Does Nik Airball DESERVE This?????

There are some poker players we love to see on tilt, and Nik Airball might just be one of them! On Hustler Casino Live Airball gets himself into an awful spot, but can he somehow muster up the wizardry to find a way out or is he doomed into being put on mega tilt?
When you're out of position with a strong combo draw such as a straight and flush draw, raising is usually preferred over calling. However, if you're playing extremely deep-stacked and against multiple opponents, you should play more cautiously if your draw isn't to the nuts.
Nik Airball is an investment banker and an amateur poker player, he occasionally plays at The Lodge Card Club but mainly plays on the Hustler Casino Live poker stream. He will play any stakes, and is often involved in heated table talk with the other poker players. Nik Airball is almost fluent in Mandarin, engaging in table talk with many Mandarin-speaking poker players. He often voices his strong opinions about current trends, topics and scandals in the poker world on social media and poker podcasts.
Mars is introduced as being a snowboard instructor and an amateur poker player, he has often played on the HCL live stream in the past usually up to $50/$100.
Hustler Casino Live is a full-scale, high-value poker production. Close to a million dollars was spent transforming the casino’s high-limit poker room, the Crystal Room, into the set of this new state-of-the-art live show. Hustler Casino Live looks more like coverage of a TV broadcast sporting event and appeals to those beyond the poker community. Unscripted and unedited, they host regular poker streams such as ‘Max Pain Monday’ and ‘Thirsty Thursday’. Some of the most notable poker players to have appeared on the show are Phil Ivey ‘The Tiger Woods of Poker’ ‘RaiseOnce’, Tom Dwan ’durrrr’, Phil Hellmuth ‘The Poker Brat’, Chris Moneymaker, Doug Polk ‘WCGRider, Garrett Adelstein ‘Gman’, Tony Guoga ‘Tony G’ and many more.
🔍 Pre-Flop Action:
Nik Airball opens the action with Q6 of clubs from under the gun with a raise to $300. Raymond calls from the hijack with pocket deuces. Henry joins in from the cutoff with 98o, and Mars calls from the small blind with 86 of diamonds. Finally, Will defends from the big blind with T8 of hearts, and they head to the flop five ways.
💸 Flop - Qd 7h 5d:
Mars checks after flopping an open-ended straight draw and an 8-high flush draw. Will checks with his backdoor flush draw, Nik opts not to continuation bet his top pair and checks. Raymond follows suit with his underpair, but Henry decides to fire out a bet of $500 with a gutshot straight draw to the nuts. Mars then check-raises to $2,100 with his huge combo draw. Will folds whilst Nik cold-calls the raise with his top pair and backdoor straight draw. Raymond folds, and Henry calls as three players head to the turn.
💣 Turn - 3h:
The 3 of hearts on the turn isn’t one of the cards Mars needed to complete his draw, but that doesn’t slow him down as he continues his aggression by firing out a bet of $10,000. Nik, with his pair of queens has now also picked up a gutshot and opts to make the call as Henry folds. Both Mars and Nik are now heads-up to the river.
🌊 River - 4s:
The 4 of spades on the river is the best possible card for Mars. Not only does it give him the nuts it also completes a disguised backdoor straight for Nik Airball. Mars now puts in a small bet of $8,000. Nik has to decide how to respond. Will he lean on the side of caution and just call, or put in a raise? If you know Nik Airball, you probably know how this is going to end, but you must watch this poker video to see Nik’s reaction!
Check out PokerCoaching's Advanced Cash Game Course exclusively for PokerCoaching Premium members, get ACCESS TODAY!
pokercoaching.com
Jonathan's new book: 100 Essential Tips To Master No-Limit Hold'em is now available!
You can get it here:
amzn.to/3Q3PIyZ
dandbpoker.com/products/100-e...
Jonathan Little analyzes live poker hands from TV poker shows such as Poker After Dark, Hustler Casino Live, The Lodge Poker Club & PokerGO. He also analyzes popular poker vloggers such as Rampage Poker, Brad Owen, Jaman Burton, Ashley Sleeth, Wolfgang Poker and others!
You will also find many poker hands on this channel that contain some of the biggest names in the poker world such as; Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Doug Polk, Garrett Adelstein, Tom ‘Durrrr’ Dwan, Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates, Fedor Holz & many more!
#pokerstrategy #hustlercasinolive #highstakespoker

[@PokerCoaching]

Which poker player do YOU love to see lose? 👿

[@MegaBattleCruiser]

Jonathan Little

[@justie1220]

Nik Airball is at the top of this list for me.

