Ever heard of Touko Berndtson?
Neither had we, until today. But he is good at cards and the cards have been good to him. Flying under the radar, a nickname has been circulating (albeit only in our mind, since just now): the silent accumulator. Let us tell you about a pot observed from upon high and you will see what we mean.
Irishman Christoph Huber raised to 17,000 in the hijack. It folded to Berndtson in the small blind and he three-bet to 63,000 all the while running a hand through his long flowing shock of hair.
Huber called with the benefit of position.
Ks 6c 2h
Berndtson continued with a bet of 40,000, not really designed to get much of Hubert’s range to fold in this spot. But if he didn’t face a raise, on this board, he’d be well able to suss where he was at later on. Play against a weak range when yours is strong and you’ll never hate poker a day in your life.
Hubert did not raise and his call produced the 4s turn.
This card went check check. On the Ts river, someone had to try and win this pot. And it was Berndtson, who bet the river for 75,000. This was about one third of the pot-sized, what the wizards from Finland call a block bet sizing. It blocked Huber from winning the pot in any case, because he couldn’t find the call.
As we get down to the last 120 players or so, those crushing without notice will have fewer and fewer opportunities to keep getting it quietly.
