Alan Keating and Peter Wang make High Stakes Poker history
Monday night’s episode of High Stakes Poker delivered a historic moment, as the largest pot ever recorded on the show played out between Alan Keating and Peter Wang. With several aggressive players at the table, including Rick Salomon and Nik “Airball” Arcot, it seemed inevitable that the action would escalate into seven-figure territory.
The most dramatic hand of the night unfolded between Keating and Wang, who have developed a growing rivalry at the tables. After losing a substantial pot to Salomon, Keating briefly stepped away from the table before returning with an additional $500,000, bringing his stack level with Wang’s. That decision proved to be well-timed, setting up a showdown that would make High Stakes Poker history.
With a $4,000 double straddle in play, Keating, sitting on the button, opted to slow-play a strong hand with a simple call. Wang, in the big blind, raised to $14,000, clearing out the rest of the field. Keating responded with a three-bet to $69,000, and after some thought, Wang called, pushing the pot to $145,500 before the flop.
The dealer spread a flop that gave both players a reason to stay in the hand—Keating flopped top set, while Wang had the nut flush draw. Keating bet $70,000, and Wang, feeling confident, check-raised to $200,000. Rather than forcing the action further, Keating called, sending the pot to $545,000.
The turn card improved Wang’s hand, leading him to shove his remaining $434,000. Keating instantly called, creating a massive $1,412,500 pot. With so much at stake, they agreed to run two river cards. The first didn’t help Wang, and the second sealed the victory for Keating, securing the largest pot in the show’s history.
