Featherstone's Dream Table on Poker After Dark

Mike Matusow’s “Mission Impossible” table on Season 4 of Poker After Dark was a sobering reminder of the anguish professional poker players can go through, available on PokerGO, but the show turned around for “Dream Table II” where amateur Paul Featherstone faced off against five pros of his choosing: Jennifer Harman, Phil Hellmuth, Gavin Smith, Mike Sexton and Matusow. 

Smith could smell blood in the water, as he played “Mission Impossible”, and before play started Smith booked two last-longer bets with Matusow – one for $1,000 against Featherston and another where he gave Matusow odds.

“We bet $1,000 for our last-longer and I didn’t think that was fair so I decided to lay him $1,500 to $1,000,” Smith said.

Hellmuth laughed at the needle and Matusow said, “I don’t blame him – I would do the same.”

Mike Matusow explaining his runbad to the rest of the table.

Matusow lost the first two pots against Smith, firing a bet on the river with just six-high. “What? I want to get out of here quick – I know I’m gonna lose. I might as well get it over with fast,” he said.

A hatless Hellmuth played a hand against Sexton when Sexton held six-five offsuit, bet the flop and caught runner-runner fives to make trips. He fired a $1,000 bet on the river and Hellmuth thought before acting.

Phil Hellmuth found the fold button and called Sexton’s hand.

He re-checked his hole cards and said, “Is it possible that you bluffed with five-eight and caught five five?” – nearly calling Sexton’s hand. Hellmuth offered him $20 to show his hand and Sexton agreed because Hellmuth made such a good read.

Featherstone stayed quiet for the opening action but then flopped Broadway on Hellmuth and took the opportunity to mock Hellmuth’s posturing and knuckle check. Hellmuth flopped two pair, bet 1,100 on the turn and Featherstone raised him 2,000.

Paul Featherstone played back at Hellmuth by mimicking Hellmuth’s actions.

Hellmuth snap-called, put on a verbal show – tossing a few back-handed barbs at Featherstone’s play. Hellmuth. “I can’t believe I won a pot off Phil Hellmuth, now my life’s complete,” Featherstone said. “I’m not being sarcastic.”

Check out all of the action and see how the amateur would fare a second time against a lineup of pros exclusively on PokerGO. The Poker After Dark archives grow each week and tune in for “PLOMG” week of new episodes live from the ARIA Resort & Casino.