[@GetMeThere1]

Too easy!! Phil Hellmuth! LOL

[@andershaggbom2721]

Basically every brazillian on stars...

[@travistowell7149]

i normally just leave.

[@justie1220]

I have not watched any of the video. Just came to say this: YES NIK AIRBALL DESERVED WHATEVER HE GOT.

[@alexgandy2488]

🤣🤣🤣 literally said the exact same thing lmao

[@stephpom5373]

See airball has never worked a day in his life. He doesn't understand the value of it because of daddy. That's why he's a horrible punter.

[@MichaelJamesActually]

Turns out, you were right

[@MrLacrosserocks]

@@stephpom5373imagine someone living so rent free in your head because they live a good life and has a very successful family lol

[@buckleup8962]

That’s funny. Before watching the video with the ad playing: no. No he doesn’t deserve it.

[@daithi1966]

If I lost that hand then my first thought would be --- why in the hell was I playing Q6s from UTG?

[@nigelvarney4042]

Took the words out of my mouth. I would call it quits anyhow, then go to the mirror and have a very hard look at myself.

[@hatchetmansmyth4640]

It all comes with the territory, it’s poker. If you can handle it, reload and keep playing. If it completely ruined your entire afternoon, then I’d say it’s time to pack it in and come back another day.

[@janpiet9921]

if losing a hand ruined your day you might also want to consider not coming back :')

[@jasonray3937]

I have a stop loss rule that I will never buy in more than three times, and if the game isn’t that good (all tough opponents) I usually stop at twice. Being coolered doesn’t matter, that’s just standard variance. Sometimes the bear gets you 😀

[@thomasdonovan3580]

Nikairball looked like he was about to cry when Mars showed the higher straight.

[@hydro9652]

Yea cause he got slow rolled I would be too

[@marcn5140]

​@hydro9652 when did Mars slow rolled him? If you don't know what it means don't simply use it in whatever context

[@justingregory8096]

​@marcn5140 right? Hardly consider a hefty check raise a slow roll.

[@darkcircle899]

He’s on an $8 million downswing I think the losses are starting to hurt even for his seemingly unlimited bankroll. I honestly hope he just quits poker before he makes him and his wife go broke.

[@Vote_By_Mail]

​@@hydro9652 I actually kwym but it wasn't intentional: 1) He interpreted Airball's "straight(?)" as more a question. 2) His reply of "straight" before "nut straight" therefore just meant "indeed". 3) It makes sense Aball would be asking cuz he just got snap-called; it's much clearer that *Mars* has a straight here. 3) U can see Aball didn't eagerly flip his Queen; both players didn't wanna show more than necessary. Prob esp Mars bcuz Aball is likely bluffing here a lot... and Mars is the one who got called--he's entitled to see Aball's hand if Aball doesn't voluntarily insta-muck. ...COULD he have instantly said "I call cuz I have the nuts"..? Ofc. But he didn't wanna lmao. And he prob didn't wanna show both cards if he just needs a 6.

[@Jermo484]

It's like Airball was challenged by some paranormal force to lose as much of his money as possible without simply lighting it on fire.

[@pontus3142]

Nikhil's Millions. He should run for mayor of Los Angeles.

[@sawmill035]

A lot of players when they end up in a similar spot as Airball here will tell the story later about how brutally they got run out, and how poker can be so horrible, and how these bad beats always happen to them. The thing is though that a lot of these bad beats are so avoidable if you stay in line pre-flop, which so many don't understand. Don't be playing Q6s UTG+1, and you won't end up in horrific spots like this as often. I can sympathize if you just had a bad runout after flopping top 2 with AK, but I can't sympathize after getting involved in a hand like this with Q6, or if you only call a raise pre-flop with aces and have them cracked by one of the other 5 players you let in the pot. There is a lot of luck in poker, and a lot of variance. But _YOU CAN_ control a lot of it. Stay in line, play good, fundamentally sound poker, raise when you are supposed to raise, and you'll find you won't be put in as many tough spots.

