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Today in the 3-Bet we find a dramatic fall for Michael Kolkowicz in Monaco, Liv Boeree schools the world on EV and a stomach-churning McDonalds prop bet.
1) Bad Day Gets Worse
For a guy who got married in the very room he's been playing poker in for the past few days, it didn't seem like Michael Kolkowicz could run any better in the Salle des Etoiles in Monaco.
Doing things like cracking aces with a gutshot draw late on Day 5, Kolkowicz came into the final table of the PokerStars Championship Monaco as the chip leader and with a very good bead on the €500k first-place prize.
Things didn't quite work out that way.
Despite rushing out to a huge lead 5-handed and over 8.3m in chips, Kolkowicz's day surprisingly turned south. And pretty fast.
We won't give you all the gory details but it ended with a 1.97m-chip SB shove with 62 offsuit to bust in 5th. That's no typo.
They're down to heads-up now with Rafaele Sorrentino in front but Andreas Klattcoming on strong. Klatt won the €1,110 PokerStars National Championship this week for €151,445, btw, so things have gone pretty well for him you might say.
Check the live stream below:
2) How Expected Value Can Save Your Life
As a poker fan, you've likely known for years that making +EV decisions at the table, regardless of result, is the secret to long-term profit in poker.
You may, like a lot of us, have even incorporated a lot of that decision-making process to your life outside of poker.
Is the mainstream world about to catch on to how good EV can be as a guidepost for decision-making?
According to a new post on The Independent, it'd be a good idea if they did. Writer Dave McLean travelled to Monaco this week to watch Liv Boeree's +EV skills in action and came away with some important insight into the way a poker brain works.
In short: "Focusing on probabilities and putting them at the forefront of everyday life gives the brain a 'way through our limitations.'"
Guest appearances by Fatima de Melo and Maria Konnikova, who also knows a thing or two about the benefits of poker decision-making, add to the case.
3) And Then There's This Prop Bet ...
This might be the diametrical opposite of a +EV decision but it's also something poker players are renowned for - outrageous prop bets that could severely impair their health forever.
According to a series of tweets, poker pro Mike Noori will embark on a bet at the end of this month to eat $1,000 worth of McDonald's food in 36 hours.
Odds look to be at 5-1, $200k is already at stake on it and apple slices with added bacon will likely be a big part of it. No drinks are allowed and salads are capped at $200 worth.
Such is life in poker. God speed. Let's hope he survives.
