Video- 45 min High Stakes Poker game broken down for you.

 Read after or read before, maybe watch a hand, pause and read the analysis.  You might get the most out of it if you watch a hand first, try to figure out what they are thinking then read.  See if we agree.

The first two hands, Daniel Negreanu established how he was going to play the table.  He raised both hands and took the blinds.  The third hand he woke up to a big one and even though it was tough for the rest of the table to believe he had yet another hand, amateur Dr. Amir Nasseri folded top pair with and Ace kicker.  Even more astounding is that Jerry Buss folded an overpair.  Jerry is not a professional either.  Highest card on the board was a 7 and Jerry didnt say a word, didn't have to think about it, just quietly folded and did it quickly.  Neither of Daniel's opponents on that hand chased beyond the flop.  Everyone played it well.  It's easy to know they were both beat when we can see all the hand, but making the right plays when you can't see them is the trick.  I will break down this one in depth so that you can try to figure out the thought processes on the rest.

Hand #3 breakdown:
Blinds 200/400 and 25 ante

Amir Nasseri Ad7d       Raised to 3500. then called the reraise to 10,000. made by Daniel
Amir isn't raising with A7 suited because he thinks its a strong hand, or because he believes he has great odds.  His bet was about 5 times the big blind.  Really large for such a weak hand.  He is in mid position and wants to push out those playing behind him to claim the button or better yet simply take the blinds.  But the real reason for the raise is information.  He wants to find out where he sits in the hand and if he is called or worse raised, he knows he is up against a stronger hand.  Ended up, that both hands behind were 2 to 1 favorites over his.  (Amir is a knowledgeable player, but he is not a professional.)

Jerry Buss 10h10s       Called the 3500. raise then called the reraise to 10,000. made by Daniel
Jerry plays his pocket 10s very interestingly here.  Having seen Amir play I may have reraised him, but this is early in the game and Jerry just calls.  Hard to argue with 50 years of poker experience.  Jerry may think that it's possible Amir has a better hand or he might be looking to draw more chips from Amir.  Of course, there is highly aggressive Daniel N with a large stack behind him and with the raise already in there probably felt it was enough to give him the information needed.  Jerry is in a tough position even if Daniel just calls or worse yet if he raises.  I'm betting that once Daniel raised, Jerry had a good idea  that he had to trip his 10s on the flop.  Though with Daniel anything is possible, so Jerry felt it better to just call than reraise again.  Jerry has the skill to see the texture of the flop, see the betting and know if his 10s remain the best hand.  Remember this is not a tournament, this is a large cash game and any figures mentioned are in real dollars. 

Daniel Negreanu KdKh  Reraised to 10,000
Looking down at pocket Ks in this spot, watching Amir raise, Jerry just calling, Daniel must reraise.  Why?  Kings are strong right?  Yes, preflop they are, but as Daniel knows, they are only very strong right now, since as more cards are played the weaker the Ks become.  How can Daniel make a play later unless he gathers information.  I'm positive with the raises and the calls before his turn, he had to make a determination on whether his Ks were really good.  Raising and putting out more right here, could save him alot of chips later.  He also had position and was going to use it.  Also by raising, he was hoping to get one of the players out of the hand to increase his odds post flop.  Preflop was the place to make the raise.  His raise preflop made him more money than if he had tried to play it post flop.  Only way he would get more money post flop is if more cards are played, and again, this would have made his Ks weaker.  Notice he did not push all in as many players like to do.  Once the chips are in, there is no need for information, just prayer that one does not have pocket Aces and if nobody has aces, nobody calls he makes very little on the hand.  Since Amir and Jerry just called and did not reraise again, Daniel was fairly certain that he did indeed hold the best hand at this point.  Probably put one on a lower pair and the other on Ax.  Well...of course...but notice the positions and betting certainly indicated exactly what the other two had.