[@Jason-er8mf]

Nice story

[@sawmill035]

@@Jason-er8mf Thank you! I appreciate the support :)

[@devontemoericke493]

@@sawmill035i dont agree. First off what stakes do you play? Its easy for everyone to sit back and make comments about playing fundamentally sound when its not there money at 150/300 a blind

[@mrhumble2937]

Yea but this is a stream have to play wider rangers if you want to keep playing.

[@sawmill035]

@@devontemoericke493 Show me the GTO chart that says play Q6s UTG+1. Show me any evidence whatsoever that it is the correct play in any circumstance literally ever, even exploitatively. I'll wait because you have none. It is literally never correct. I genuinely can't think of a single scenario where it would be. _Maybe_ if all 7 players behind you literally will only call/raise with QQ+. I don't think we have any evidence that all 7 players behind Airball only play queens or better. Maybe I'm wrong. Also, arguments from authority is fallacious reasoning for a reason. Good poker is good poker no matter the stakes, therefore the stakes I play (which I am willing to bet are higher than yours anyway, not that it matters) are completely irrelevant. Completely incoherent argument. Try again

[@agk696]

If coolered... tighten up if my range has been looser. The hand in this video didn't become a cooler till the river, but i agree that Q6s is a fold to bets unless it flops something stronger. Top pair is so often weak in cash games. Once i called a small raise with Q6s, and lucked out with trip 6s that I bet and it held up. Once in a while, trash can crush! K5s is a fav of mine- made boats with it, crushed AK.

[@xavierbrezniak7597]

Nice content 👍 always a fan when you talk about a whole load like @9:50 and about grinding and edging @10:02 ❤ keep it up buddy keep edging

[@PokerCoaching]

I appreciate it, Xavier!

[@MugawumpTazer97]

Depending on how much damage the brutal cooler has done to my stack, I'll either call it quits or reload.

[@kingmo565]

I just came here, not even knowing who Nik Airball is, just judging by his face, I'd say yes, yes he does deserve this.

[@allengiacchetti5567]

I take a break assess my mind state and how I'm actually playing then decide if I'm gonna continue or go do something else.

[@mkayultra3738]

He took it so well 😂. I reload unless it tilts me in which case *theoretically* I call it quits.

[@stephpom5373]

He took it well because he's loosing money he didn't earn. Daddy just reloads and he gets fatter.

[@bappo795]

9:09 flip the table 😎

[@Vote_By_Mail]

It's a dumb quiz lmao. First of all... Why would *"Cry about it"* be mutually exclusive from the other 2?😂 ...I'm def cryin about it, whether I reload or not.

[@davef4i]

yes. without even watching the video.

[@newtonheath92]

The other day I got coolered. Boat over boat. I still ended the session with a profit but that hand stuck in my mind for a long time.

[@firstiesify]

Reload and keep playing after a cooler as long as the game is good. No problem. No tilt. Coolers happen in my favor as much as my detriment. At least statistically lol 🤞

[@robotube7361]

That's what you get when you enter a hand with Q6s in 6 or 9max. Tight is right. Always was, always will be.

[@garrettchin4923]

Whaa ur a losing player i can tell already. Tight is usually losing players too predictable😂

[@robotube7361]

@@garrettchin4923 there are 196 possible preflop combinations of pocket cards a player can hold in his hands. Lets say I hold 25% of that playing tight. That is 49 different combos which means you still wont have even the slightest idea what I might be holding, no matter how good of a range reader you are. There are other ways of being unpredictable and its not just by polarizing ranges. Btw so far Im a winning player.

[@Charlie_Ses]

25% vpip isn't tight, that's just standard. And you're right these loose splashy players get what they deseve, but it makes for good tv right.

[@robotube7361]

@@Charlie_Ses I mean tight compared to Nick Airball.

[@ikrenji8125]

@@robotube7361 compare to nick airball we're all nits

[@michaelmarsico9740]

Reload and keep playing and chalk those up to variance. Understanding you’re going to win those and lose those at similar frequencies, its what you do in between that matters. Cheers

[@MichaelTilton]

I'm not sure I ever get there with either of the hands. More likely with Mars' suited gapper.

[@rolirolster]

I can't work out if I like or hate the way this guy talks. I mean, I keep watching so I must like it...

[@mateskib]

thanks for the content JL. Every time I see a poker session with Nik Airball in it, the contest shows him losing and losing big. Does this guy just consistently lose or are the VLOGs I like to watch only showing his losing hands? Just curious because I don't think this guy can be this bad/unlucky.

