obviously sees more merit to his play than Hellmuth did, thus my "flipside" bullet. And yes he does know Duhamel is capable to making a stand, but Duhamel knows that he knows that as well. Given that, it's pretty much both of them needing to make a stand at a big pot. Given the small pots that Cheong's been winning, however, it's very much debatable whether or not he could've waited to make the big pot move.

Hellmuth made a great point earlier that when Cheong make a big move, he would have AA or KK and crush them (similar to what they said about allen cunningham later). That's the best part of the style, you can have a great hand and have it completely disguised. Cheong risk never having a chance to use that to his advantage if he pulls the trigger there.

I can see why people would think I am being result-oriented, but do note that I see merits to the play. I do agree that if it worked out, he would've had all the momentum in the world and if he picks up a hand there's an even better chance he will get paid off. Yes I get it, but if you fold you have 88m, if you make the move and he folds you have about 125m, if u fold and lose, that's almost automatic elimination. That's a lot to risk, and a risk I would consider questionable...

+1, how often do you see a chip leader maintains the aggression and chiplead? if cards worked out for him he might be one of the rare few who is capable of pulling it off, especially at this stage.

the poker gods said, you played your best and dominated, I can't grant you the luck of that other asian Jerry Yang and so he lost

but oh it were the nuts of steel, imagine if an ace peeled off

The guy played great but the A7o move was clearly -ev.

Racenar only had around 22 million and Cheong and Duhammel were on 100 mil. The focus has to be on taking out Racenar first.

Of course if an A hits... as it will nearly 1 time in 3... heads up with 10:1 chip lead.

Does anyone really think Duhamel's 5bet range is weak enough that he would fold to a shove there?

There is one guy who thinks that. His name is Joseph Cheong.

looks like it was Duhamel who eventually outplayed him with the small 5 bet

duhamel would only fold his total bluffs that he 5 bet and very questionable whether he would 5 bet bluff at all

sick that Duhamel called imo ...

with Racener that short
even after a 5-bet
what could Cheong have that you have beat with QQ ...
at this time in the tournament

sick imo
nice play from Cheong
ton of respect

I really thought Cheong was going to take the whole thing, he seemed on top of his game for most of the tournament, just rolling through guys like nothing.

Too bad he lost to Duhamel, hopefully Racener can come back from way behind and take it.

+1

A7o.

Do you really think about 5bet-folding QQ there?
16 combos of AK, some bluffs like maaybee (A7o) and 12 combos of AA,KK.
QQ call is obv. standard and 5bet-folding completely lol.

I like Duhammels very small 5bet to evtl. induce a spazzshove. If he makes it bigger he is clearly comitted.

The question is if Duhammel really had some 5-bet bluffs in his range.

Prolly Cheong thought that Duhammel would get tricky with AA and maybe KK too a good portion of the time instead of 5betting them + he obv. has the blocker to half of the AA combos bla,bla.

The more I think about it, the less I hate the play tbh.

The thing is I'm not sure that play was -ev. How often do you get your opponent to fold his hand there? Like you said Racenar was a super short stack and had Duhamel lost the hand he would have busted in 3rd.

I think Duhamel made a GREAT call. If all we saw were his cards and no Cheong's and saw that he folded QQ to a 6 bet, none of 2+2 would have argued the fold.

Great play all around, even by Racenar who apparently knew someone would be blowing up eventually and it would be him. Playing for second is lame, but profitable.

I think he can fold the QQ
Racener is short
the money difference is huge
the celeb-difference is huge
the chance at winning is none if Cheong has AA/KK

he was'nt comitted with 20isch in and 60isch behind imo
still x2 Racener's stack

Cheong stayed with his read and pushed, knowing Duhamel prob had TT/JJ/QQ/AK

but I agree
you can also call it a 'nice call' :-)

no. the fact that racener had 22M was exactly the reason he did it and the reason it was a good play. if duhamel had him covered would be a bit different.

Yes the chance of winning is none if its QQ vs AK/KK/AA, WELL SAID SIR!

Cheong was raising every hand and barreling like crazy, fish at 50nl do this all the time - raise and reraise all the time then cry when someone snaps them off with a hand. The 6bet is not believable given the action within the last few hours at the table.

Good luck folding QQ vs. a very tricky/aggressive opponent less than 100BB deep 3-handed A B D U L I N H O. I didn't see it, but he was obv. inducing and snapcalling there.
If you consider folding there you will get torn into pieces by aggro players like Cheong and the latter would easily have won the tourney.