In the poker high-stakes, fortunes can be lost and won in one hand, in this sense, bad beats are a painful, yet unavoidable reality of the game. Just last week, Matt Berkey, famed poker pro, podcaster and coach, was in the news after taking one of 2023’s most vicious six-figure bad beats. Among the reactions, analyses, and sympathies — for the unfortunate opponent — this dramatic moment unfolded on the high-stakes cash game television series “High Stakes Poker” that had the poker world buzzing.
Who is Matt Berkey?
The poker world knows Matt Berkey all too well. Originally from Pennsylvania, Berkey is a self-proclaimed high-stakes cash-game player and poker strategist. He has won over $4.3 million in live tournaments through the years with highlights like a fifth-place finish in the 2016 Super High Roller Bowl worth over $1.1 million. Poised as much by his status off the felt as on it, Berkey founded the poker training site “Solve For Why” which features innovative content unlike anything else in the industry, such as the “Poker Out Loud” series where players explain their thought processes in real-time.
Poker Pro Wins Two Boards, Twice
Seven high rollers played a $100/$200/$200 no-limit hold’em cash game livestreamed on World Poker Tour’s YouTube channel. “Rips” paid $100,000, while everyone else started with $50,000. Beyond NLH, the Squid Game, a more volatile Stand-Up Game, was played.
The Squid Game was played in a brutal bad beat hand between poker podcasters and high rollers Berkey of OnlyFriends and Justin Young of Table 1 Vegas. Berkey ran pure in a wild hand against Hustler Casino Live regular Peter before entering that pot.
There was $140,800 between both players preflop. Berkey’s 8♦ vs. Peter’s J♠ at 10♠ was a classic race situation. Two flops resulted in a flush draw for the podcaster, who missed the 2♦ turn but hit the A♣ river, securing at least half the pot.
The second flop of 10♣, 7♠, 5♦ was less favorable for the pocket pair. The J♥ on the turn led to straight draw outs, and the 9♣ rivered a winning hand to grab the entire pot. That hand was nothing compared to Berkey’s later hand against Young.
"Nobody runs like @berkey11" 🤑🤑🤑 pic.twitter.com/yezOGYEhpF
— World Poker Tour (@WPT) December 10, 2024
In the Squid Game, Xuan Liu called the $200 big blind with K♣ 6♠, and Young made it $1,400 to go with A♦ A♣ on the button. Berkey, in the small blind with 10♥ 10♣, three-bet to $8,800. Liu was forced to throw her cards away. Using pocket rockets, Young four-bet to $21,000, leaving $48,000 behind.
Berkey, who had his opponent covered, moved all in and was called. Several runouts occurred, and Berkey received a partial suckout on the first board of K♥10♦5♦8♠2♦. To win the full $138,600 pot, he had to repeat the scoop on the second runout, hitting a 10 twice while the community cards showed 4♣Q♠5♦10♦7♦.
The Setup: The Way the Bad Beat Went Down
Incredible bad beat took place on a recent episode of “High Stakes Poker.” This hand sees Matt Berkey face off against a fellow professional poker player, and it takes a turn no player could have predicted.
The Stakes: The game moved at nosebleed stakes, with a massive pot growing as they pushed rock-solid amounts of cash into the mix.
The Hands: Berkey found himself with a strong but not untouchable hand, while his adversary had basically locked up the pot before the river.
The Turn of Events: One of the most improbable cards in the deck emerged on the river to turn the odds on its head and convert Berkey’s paltry chance into a six-figure score.
The Fallout: For the defeated player, it was the definition of a bad beat — a moment when probabilities fell away and destiny had the last word.
The specific combo of cards, when it comes to the pot size and players involved, isn’t publicly confirmed in every specific detail but it’s pretty clear the poker community was left with their jaws dropped at the sequence. This wasn’t another “cooler” hand, it was a classic, heart-wrenching bad beat deserving of poker folklore.
Why This Bad Beat is Different
Bad beats are a regular occurrence in poker, but few hold the impact of six figures in one hand. There are a few reasons this beat stands out:
High Stakes, High Drama:: Millions of viewers saw the drama unfold in real time or stream the replay because the card fight happened during an episode of high-stakes gambling “High Stakes Poker.”
