Dwan and Ivey Set New TV Cash-Game Poker Record

Poker on television continues to see an increase in popularity thanks to the ridiculous pots generated by high-stakes aces who are looking to felt their opponents on every turn. Until recently, Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Barry Greenstein held the record for the largest pot played out on the boob tube, but that has changed thanks to a recent hand on Full Tilt Poker’s Million Dollar Cash Game (televised on SKYTV in Europe).

During the recent hand, Dwan tackles the man behind last year’s biggest poker story, (two World Series of Poker bracelets and making the WSOP Main Event final table) Phil Ivey. The new record sits at $1,108,500 after both players got their money in while holding straights.

The action saw Dwan, on the button and holding {7-Hearts}{6-Hearts}, create a sizable preflop pot of $33,500 against Ivey who defended his small blind while holding {a-Clubs}{2-Diamonds}. The flop came {j-Clubs}{3-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}, giving Dwan and Ivey gutshot straight draws. Ivey then led out for $35,00 with the wheel and backdoor nut flush draw. Dwan didn’t hesitate to make the call with his straight draw.

This is where things got interesting, as the {4-Hearts} fell on the river. Ivey quickly bumped the pot by $90,000 and Dwan insta-raised to $232,500. The emotionless Ivey then moved all-in, pushing the pot well past seven figures only to see Dwan insta-call with the nut straight. The river failed to improve Ivey’s hand, leaving him nothing to do but sit and stew about the way the hand played out. Ironically, it was fellow player Patrik Antonius who kept wincing at the hand results, not Ivey, who remained stone-faced despite losing the monster hand.