Flop:  7s6h4c

This is a good flop for Amir hitting top pair, a very good flop for Jerry as there are no overcards to his pair, and Daniel is thrilled as well. 

Amir
After stareing at Daniel for a short while, decides to check.  He has top pair with the best kicker, so why does he not bet?  Because of Daniel's preflop raise.  Amir wants information.  By betting he could get it, but Daniel's huge preflop reraise stated, LOOK OUT in this spot!  Wisely Amir did look out.  Amir felt that by reading the amount of the bet Daniel makes now will give him enough information, but the real reason he did not bet is that after he and Daniel raised, Jerry called both times.  Amir knew at least one of them had him beat.  And actually both did.

Jerry
He quickly checks.  But, why?  Why didn't Jerry come out firing with an overpair?  He has an overpair to the board and a decent one at that.  By not betting, his information gathered is limited.  Daniel reraised preflop so Daniel for sure is going to continuation bet as well.  It's possible Daniel raised with AK.  A hard bet like Daniel made indicated that he wanted to push someone out and that he possibly was to some degree weak.  So why would Jerry call the preflop but quickly check then quickly fold to the bet post flop?  Because of 50 years experience, professional or not.  Jerry was looking for his flop trips.  After he called Amir's raise the pot was $9,700.  When Daniel raised and Amir called the pot became $25,200.  It was only $6,500. for Jerry to call.  If Daniel has a higher pair, Jerry is 4 to 1 against.  His pot odds call is 6,500 into a pot of 25,200. which is right about 4 to 1.  He had the right odds to call.  His odds to improve and his pot odds were even, so even though he felt he was beat, by the odds it was the right play preflop.  Once he saw the flop missed his improvement completely, Jerry did not try to chase the trips since there was str opportunity either.  He had 2 outs at this point in his mind and he properly put Daniel on a higher pair than his own.  His odds to improve his hand were only 8 percent, or right about 12 to 1.  There is not a bet coming that could have given him the odds to keep playing this hand.  He looked for the first opportunity to get out rather than continue to put in money, where in his mind, clearly would have been good money after bad.  Secondarily in his thinking, even if he wasnt beat by a high pair, Jerry was trapped in the middle.  There was a chance that Amir was slow playing out of position flopped trips.  His experience kept him from losing a whole lot of money.

Amir
He tried to make a play preflop with a weak hand.  He got committed to the pot and hoped to see a nice flop.  He saw a good flop, but not good enough.  He wanted to see exactly how much Daniel would put into the pot, so he checked.  He was hoping to chase trip 7s or hit his ace relatively cheaply.  Had he bet anything, Daniel for certain would have reraised him, so his best chance at fewer chips lost and seeing the next card cheap was if he checked.  After Daniel put in $100,000. Amir did not like his hand.  Daniel's bet was 3.3 times the pot.  A huge overbet.  He expected that if Daniel had AK or was on a draw, the bet would have been much lower.  He properly folded because the pot was not worth the call, whether he believed Daniel had the best hand or not.

Daniel
After both players flat called, Amir stared him down, which is a tell.  If I were in the hand, I would have known that the stare does not mean strength, it means weakness and I would have been sure that Amir did not hit trips.  Daniel, of course knows this.  Jerry, however, would have been the wild card.  Daniel paused trying to determine how much to bet.  Checking was not an option here because there were 2 players in the hand and even though the board was low, a str chance was out there.  Most likely the biggest concern for Daniel is that Jerry may have had a low pair that tripped up, but probably had him on a hand like AQ or AJ.  And, Daniel is very good at reading.  The way Jerry played the hand was by odds and showed a lack of desire in the hand after the flop.  Neither did he do any raising preflop.  Still the possibility of trips against his Ks was out there.  How to know?  Overbet the pot.  Overbetting here did two things.  First, his bet ensured that any straight draw had bad odds to call.  If a player had a 5, the odds to hit the straight are 24% or 4 to 1 against.  If Daniel had bet half the pot or lower, the odds would have been good enough to call.  With some players like Amir even a pot bet, making a call 2 to 1, would have been good enough to call.  Daniel wanted to ensure any straight draw was not going to remain in the hand.  Secondly, if a player did call preflop weak and hit the str or trips, they would have called his big overbet.  He would have gathered the information needed to know he had to stop there.  Had he been called or raised, Daniel would have had to consider folding to any decent bet.

