Tired Poker Playgamesapper Flips for $250K Pot in High

A colorful regular in the biggest games at The Lodge Card Club near Austin — Taras — lost a $335,000 pot on a failed bluff and then tried to win most of it back by flipping for his entire stack during Saturday's livestream.

The action inside Texas' largest card room featured numerous monster pots, mistimed bluffs, coolers, and a slew of high-profile players, including Doug Polk, Nikhil "Nik Airball" Arcot, and Mariano Grandoli.

What Was Poker Player Thinking?

No-limit hold'em at $200/$400 stakes was the name of the game. Taras lost the two largest pots of the night, one in a flip and the other a no-equity bluff gone wrong.

The latter hand began with Mariano, a popular vlogger who had a banner year as a poker player in 2024, raising to $1,000 with A♣K♣from an early position. Doc Hollywood, sitting on A♥5♥, called from the lowjack, as did Hook, who was on the button with Q♣J♣.

Taras looked down at 7♣5♣and decided to make a play, three-betting to $6,000. Mariano then came back over the top with a raise to $20,000, receiving a call only from Taras.

The flop came out 2♠6♦J♥, which didn't hit either player. Taras checked, and then he called a bet of $10,000 out of position with seven-high. Action intensified on the K♠turn card. Taras, drawing dead, checked. Mariano, who turned top pair and top kicker, bet $40,000. But that wager didn't convince his opponent to fold.

https://twitter.com/LodgePokerClub/status/1921578231683051702

Taras, an angel investor, moved all in for $136,800 without so much as a draw. Mariano thought for a brief moment before calling off. The 5♠on the river was irrelevant as Mariano scooped the $335,400 pot, the largest during the seven-hour Poker at the Lodgestream on YouTube.

Later in the game, after the last traditional poker hand was dealt, Taras decided he wanted to flip for his entire stack, which was about $125,000. Doc Hollywood obliged, and the two agreed to run a pot-limit Omaha flip for $249,800.

The dealer dealt 7♣A♥10♣Q♣and left the river card face-down. Both players began exposing their four hole cards one by one. Taras would expose 10♠A♦7♥6♦for aces-up. Doc Hollywood showed Q♥8♥5♦5♣before the dealer turned over the Q♠on the river, giving Doc Hollwyood trips for the win.

Taras ended the session down just over $160,000, which isn't too bad considering he lost the two biggest pots of the night. Mariano had another huge session and went home with a $284,000 profit. Polk and Airball both booked wins of around $65,000 at the Texas poker room they co-own.

Taras, responding on X to the video of his failed bluff, denied having been intoxicated or high throughout the stream. He told one X user that "it's totally on me. I was sleep deprived and the responsibility is on me."

"I look worse than I actually am. I wasn't that drunk and I don't get high ever. I was just sleep deprived. Not the best play of my life," he also wrote.

It certainly wasn't the best play of his life, but he's also had many big wins and brilliant plays during his numerous appearances on Poker at the Lodge.