Kevin Rabichou: How I Lost a Big Hand to Artur Martirosyan at WSOP

Kevin Rabichou, a specialist in one-on-one poker and trainer for GTO Wizard, recently shared a detailed account of a high-stakes hand he played against Artur Martirosyan at the World Series of Poker (WSOP). The hand in question was played in a $25,000 buy-in heads-up championship, where Rabichou faced the eventual winner, Martirosyan.

The effective stack at the start of the hand was 600,000 chips with blinds at 1,000/2,500. Rabichou raised with 65o, and Martirosyan called from the big blind. On the flop, Rabichou bet 8,000 into a 12,000 pot, and Martirosyan called. The turn brought a flush draw, and Rabichou checked. On the river, Rabichou bet 21,000 into a 28,000 pot, and Martirosyan check-raised to 132,000. Martirosyan showed for a higher straight, and Rabichou lost the hand.

Rabichou reflected on the hand, noting that he was fortunate not to have been eliminated from the tournament. He also mentioned that he had almost planned to fold on an all-in situation but decided against it after Martirosyan's prolonged thinking time. The hand highlighted the complexities and strategic depth of high-stakes poker, where even small decisions can have significant impacts.