Hand #166: Matthew Wantman Takes a Pot Worth 3.19 Million Against Igor Kurganov

Photo:  Matthew Wantman (left) raises the river against Igor Kurganov (right).

Hand #166  –  Matthew Wantman raises to 120,000, and Igor Kurganov calls.

The flop comes , Kurganov checks, Wantman bets 105,000, and Kurganov calls.

The turn card is the , Kurganov checks, Wantman bets 280,000, and Kurganov thinks for a while before he check-raises to 1,050,000. Wantman thinks for a while before he calls.

The river card is the , Kurganov bets 300,000, and Wantman uses one of his Time Chips to tank for nearly a minute before he raises to 1,120,000. Facing a big decision, Kurganov immediately tosses in four of his eight Time Chips to give himself a full two-and-a-half minutes to think.

After about two minutes, Kurganov says, “I’m probably going to fold this. I might have to at this point. But I have more time.”

Kurganov than tosses in his fifth Time Chip, extending his total time to three minutes.

Photo:  This may be the first time this tournament that Igor Kurganov has used any of his Time Chips.

After a little more thought, Kurganov asks TD Paul Campbell if he can show a card. Campbell tells him that it’s against the WPT rules, so Kurganov doesn’t show.

Kurganov says to Wantman, “You think I have a straight.” Wantman doesn’t move or respond.

Moments after the Time Clock reaches zero, Kurganov folds, and Wantman takes the pot.

Pot Size:  3,190,000

Matthew Wantman  –  5,665,000  (142 bb)
Igor Kurganov  –  2,015,000  (50 bb)

Kurganov tosses in his sixth Time Chip, and he has two left. (Wantman has seven of his original eight Time Chips left.)

After the hand, Kurganov says, “I turned a straight. Did you have a straight?” Again, Wantman says nothing.