Pre Bubble Action: Mercier Crippled

Mercier raises to 8,000 in the cutoff, Raphael Abitbol calls on the button as does Michael Kwierk in the big blind. The flop is [Ad] [3h] [2c] and Mercier c-bets to 8,500 once checked to, Abitbol raises to 17,000, Kwierk folds and Mercier calls. The turn is the [Th] and Mercier checks to Abitbol who bets 22,000. After a momentary pause, Mercier dumps around 65,000 into the middle and it was the biggest moment of Abitbol’s poker life. Eventually he makes the call and Mercier shows [4h] [2h] for the gutter, bottom pair and flush draw, Abitbol shows [As] [Qs] for top pair. The river is the [9c] and Abitbol clutches his heart and tells Mercier that he is his idol, and that he nearly made him pee in his pants!

After that hand Mercier moves all-in twice, but nobody takes him up on the offer.

Abitbol ~ 260,000
Mercier ~ 34,000