Hand #4
Daniel is on a slight streak winning the first 3 hands.  After his KK he hits JJ and raises.  Barry Greenstein isn't going to be pushed around and reraises with a very weak hand.  Daniel knows that Barry thinks he is just raising with anything so he applies his big stack pressure and puts 1 million dollars into the pot to win 13,600 dollars.  Not recommended often but it worked here.  Daniel is not at risk to go out and Barry is.  Barry properly folds.  Notice there is no long drawn out hmm...ahhh...ohhh....hmmm by these players when they know they are beat.  Slowing it down prevents hands from being dealt.  Get out, get to the next hand.

Hand #5
Without going too much in depth as the hand is pretty simple, Daniel checked his two over cards and since he did, Barry bet.  Daniel called for two reasons.  The bet was small enough to give him the odds to call and he is on a good streak and does not want to leave a hand right now.  He wanted to try to out play Barry for the hand.  The turn gave him an open ended straight draw and believed Barry was just trying to win the pot on the flop with a bet, so he made a strong bet.  Barry folded because he knew there was no point to calling.  His odds were low.  The interesting part of this hand is that Barry raised UTG (under the gun, first to act) with suited connectors, a relatively weak hand unless you hit the flop well.  Not an advised play unless you are Daniel N., Gus Hanson or Barry Greenstein.  He lost the hand too...

Interlude about Daniel's video game promotion.

Hands #6
The table has been frustrated with Daniel and his aggression.  Daniel folds and Doyle Brunson (if you do not know who Doyle is, go to the lessons and start with lesson #1) pushes half a million dollars into the pot.  He takes $3000. dollars.  If you are an aggressive player, the affect of your agressive play will be to cause the rest of the table to assert themselves and show that you are not the only player there.  Careful.  Even if you have aces, your hands can lose.  You have to switch up.

Hand #7
Daniel continues his roll.  Early position he has AJos and makes a strong raise of about 5 times the blind.  The thing to note at the start of this is twice Barry has raised him before and twice has been outplayed.  Because of past play, Barry does not raise with 66 he just calls.  This is an interesting hand because out of position Daniel checked his top pair twice.  Barry made a huge mistake that ended up saving him some chips but he could have won the pot.  Barry checked his flopped trips.  Barry bet the turn however, the flop was 3 to the flush on the board and against Daniel's raise was stuck only to call.  He could not make another move.  Had Barry pushed all his chips in on the flop, he would have won.  Because he checked Daniel got a free card which gave him 2 pair and the nut flush draw.  The river was disasterous for Barry and gave Daniel the nut flush.  Because Barry tried to slow play, instead of winning $6,500., he lost about $20,000.  On the river Daniel made a bet, due to the pot odds, Barry had to call.

Hand #8
Anyone watching this and didn't know better would think that this deck was slanted in Daniel's direction up to this point.  He raises the blinds to 1200. with k2 suited.  Why with a weak hand?  Because he is winning any pot he enters.  His style is aggressive and he knows how to get out.  He bought in with the maximum and has been showing big hands when he is showing them.  Daniel checks top pair on the flop which could have been a mistake when the turn gave his opponent two pair; however, the river shows the danger of a low 2 pair hand.  The river pairs the Q on the board giving Daniel a bigger 2 pair and yet another hand.  8 hands played, Daniel has played 7 and won 7 of them.

Commentary Interlude

Hand #9
Alaei raises and 4 players call.  The flop gives him top two pair.  With the flush draw on the board he makes a strong bet and everyone folds.  Daniel finally finally loses a hand he enters.

