How about some sick hero calls? PokerStars TV compiled their Top 5 Hero Calls from various final tables. Among those included in this latest compilation video are big-time pros like Erik Seidel, Steve O'Dwyer, Davidi Kitai and Jason Mercier. In Mercier's case, the bluff he sniffed out helped propel him to victory at the EPT San Remo…which in turn helped launch his storied career.
Champ or chump? That's the difference between making a hero call and looking like an utter donk. The crew at PokerStarsTv sifted through endless hours of footage and they discovered their Top5 Hero Calls. Some of these hand are utter redonkulous. And some of these players made ridiculous calls. Of course, Jason Mercier tops the list with a hand he encounter way before he became a sponsored player by PokerStars and racked up $17 million in career winnings. At the time, he was a virtual unknown American online player, but after the hand…and the inevitable victory, Mercier made a name for himself.
You can't have a bluff sniffed out at a High Roller event without having Steve O'Dwyer involved. And then there's stalwart vet Erik Seidel picking apart an upstart Dzmitry Urbanovich. Plus, you have Davidi Kitai employing amazing Belgian mind-reading techniques.
Top 5 Hero Calls in PokerStars TV History
5. Sander Lyloff. At the EPT Barcelona, we got a classic poker boom hand with a young gun from America versus a LAGtard Scandi in Greg Dyer vs. Sander Lyloff. Dyer was being aggro with 8-6 offsuit against Lyllof's pocket fives. The board read J-9-4-7-4 without any flush draws. Dyer made a big river bluff and Lylloff sniffed it out with nothing but a bluff catcher.
4. Erik Seidel. During the PCA11, we saw a classic battle of old school vs. new school in the Super High Roller. Wunderkind Urbanovich vs. grizzled vet Seidel. The board read A-A-6-K-5. Seidel whiffed on a diamond flush draw and thought about making an insane hero call with a mere Jack high. He tanked for a while before finally calling. Urbanovich also whiffed on a spade flush draw and he tabled a mere 4-2.
3. Steve O'Dwyer. At a PCA High Roller event, Steve O'Dwyer sniffed out a bluff from amateur Sippl, who bluff-shoved the river with J-10 on a board of Q-8-9-2-3. O'Dwyer held just A-10, but after some deep thinking, O'Dwyer made the call. He not only won the pot, but he also won the tournament with that hand.
2. Davidi Kitai. Kitai held A-3 suited against Chen's 4-2 suited. The board read J-7-5-9-10. With 1.5M in the pot, Kitai fired out 550K, but Chen raised to 1.5M, but Kitai smelled something rotten in Denmark. He made what Stapes called “a sick soul read.” Insane, but Kitai won the pot and went on to win the title.
1. Jason Mercier. Golden boy Jason Mercier tops the list. It was the hero call that launched a career. Mercier was an unknown America at the EPT4 San Remo. It was four-handed and Mercier opened with 9-5 against Eric Koskas 10-3. The board read J-6-5-8-8. Koskas quickly said “All in!” for almost 700K in a 650K pot. Mercier went into the tank and made the hero call with just two pair. Mercier won the pot and sent Koskas to the rail. EPT creator John Duthie called it “A brilliant call.” Mercier went onto win the tournament and the win kicked off a remarkable career.