Ronnie Bardah

Once again, in my weekly look around the Interwebs for the latest in poker, I find myself stumbling upon a hand from the past that’s so good, it must be shared.

Sep 26, 2019 For Season 39, aka “Survivor: Island of the Idols,” that person was Ronnie Bardah, a 35-year-old poker player from Henderson, Nevada. Ronnie went into tribal council convinced one of the weaker. The latest tweets from @RonnieBardah. Total life earnings: $1,907,313. Latest cash: $2,585 on 29-Jan-2021. Click here to see the details of Ronnie Bardah's 111 cashes.

I found this thanks to @IndiaPokerChamp: It’s from a 2014 PokerStars event called “Shark Cage,” in which the players are put on the clock and they’re sent to a cage (that doesn’t have real sharks in it, even though that’d be SO COOL AND NOT DANGEROUS AT ALL) if they fold the best hand.

Ronnie Bardah Survivor Wiki Fandom

This hand involves Sara Chafak, a former Miss Finland at the Miss Universe competition, and poker pro Ronnie Bardah. Let’s break it down:

Chafak calls the big blind with Ace-2 offsuit, and Bardah goes in with 8 of clubs and 4 of spades.

Ronnie Bardah Poker

The flop arrives and there’s a 4 of clubs. Bardah has a pair! He bets 15,000 chips … and Chafak raises!? Hmm. She’s got a shot at a straight if she hits a 3 but that’s a tough decision to even call, let alone raise. Bardah calls.

The next card? A 4!!! Bardah has three-of-a-kind! There’s no way he can lose, right? But he checks, worried about what Chafak had. And this is where Chafak seems to see an opportunity — “Why are you checking?” she asks. And in she goes with 55,000! He raises to 155,000, as he should … and Chafak RE-RAISES TO 255,000!

Ronnie Bardah Survivor

This is an absolutely bonkers move, an insane risk given that she’s got a 9 percent chance here to win, but let’s remember: She has to keep representing whatever hand she thinks she’s bluffing with. Any sign of weakness and she’s done for.

The river comes out — the 6 of hearts, which helps no one. Chafak goes all-in, and Bardah uses some kind of extended-time option to give himself more than 30 seconds to decide to call or to fold. He then tries to get her to break by showing he has a 4. This is her response:

Ronnie Bardah Instagram

She’s not budging. And he folds!!!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable. Bardah goes off to the cage and is left flabbergasted.