Phil Laak Makes His First Appearance on High Stakes Poker Since 2011

Popular poker pro Phil Laak made his High Stakes Poker return Monday night for the first time since 2011 when the iconic poker show aired on the Game Show Network.

Episode 3 of Season 12, now on PokerGO, featured a colorful cast of characters joining the “Unabomber” at the table, headlined by HSP regular Jean-Robert Bellande, high-stakes crusher Andrew Robl, and Hustler Casino Live polarizing figure Nikhil “Nik Airball” Arcot. The full list of players in the game and their starting chip stacks are listed below.

Nik Airball Plays for Stacks on a Draw

Episode 3 began with Santhosh Suvarna, a regular in some of the biggest cash games in the world, flopping top pair to scoop a $49,000 pot against Yang, who also had top pair but with a weaker kicker. Santhosh then took down a small pot with two pair against Nik Airball.

Airball then played a monster pot with A♠Q♠ from the staddle position. Gavri, holding A♣J♣, raised to $3,600 and then called Airball’s three-bet to $16,000. The flop came out 4♣J♠10♣, enticing to both players.

The Hustler Casino Live regular checked, and then called a $20,000 wager. When the 3♠ appeared on the turn, both players had ace-high flush draws. Gavri, however, was still a heavy favorite given that he also had top pair to boot.

Airball decided to open-jam his flush and straight draw for $52,500. Gavri quickly made the call before they agreed to run the river twice. On the first river, the 3♣ completed Gavri’s flush, ensuring he’d take at least half the $179,700 pot. He’d claim the entire pot after the useless 10♥ appeared on the second river, forcing Nik Airball to rebuy.

Set of Queens for Poker Unabomber; Can He Get Paid Off?

Bellande then decided to make a play with A♦9♠ with three straddles on – the largest being $6,400 – moving all in for $125,000. Robl, who ran hot again last week on High Stakes Poker, considered a call with K♣J♥, but inevitably decided to fold.

Laak then appeared in a hand for the first time on the show since Season 7 with Q♠Q♦ in the big blind, and just called a raise to $3,000 from Bellande, who had K♦10♦. Suvarna, with 7♥6♠, also came along for the ride.

The flop of Q♣3♦2♣ gave the Unabomber top set, but neither of his opponents had anything. But his check enticed a $7,000 bet from JRB, forcing Suvarna off the hand. Laak just called, setting the trap before the J♥ on the turn gave Bellande some hope with an open-ended straight draw.

Laak again checked, which worked to perfection as his opponent fired out a bet of $19,000. This time, a check-raise to $92,000 was in store, enough to take down the pot.

Gavri and Yang Battle in a Cooler Hand

As has been the case many times on televised poker shows, Robl would stack Bellande, this one a $110,000 pot with pocket aces against a missed draw. Shortly after, one of the biggest pots thus far in Season 12 would transpire.

Airball raised from an early position to $4,000 with 2♠2♥ and received a call from Yang in the big blind with 9♠8♠. Gavri, in a straddle position, three-bet it to $20,000 with J♦J♣, and only Yang called.

The flop of J♠7♠10♥ created one heck of a cooler situation – top set versus nut straight. Yang checked her straight, which also included a straight flush draw, and then check-raised a bet of $14,000 to $34,000. Gavri, who wasn’t going anywhere with a set of jacks, moved all in and received a call, creating a pot of $372,900. Both players wanted to run it twice, neither of which paired the board, meaning all the chips went Yang’s way.

Gavri then lost the rest of his stack with top pair against a set versus Suvarna. He would rebuy, but Robl would close out the show by taking down a $220,000 pot against Gavri with pocket kings holding up against, once again, pocket jacks.

Past High Stakes Poker Season 12 Episode Recaps

You can catch the full episode on PokerGO, along with future episodes, which air each Monday at 5 p.m. PT.

_{*Images courtesy of PokerGO/Antonio Abrego}