When Yockey Bluffed Negreanu

I was watching the live stream of Day 5 of the WPT World Championships today and the most interesting hand took place between Bryce Yockey and Daniel Negreanu. I was mainly watching because Negreanu is my favorite player and arguably the GOAT. But in this hand Yockey made an audacious bluff that Daniel could not call.

Here’s how the hand went down: The blinds were 125,000/250,000/250,000 and Negreanu limped from late position with KQ. Krasimir Yankov raised to 825,000 with A10dd, Yockey called from the big blind with 33 and Negreanu called as well. The pot was 2,850,000, the flop came down K98hhx and got checked around. The turn was the 8d, Yockey led out for 900,000, Negreanu called and Yankov folded. The pot was now 4,650,000 and the river was the 5d. Yockey checked, Negreanu bet 2,400,000 and Yockey quickly raised to 8,000,000.

What could Daniel do? Yockey could easily have a 98 or 99 for a full house or even just an 8. My sense is that Negreanu is the greatest poker player of all time – along with Phil Ivey – playing the best poker of his life but he is not God. Once Yockey raises him there his hand is essentially worthless and he had to fold. Even the GOAT gets dunked on now and then.