Hand #10
Doyle raises about 5 times the blind with Ah9h and unwisely Alaei calls with 8h6h.  Doyle checked his top pair in position after Alaei checked.  The turn paired Alaei's 8s and he came out firing trying to represent the flush.  Even with 3 to the flush on the board, Doyle calls.  What shows Doyle's abilities in this hand is the bet he makes on the river where most would have been to scared to bet.  Alaei folds his paired 8s but Doyle bet his hand perfectly knowing that Alaei wasn't betting the flush but the 8s and that his hand remained the best.  Doyle may have known that he wasn't going to get called with anything other than what would have beat him, but by betting out, if Alaei did have a better hand, he may have folded due to the possiblity that Doyle had pocket 9s giving him a full house or even a flush.  He also did not have to show his hand.

Hand #11
What is to note on this hand is what Gabe Kaplan says about amatures and their tendencies, so listen closely.  The other thing to note is that Alahi completely screws up on this hand.  He tries to get tricky with his low rags in position, which could be fine if he can win the hand right there; however, he is unable to throw his hand away when it is reraised, and to make it worse, throws more money in later on a bad bluff.  If he threw his hand away early he would have lost only $3000. instead of $22,000.

Hand #12
Hand twelve shows that you dont have to be a professional to use position, bluff at the pot and take it when you feel your opponent is weak.  Amir takes it down.

Hand #13
Fun hand.  Amir Nasseri raises with pocket 5s, Daniel N. calls with j10 suited, Ted Forrest calls with pocket deuces.  Amir raised it well enough at 5 times the blind but with the stack sizes it isn't enough to push Daniel or Ted out.  The flop is a monster for Amir and Ted, giving them both trips to their pocket pair, but after Ted checks, he checks.  I don't lilke the play of checking in this spot with 3 people in, but at the same time, I do like it because Daniel is more than likely to bet.  The flop contains a possible straight and by checking, they might be giving a player that could be holding anything a free card to hit that str.  Daniel, after missing the flop completely, bet after both players checked.  Why did he bet?  Because it was his best shot to win the hand.  Without betting he could not win.  After Daniel bets, Ted calls and Amir raises.  Ted is stuck in this hand, though I wonder why he couldn't get away from it.  After Amir reraised Daniel's bet, Ted reraised again, and Amir pushed all in over the top.  It is conceveable that Amir's reraise all in meant Straight or higher pair.  The hand was raised preflop and it would have been doubtful Amir was betting 2 pair.  Ted must have believed that Amir had an over pair only, but the raise, reraise, reraise all in should have said "I'M REALLY STRONG".  Ted called quickly which spelled doom for his $100,000.  I can't blame Ted for calling, as folding trips is near impossible.  I mean...what is 100,000 dollars...chump change.  It can be easy after watching the hand to know Ted should have folded, but you need to consider the player and the hand when the betting goes as it did in this one.  Often amatuers will overplay a single high pair which is what Ted believed Amir was doing.  Ted had to rebuy for $50,000.  Notice Ted did not steam afterward.  Business as usual with the appearance of, Oh look, I got another 50 grand in my pocket, I guess I will keep playing.

Hand #14
Barry Greenstein finds a pair of aces in his hand and nobody calls his raise.  The young pro Alaei might be learning not to try to outplay seasoned pros.

Hand #15
There are two things of note within this hand.   One is that Daniel with a big stack will call to gamble.  What he did on this play is not recommended at the beginning of a game in tournament style as the stacks are even at the start of a tournament, but can be useful toward the end against smaller stacks.  Secondly, Ted Forest raised the hand and after losing so much with his trip 2s was going to try to stay in and gamble a little more.  Ted called the flop bet on a whim and gamble, but the turn gave him an openended straight draw and overcards.  He had 14 outs and was about 1 in 4 to improve and win the hand.  He felt committed so he was, even though it was not the best odds play.