Devilish Hand Sends Nate Silver to WSOP Main Event Hell on Day 6

This week’s Twittertainment recaps a devilish hand from Day 6 of the WSOP Main Event and looks at why we’re on the cusp of recapturing the excitement of poker’s golden age. To see what we mean, let’s break down the latest WSOP drama…

The 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) has become much more than a record-breaking tournament. Paying out $93 million is impressive, as is the fact one player will win $12.1 million, a record for the WSOP Main Event. However, among the impressive stats are some scintillating hands that are giving this year’s Main Event a mystique it’s been missing for a few years. 

Indeed, when you hark back to the 2006 WSOP Main Event when records were last broken, there was a sense of occasion. Black Friday hadn’t happened, amateurs were vying to become the next Chris Moneymaker, and solvers weren’t a thing. 

Poker was, in many ways, more entertaining. We might not get back to those days, but the 2023 WSOP Main Event is certainly captivating audiences around the world. PokerGO’s coverage has been more comprehensive than ever, which means we’ve been treated to some magical and, simultaneously, brutal hands. 

No Gold for Silver After Brutal Set vs. Set

There’s been kings vs. aces, dramatic river cards and, on Day 6, a set of sixes that were anything but golden for Nate Silver. The hand involves three players with pocket pairs, Nate Silver (pocket sixes), Tony Dunst (pocket fives), and Henry Chan (pocket sevens).

As the commentary team made side bets on whether someone would make a set, the dealer set about creating chaos. Of course, the dealer didn’t actually have control over the cards, but their actions did lead to heartbreak for Silver. 

The flop rolled out 6♥, 7♠, 2♠. Silver bet, Dunst folded, and Chan pondered his options. Chan eventually raised and, after a brief pause, Silver announced all-in. As you can see from the video below, Chan had little hesitation calling. 

With that, Silver was facing elimination from the biggest WSOP Main Event in history with a set of sixes. The Q♣ and 3♦ completed the board to send the pot Chan’s way. Silver was visibly stunned but acted gracious in defeat. When you make the devil’s hand, there’s always a chance you’re going to get burned and, on this occasion, Silver’s chance to become a world champion went up in flames in dramatic fashion. 

Heartbreak Makes for Compelling WSOP Viewing

There’s no doubt making an under-set deep in the Main Event was a nightmare for Silver. But, for fans of poker, it made for compelling viewing. The WSOP is all about drama and making dreams come true. That’s why people want to ante up in Las Vegas. That’s why people want to watch. 

These dynamics were commonplace during the Moneymaker era but, as poker has evolved and become more competitive, a certain allure has been lost. However, things feel different this year and the reaction to Chan vs. Silver on Twitter proves that point. 

The video had been viewed more than 600,000 times (at the time of writing), and dozens of people had commented on PokerGO’s tweet. Rob Yong called it a “brutal game” and that word seemed to resonate with a lot of people reacting to the tweet. 

“Ugh. Brutal indeed,” Rocky Tanglewood replied.

There are, of course, a few armchair pundits who believe they could emerge from the hand unscathed. @DwyneDaRckHrdJh called it an “easy fold,” while @Lovethedawgs1 said Silver should find a “fold” in that spot based on “ICM in play.”

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but not showing with a set of sixes in that spot is, at best, tough and, at worst, leaving value on the table. The comment of the thread goes to Jonathan Rossignol. The self-styled “occult writer from Maine” offered a suitably dark description of Silver’s exit. 

“Set over set on the flop = soul-sucking cooler,” Jonathan Rossignol tweeted. 

Twitter comments aside, Silver’s exit was unfortunate but that’s the drama of the WSOP Main Event. Getting through more than 10,000 players isn’t easy and there are going to be bad beats along the way. Silver isn’t the first player to be eliminated with a set and he won’t be the last. 

The good news for poker fans is that we’ll get to see more dramatic hands from the final stages of the Main Event. As we move ever closer to crowning a new world champion, the free coverage from PokerGO is helping to make this year’s WSOP feel like a return to the golden age of poker.