Folding aces at a World Series of Poker (WSOP) Online final table paid off handsomely for Nicolás Giacomino. But was it the right move? That is the question.
Event #7: $215 Mystery Millions had 53,758 entries, and the tournament on GGPoker was down to the final seven players. All remaining players were guaranteed at least $120,918, but were chasing the $576,251 first-place prize and the coveted gold bracelet.
Giacomino, “Liverian” on GGPoker, would pick up pocket aces, usually a dream scenario for any poker player at the final table of a major tournament. But the Argentinian faced a difficult decision despite having the preflop nuts.
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Did Poker Player Make the Right Move?
The blinds had reached 2,000,000/4,000,000 when the crazy hand began. Four players were sitting on short stacks, one with just a single big blind, while the others had large stacks, including Giacomino, who had 220,819,837 chips.
Fabian Bernhauser (“F Bernhauser”) started the action by moving all in for just a smidge over one big blind from under the gun. Giacomino, who had pocket aces, raised to 10,806,617. Toni Bosch (“Holkan”) then moved all in for 19,049,956.
Things seemed to get even better for Giacomino when Adrovan Rodrigues (“Gboro21”), the small blind and the biggest stack, moved all in for 612,822,406. Action folded back to the player with pocket rockets, who knew he had the best preflop hand and was in a position to more than double-up.
Giacomino, who had under $2,000 in career WSOP cashes, didn’t snap-call, and would eventually fold the best hand, a decision that was heavily criticized on social media. Rodrigues turned over 9♠9♥ and would have been well behind the aces. But the board ran out 5♥9♣3♥6♦5♦, giving Rodrigues a full house. He increased his chip lead at the table, but he would have become a much bigger chip leader had the preflop nuts called.
Bernhauser, the smallest stack when the hand began, took seventh place for $120,918 plus bounties. Bosch also busted in the hand and was paid $156,811 plus bounties that totaled just under $350,000.
As for Giacomino, who had accumulated just $7,000 in bounties, he would have been eliminated in fifth place for $203,358. Instead, he moved up to fourth place and received $263,722, meaning his preflop fold was worth an extra $60,000.
Rodrigues, on the other hand, ended up winning the tournament for $576,251. He also collected $9,000 worth of bounties. The Brazilian player earned his first WSOP bracelet along with a free trip and entry fee in December to the $25,000 buy-in WSOP Super Main Event in the Bahamas at World Series of Poker Paradise (WSOPP).
Giacomino’s fold ended up paying off for him, but we’re curious to know what you think of his decision in the poll below.
