Prahlad Friedman Featured Hand in 2006 WSOP

I watched about an hour of the Jamie Gold express last night.  Of all the highlight hands that Jamie Gold won, the hand that stuck with my the most was one involving Prahlad Friedman.

Gold came into the pot with K10 suited.  Prahlad had pocket 7s.  If I remember correctly, the flop came out something like 225.  Jamie Gold bet and Prahlad called.  The next card was an ace.  Both checked.  The river was a blank (may have been an under 7, not sure)  and Gold bet $750,000.

EDIT*** Wow, I found the video on YouTube so I’m going to post it.  I didn’t think it would be available online.  Please forgive the inadequacies in my memory.  My opinion stays the same.

Friedman wrenched out the hand, basically called what Gold had (King high bluff) using a tell a friend had given him, and then folded like he was going to do the whole time.  Prahlad never had the heart to win this hand.  Gold made good on his promise to show and Prahlad got to see the King high that he called out, but couldn’t muster the courage to call.

This was a HORRIBLY played hand by Prahlad.  The crucial mistake came after the flop by just making a call.  And here is the poker lesson for today:  If one of the best case scenarios for your hand comes out and you still let someone else take control of the hand, then you need to go take a seat at the bar.

With pocket 7s, Prahlad would have been guessing if overs had come onto the board.  Instead, two 2s and a 5 came out.  This is the dream with pocket 7s.  Gold 95% doesn’t play a 2 so you can rule that out, and the 5 is a moot point unless he has pocket 5s.  Therefore, the only hand that is beating Prahlad is a higher pocket pair and at this point, it’s going to be a matter of bad luck if Gold was playing 8s or above softly.  (I think Prahlad raised pre-flop and Gold called.)

So the second Gold bet into Prahlad and he only called, he was screwed.  I mean you might as well ask to lose the hand at that point.  You have to raise Gold’s bet after the flop or something like getting bluffed by K10 or being knifed by an over card is going to happen.  I mean what was Prahlad waiting for… another 7?

Very poor display of poker here by Prahlad.  I think Jamie may have really confused him by checking the Ace on the turn.  Think about it, Jamie bets into you with AJ after the flop to see what you have, then the turn comes and he catches his card so he checks.  When the river shows, he tries to get you to commit.  That check on the turn was one of Jamie’s few good poker moves they showed on tv.

Other than that, he was either catching hands or acting out of line by intimating his hand with action behind the player he was talking to.  He also seemed like he genuinely wanted for players to stay in.  His promise to show his hands to opponents may have been the catalyst in his title run.  Poker players crave affirmation – this is what talks some of us into calls – and by Jamie announcing that he would show, players were relying on this promise to see cards instead of playing what they have.

Might be a good tactic if you have the table talk and table presence to pull it off.