The Shocker: Contrary to many bad beats, this wasn’t running into quads or a straight flush. Instead, it was one of those dreaded river “miracles” that poker players know all too well.
Emotional Impact: Telling were the expressions on both Berkey and his opponent. Even as Berkey wore a combination of shock and gratitude on his face, the countenance of the other side told a tale of disbelief and deep grief.
Reactions from the Poker Community
When the episode aired, reactions poured in on social media. There was a sympathetic sympathy for the victim of the bad beat, while other took the chance to laud Berkey’s run-good. Here’s a sampling of the community’s responses:
Fellow Players: Other big-name poker players took to X (formerly Twitter) to add humor and sympathy.
Fans: a play on the luck involved in an improbable river card, some fans responded by jokingly dubbing it as, “Nobody runs like Berkey.”
Commentators: Commentators on “High Stakes Poker” contributed drama to the moment, labeling it one of the year’s wildest hands.
Impact on Berkey’s Reputation
Though considered pure luck, bad beats are reputational investments. For Berkey, the win cements his place in the “always running good” conversation. And it’s not an unusual phenomenon for poker content producers to see a spike in demand if one of the players goes on a “hot streak.” For notable poker coach this win might also raise the profile of the “Solve For Why” training platform which teaches players how to deal with both sides of the equation of bad beats — dealing and receiving,
What Can We Learn from This?
Poker is as much skill, math and strategy as mental toughness. Here are a few lessons from this “haunting, unforgettable bad beat:
Variance is Inevitable: you are going to be way ahead of the opponent.
Always Be Ready for the Unthinkable: Players have to have thick skin because it’s not how good you are; no amount of skill is enough to protect you from variance.
Luck vs. Skill Discussion: Plays like this serve to re-ignite discussion of poker being necessarily a combination of luck and skill — that even the most “correct” of plays can go horribly wrong.
FAQ Section
What’s a “bad beat” in poker?
In poker, a bad beat occurs when someone with statistically overwhelming chance of winning loses to an unlikely card or run of cards.
What is the difference between a bad beat and a “cooler” in poker?
A cooler occurs when two players have really strong hands, but one of them can’t win because the other has an even stronger hand. It is quite the opposite of a so-called “bad beat,” when a player with a better hand gets outdrawn in a statistically unlikely way.
How did Matt Berkey take down the six-figure pot?
The precise cards are not confirmed, but it’s thought Berkey hit a “miracle river card” — a card that changed the odds dramatically in his favor.
What was the total size of the pot?
The precise amounts aren’t officially reported, but since it was a six-figure pot, it was probably more than $100,000.
Has Matt Berkey played a role in any other large poker moments?
Yes, Berkey is a longtime high-stakes pro, with three- and four-figure finishers in the tournament standings dating back years, including a fifth in the 2016 Super High Roller Bowl, a game he bought into for the familiar price of $300,000 and collected $1.1 million for finishing fifth. He has the “Solve For Why” poker training site too.
Where can I watch this hand?
You can find online replays of episodes of “High Stakes Poker.” Since the hand became viral, clips may also be posted on poker forums or on social media or Berkey’s “Solve For Why” platform.
What Is It About Bad Beats That Gets Us All So Riled Up?
Bad beats are narrative, visceral, and common to all poker players. And they represent some of the greatest and lowest moments in poker, and kick-ass moments players talk about for years.
What becomes of the player who takes a bad beat?
When a player gets a bad beat, they can lose the pot, which can prompt an emotional reaction. Indeed, a huge part of being a successful poker player is to take bad beats like a champ.
Is there a way to prevent bad beats in poker?
No, bad beats are in the nature of poker’s variance. And though good strategy decreases the probability of losing, there is no strategy that can make bad beats impossible.
What is Matt Berkey poker nickname?
Not officially, but people are calling him “Nobody Runs Like Berkey” due to his recent run-good on “High Stakes Poker.”
Final Thoughts
The “Nobody Runs Like Berkey” moment will go down as one of the most infamous bad beats of 2024. For Matt Berkey, it’s just one more chapter in an already storied poker career. For poker fans, it’s a poignant reminder of the game’s doozy nature, as nothing is ever a sure thing. This is what makes “High Stakes Poker” one of the most popular shows in the poker world.
