Ten–two, twice
Doyle Brunson · WSOP Main Event · 1976 and 1977. Teaches decisions, not results.
- 01before the deal, open this step in the interactive versionBrunson10♠ 2♠
1976 World Series of Poker, Main Event. Twenty-two players paid $10,000 each, and the winner takes all $220,000. Two are left. You are Doyle Brunson, with the chip lead. Across from you is Jesse Alto.
- 02flop, open this step in the interactive versionBoardA♥ J♠ 10♥
You hold 10♠ 2♠. The flop is A♥ J♠ 10♥: you have bottom pair. Alto bets the size of the pot.
show what he did
what he didHe moved all-in. Alto called.
the mathA pot-sized bet asks you to put in 1 to win 2, so a call needs 1 ÷ 3 = 33%: your pot odds. Alto held A♣ J♥, two pair. Against it, 10♠ 2♠ wins on 118 of the 990 possible turn and river pairs: 12.6% with splits. Against the hand he held, even a call loses money, and all-in risks more.
- 03turn, open this step in the interactive versionAltoA♣ J♥BoardA♥ J♠ 10♥ 2♣
The turn is the 2♣. You have two pair now, tens and twos, still behind his aces and jacks. Only a ten or a two can save you: 4 of the 44 unseen cards, 9.1%.
- 04river, open this step in the interactive versionBoardA♥ J♠ 10♥ 2♣ 10♦
The river is the 10♦. Tens full of twos. You win the 1976 Main Event and $220,000.
- 051977, open this step in the interactive versionBrunson10 2Berland8 5Board10 8 5 2 101977 final hand. Suits weren’t recorded, so only ranks are shown.
A year later, the final hand of the 1977 Main Event: you hold ten–two again, against Gary Berland’s eight–five. The flop is 10 8 5. On the turn, a 2, you bet and Berland moves all-in. This time your tens and twos are ahead of his eights and fives. Only an eight or a five, four cards, would give him a full house. You call, the river is another ten, and you win $340,000.
- 06takeaway, open this step in the interactive versionBrunson10♠ 2♠AltoA♣ J♥BoardA♥ J♠ 10♥ 2♣ 10♦
Same cards, same result, very different spots. In 1976 the money went in with 13% against Alto’s hand, when a call alone needed 33%. In 1977 it went in with the best hand. The river was kind both times. Judge a play by the equity and the price, not by the last card.