[@fridaynightfunkinandfnaflo2269]

Very classy of Nick that was a tough beat

[@briansymmes7917]

When I get coolered I just laugh it off and reload or re-enter the tournament, I can’t get angry since I once won a 3-way all-in pot with AQs vs JJ and AA, and just under 1.5% equity after the flop. Shit happens, people get lucky,I had 12 BB and had to jam. Luckily I got moved tables soon after, it was a bit embarrassing.

[@RB-jf5ww]

When I get hit by a cooler, i could do either quit or reload. Depending if I feel like I can keep playing well, or not. If I think I’m going to keep playing well, then I will stay.

[@kristianstenerson2608]

im a big fan of cry about it, but only to my poker buddies in DM's, we share the grief with eachother on bad beats like this... on the table though i'm super stoic and reloading and goin for it

[@jaretlupton481]

I had to pack it up after rivering nut flush and seeing a straight flush

[@MichaelAhrens-yx3uz]

When was this game played ?

[@andrewhein7281]

I tend call it quits after a cooler I know I get tilted sometimes and if it’s online it’s easy to just leave and play later. That being said the pros just reload and play there game.

[@robertwasden2691]

Yep!

[@Charlie_Ses]

I ran a rivered full house into rivered quads at the weekend, managed to only lose half my stack and reloaded. Beautiful.

[@MrAgmoore]

I liked to max greed with quads.

[@davidjohnson3913]

Reload first couple times unless table is nitty

[@ikrenji8125]

i feel like nick airball rarely thinks about what others might have. he rivered his straight, he good. never mind 86s exists and its a relatively popular hand, even more so in a loose aggressive stream game

[@willh4340]

Coolers usually make me play more. Big suck outs make me quit playing to avoid tilt

[@lechjonczyk5095]

What hands Nick thinks will call the shove?

[@colinforexman1184]

great videos

[@PokerCoaching]

Thanks Colin!

[@cocoman00]

Short answer is yes

[@darickd5800]

Sort of a slowroll after he calls the all in. But hey, at least it was vs Airball 🤣

[@IRw-zi6mx]

Honey he called me with a better straight than what I have, Honey you still there!

[@brianpotter2812]

I would combine two of these steps and cry and reload :D. After 2 buyins though, I'd probably call it a day.

[@SENSUI347]

NICKS FACE = PRICELESS

[@thx1136]

"deserve's got nothin' to do with it" -Will Munny

[@joet7760]

Is this recent? Mars is back and in the game after everything that happened?

[@MrAgmoore]

Mars and his coloured contacts. Is Wes still alive? I haven't seen him around. Check the local canals and back-alleys.

[@stevenwalker9013]

I don’t really get shoving. He can only call if he has a 6, then your chopping. I think this might be a spot you just call the 8k. Even if it’s a set block betting he can’t call a shove. I don’t know, I might be completely wrong

[@AlanLongwood]

so few combos you lose to vs ones you chop with that exist by the river. basically 8d6d and 8h6h

[@denisfolcik1373]

Does Mars have his special glasses on?

[@PeteyPablo1]

it depends on the game quality jonathan but then again i suppose if it was shitty i wouldnt sit in it in the first place

[@Baekstrom]

To quote Clint Eastwood: Deserve has got nothing to do with it.

[@frogger2513]

Give me a lifetime option i might look into the course. Not doing a monthly,

[@oscarpena48]

Is this new? Did they let mars play again?

[@RecoveredRidleyTruther]

Without watching....Yurp... After watching, yurp raising Q6s UTG. calling the postflop 3bet...

[@KatoKrazy]

You forgot one of the options -- go to baccarat or blackjack to chase losses!

[@sawmill035]

I react to getting coolered by crying about it for 2 minutes, then zone back in and playing cards again.

[@stevent425]

To add insult to injury it was Mars that beat him!

[@buckleup8962]

Before watching the video with the ad playing: no. No he doesn’t deserve it.

[@hansari8697]

When I get coolered I blame the dealer. Unless it's online then I go on reddit and post about how online poker is rigged. When I get it in bad and win though I usually text my friends so they can hear how I outplayed someone. I am new to poker etiquette so I am not sure whether or not it is proper to refer the person I outplayed to reddit to vent.

