I'm sure most everyone on here has seen the TOC event by now. Now I know Daniel is great, and I would call myself a pretty experienced player with a little better-then-intermediate knowledge (we can make that a word right?) of the game, and I have wrapped my brain around it for a couple days and still can't see how he called that hand.

If I was in that spot, I would have been lost because Sexton played it sooo unorthadoxed. Granted we didn't see every hand, but even Matusow had no idea what he had. (Again showing why he isn't nearly as good as DN) If I HAD to guess it would have been the A-5 (Or whatever paired on the River, suited with a backdoor flush-draw).

What is everyone's take?? And has DN explained yet...if not maybe he will on the board

What was the hand?

going off of memory...i saw it two days ago.

DN-- Q 2
Sexton - KK

I know DN flopped bottom pair with all low cards...

2-6-7 maybe?? I don't remember the turn, but I know the river paired the board.

By now I am having a hard time remembering the action besides the post flop bets which were:

Flop: DN bets little more then half the pot...Sexton calls
Turn: Both check
River: DN bets 25k...Sexton raises to 75k

DN looks at him funny, then says "What do you have Kings?" but pays him off just to see them.

I just looked on Cardplayer and didn't see the hand in the Live Updates so if anyone can help me remember...please do.

Can't really say from that, it would depend on how much was in the pot, how many total chips they had, what odds he was getting to make the call.

Obviously if he was re-raised on the river, then it was very unlikely that his bottom pair was good.

Some would say that for 'metagame' purposes he made the call perhaps. (knowingly calling when you know you are beat, for information and future profit)

Until someone gives exact details, that's about it. It's a bit sketchy, but I'm sure someone will post the hand in exact terms.

Action was more like...

Pre-flop:
Sexton raised from CO 4-handed, Daniel calls w/ Q2s

Flop: 765r
Both checked

Turn: 2
Daniel bets, Sexton calls

River: 5
Daniel checks, Sexton bets, Daniel calls


Daniel made the read cause it's one of the few hands that Sexton would play in that manner. Sexton wouldn't have slowplayed a smaller pair than KK for fear of overcards. He would've either c-bet/c-raised or folded the flop/turn with overcards. And, he also probably would've played a draw differently. It's just a matter of putting together the pieces...what can Sexton raise pre-flop, check the flop IP, just call the turn, and value bet the river with?

Sorry, I should clarify...

I know DN knew he didn't have the best hand...I was just trying to understand his read. How he verbally called out that Sexton had KK. And thank you for your help with the hand action. So I guess my read would have been A-5

Yeah, that makes more sense... didn't think he would call a re-raise on the river with bottom pair!

Sounds like Sexton was actually a bit scared on the flop too, against Daniel with that sort of flop. On a co ordinated board against Daniel, it's not really slowplaying is it? Also, quite weak play on the turn - scared of the re-raise.

Once Daniel checks the river, Sexton made a value bet, but Daniel payed him off probably because, whillst he thought he was beat, there are hands in Sexton's range which may justify it. (Busted draw -A8, AK, AQ) It's fairly loose call, but sometimes Daniel seems to pay people off, on the river.

That's an amazing read, especially considering that this was SH. I don't know Sexton's style but I'd imagine he, as a successful player, is more than capable of raising with any two 4-handed.

Cobalt's thought process seems correct, too. One day hopefully I'll be able to think that clearly.

Still don't get how he calls there. He must've thought Mike was bluffing obv.

Once again, DN openly states "I just spent 50k to see if I'm playing good" I think it was pretty obvious he was beat, I was wondering how he made such a freakishly good read.

This is one area where i have trouble understanding daniels play, he always seems to have the right read but pay them off anyways. I dont know if he is just scared to be bluffed out of a pot on tv or what.
He does this like 5 times in HSP and i can figure it out for the life of me, he knows he is beat yet he continuously pays people off. I love DN's play and i know he is a great player, but this just confuses me especially since he says out loud he is beat.

I truely think because of his status he is scared to be bluffed out of a pot in front of the cameras, without the tv cameras there i think he folds this hand.

Just my opinion

On HSP he ran into a lot of coolers. But just because someone pushes doesn't mean he should lay his hand down. Against Gus's quads he had to call. Against Mimi Tran's KJ he had to call. Against Lindgren's fullhouse he probably should've folded, but Eric played the hand pretty well / got lucky to hit the FH on the turn. He just verbalizes his decisions so obviously when reciting the possibilities he's going to go over hands that beat his.

His call against Laak though (when he just had TP) helps your argument. That was terrible. It was a pretty transparent set and for Daniel to not be able to put him on a hand that beat TP no kicker was baffling.

This hand, it was probably like James said - yeah, Sexton played the hand just like KK, and he could have KK, but he could also have a desperate AQ. Both hands play similarly.

Daniel thought he might possibly have the best hand, but as he stated, he was largely calling to confirm his read. I think Sexton probably would've bet the flop with A5...but that was certainly within his range by the end.


That's also a legitimate concern on Sexton's part...that given Daniel's penchant for suited connectors, he hit the flop pretty well. Daniel knows Sexton knows this. Therefore, by checking the flop, while risking a free card, Sexton reduces the action to two streets, negates the possibility of a check-raise, and retains position. On the turn, he probably "needs" to raise to protect his hand, but he still might risk a good chunk of money just trying to determine if his overpair is good. By just calling in position, he can evaluate the river and keep the pot small...and possibly put out a value bet depending on the final board texture.

The problem is that every time he was calling he KNEW he was beat, you cant pay off someone every time when u know there is a good chance u have the worst hand.
Yes against gus u know u have to call that down, no question, but in the other situations arent there better spots to get ur money in.

The point is he had the right reads yet never went with his read. He ran into some crappy decks and bad cards but isnt the point to limit your losses.

No one was bluffing him, i cant recall one hand where he was bluffed out of a big pot because they all know he could be holding anything.

Some of the calls made me gasp, outloud he would talk himself back into the calls, never going with his gut. You play that much high limit poker and your gut is gonna be righ alot of the time.
Thats the thing he talked himself into alot of calls that he shouldnt have.

I love watching him play and am a big fan, but i think even he knows that he made some bad calls.

Its all besides the point , im not a millionaire from playing poker and probably never will be, so who am i to judge, but it sure woulda saved him alot of money.

Uh, you may or may not be right, but I think it's safe to assume we didn't see every hand.