The trap
Johnny Chan vs Erik Seidel · WSOP Main Event · 1988. Teaches slowplaying.
- 01before the deal, open this step in the interactive versionChanJ♣ 9♣
1988 World Series of Poker, Main Event. Two players left, heads-up. You are Johnny Chan, the defending champion. Across from you is Erik Seidel.
- 02preflop, open this step in the interactive version
You hold J♣ 9♣ on the button. You limp, just calling the big blind, and Seidel checks.
- 03flop, open this step in the interactive versionBoardQ♠ 8♥ 10♦
The flop is Q♠ 8♥ 10♦. You have the nuts: a queen-high straight. Seidel checks, you bet 40,000, and Seidel raises 50,000 more.
show what he did
what he didHe just called, and took his time about it, as if he wasn’t sure.
the mathAgainst Seidel’s actual hand you have 96.7%. He can win on only 28 of the 990 possible turn and river pairs. A re-raise tells him how strong you are. A call leaves his top pair looking good, and keeps him in a pot he is very unlikely to win.
- 04turn, open this step in the interactive versionBoardQ♠ 8♥ 10♦ 2♠
The turn is the 2♠. Seidel checks to you.
show what he did
what he didHe checked behind.
the mathAgainst Seidel’s hand, 44 of the 44 possible rivers win for you, and none lose. A free card costs you nothing. Checking again makes your hand look weaker, and invites him to bet the river for you. That is a slowplay.
- 05river, open this step in the interactive versionBoardQ♠ 8♥ 10♦ 2♠ 6♦
The river is the 6♦. Seidel moves all-in.
show what he did
what he didHe called at once.
the mathNothing can beat a queen-high straight on Q 8 10 2 6: no pair on the board means no full house, no three of a suit means no flush, and a king-high straight would need three more cards. Calling wins every time.
- 06river, open this step in the interactive versionSeidelQ♣ 7♣
Seidel shows Q♣ 7♣: top pair. Your straight wins the 1988 Main Event and $700,000, your second title in a row. The hand was later recreated in the film Rounders.
- 07takeaway, open this step in the interactive version
A slowplay gives up a bet now to win a bigger one later. It works when the free card is cheap: here Seidel could win on 28 of 990 runouts after the flop, and none after the turn. And it works best against a player who will bet for you.