[@jarppe123]

Should snap open fold preflop. Even if you have huge edge on table making profit with Q6s from UTG is very unlikely. When you also make sizable mistakes postflop... Well poker gets expensive hobby.

[@spaffron4285]

That Mars guy is pretty cool

[@stevent425]

No he is not!

[@zlotchew]

I congratulate my opponent and reload.

[@qsdailydose8970]

Yes if I have a brutal bad beat for a really big pot I leave for the day shortly after

[@yavinebrewer1393]

Coolered I probably keep playing.

[@colindickson6099]

coincidence that this got posted on the day he was banned from Hustler? probably, given how long it takes to make these videos

[@dageek1000]

Bro found the unlimited money glitch

[@backpacker3421]

Yeah, LOVING the small river lead bet. Get value from marginals, and induce bluffs from ALL THE MANY MANY busted draws (so many). Having second nuts against nuts just sucks, but Airball put himself there with his usual loose play. If you don't learn to avoid those situations, you're going to be in them A LOT more often. Make your mantra "high card/low card equals danger". Only play them for the nut hands. Airball should have walked away from this super early unless he had a flush draw or flopped a random set of sixes.

[@Awestreme]

I cry about it then reload

[@traviscoates6878]

Mars is a fugitive

[@moneymikz]

Why doesn’t Airball wear his Cartier Santos anymore?? That is a very classy piece…

[@CribNotes]

I play worse after a cooler or bad beat, so I should leave the game. But I never do!!

[@RecoveredRidleyTruther]

He needs a PC Premium membership. Not for Adc CG course, but for the fundamentals course

[@J-Tex-Corporation]

Just hit play, but yes he did.

[@Buco_17]

J.L! You big baby. You're such a geek!

[@jerrydavid9267]

Tony G and Nic airball deserved to play each other 👌

[@greasemonkey6616]

I thought Mars got caught cheating? Please correct me if I'm wrong!

[@bf7837]

Busto AirBall 🤣

[@StrikeBack1987x]

Just watched 20sec, he opened utg with Q6s. So yes, he deserved whatever happened after 😅

[@buckleup8962]

How old is this that Mars was even still in the country?

[@chriskoshinski]

Its hilarious mars purposely does that to his hair...

[@PantsuPantsu]

everybody on this planet should be calling in this spot. just rebuy and go again

[@yavinebrewer1393]

Has Nik ever had a winning session?

[@commonsenseisntcommon1776]

How does Hair-ball have so much money to lose???

[@untouchable360x]

“Don’t blame a clown for acting like a clown. Ask yourself why you keep going to the circus.”

[@dantin9361]

Close to zero reaction when I get cooler'd, nice hand the opp and move on. Don't understand how people get so angry, except if the money means a lot to them in which they shouldn't even be playing

[@joshseely8350]

Hold on, why is airball playing with the guy he accused of cheating?

[@NOmore5150]

Nik should have taken another 24 minutes and tank follow up with a fold

[@SteveNoJobs92]

Mars the cardmarker

[@777Poker_]

Reload!

[@dmoney44444]

moral of the story - don't play Q6 from UTG

[@phongsrithathvoravong3510]

Sticky hand uh!!

[@hoodwiser7652]

Airball played it badly, if I did I hope I’d recognize it. If it was a real horrible beat? Yeah I’d just leave it for the day, affects my thinking too much to be able to play at a decent level.

[@chriskoshinski]

Hes 36% getting 5 to 1 on his money... thats a call

[@stephenholmgren405]

I skipped through the commentary

[@jeffthompson6248]

What do you mean he can't believe it? Has he never seen himself play? Dudes the biggest fish at the table, every time.

[@originalpirate6121]

i would smash the keyboard but then i'd realise im playing zynga poker so its all good

[@donmasacre4919]

How Mars is playing after scamming others players in that famous private game.

[@davidgibbins8812]

Shrug your shoulders and put on a brave face . Then on the drive home open the windows so the tears get blown away

[@johnmar6376]

How does this keep happening to Air Ball???? He keeps playing junk (like raising with Q6s) what do you expect?

[@bryanbest5113]

Airball laughs at others. So laugh at him.

[@thakurv1]

I like nik. Too much hate

[@sarmatikkkk]

пятьдесят китайцев и Ник )

[@beatingu8347]

Take a walk