Poker legend Erik Seidel was chasing his 11th World Series of Poker bracelet last week at the Horseshoe Las Vegas. Then he crashed out on what is most likely one of the worst bad beats of his career.
Up against former Hustler Casino Live dealer Aami Bechaled, Seidel forced the all-in with a top pair and several chances for a flush draw.
However, the flop was cruel, and Bechaled drew the single card (8 of Spades) that he needed to complete his own flush and take the hand.
Ever the consummate pro, Seidl took the hugely unlucky loss well. As the crowd and commentators erupted in shock, Seidl calmly shook Bechaled’s hand, pushed over his chips and headed to the rail.
“I just got the luckiest I’ve ever been in my life in a hand against Erik Seidel,” Bechared posted on social media after the event.
Despite that luck, it wasn’t enough to stop him crashing out himself in 15th place, cashing out $32,000.
The Bad Beat
Seidel is a Poker Hall of Famer with plenty of experience. But it’s unlikely he’s had many hands come out unluckier than this one.
Sitting in position 21 of the remaining players from an original field of 283, Seidel entered day two with the second-lowest chip stack. Throughout the day, he increased his position and looked to hit the top of the table, as he forced Bechaled to go all-in against his queen high flush.
Bechaled did all-in his 540k stack, knowing that Seidel’s aggressive play probably meant he had better than his flush, and he had exceedingly slim chances of hitting a straight flush.
“This is likely a big payday for Seidel,” WSOP commentators said just moments before the unlikely draw.
According to the stats, displayed on the side of the stream during each hand, the odds of Bechaled winning the hand before the final river card were 2%. However, that 1.5% came in when the eight of spades hit on the river, giving Bechaled a 7 8 9 10 Queen Jack straight flush.
Had he won the hand, as was overwhelmingly likely, Seidel would have been up to 40 big blinds and near the top of the remaining field.
However, it was not to be. The 10-time WSOP bracelet winner cashed for $26,007 after gracefully leaving the table in a shock defeat.
The WSOP’s flagship event continues throughout June at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas casinos. Recent event winners include New Mexico cardroom dealer Jose Garcia, who won the $500 Casino Employees No Limit Hold ‘Em event for $79,134 over the weekend.
David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
