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On a sunny Sunday at CoinPoker's 5-card PLO tables, Dutch high-stakes legend Dirk "venividi1993" Gerritse raked in almost $200,000 in a single day—one of the biggest single-day totals of his career. Across a series of high-stakes pots, he showcased a deep command of hand selection, betting strategy, and the unique dynamics of 5-card PLO.
The Day of the $200K Win
Gerritse was active on both heads-up and four-max tables in the $100/$200 range with a $50 ante. He captured several pots worth $40,000 or more, the most impressive being a $45,400 pot from a single four-handed ring game. The win was built on a mix of aggressive preflop play and precise postflop execution.
The First Big Hand: A Pair of Fours vs. a Heavy Range
In the first highlighted hand, Gerritse opened from the cutoff with a $700 raise, only to be 4-bet by the small blind for $7,100. He called, and the flop of 8♣ 4♠ 2♠ gave him a pair of fours. The opponent, holding Q♠ Q♠ 10♠ 10♠ 7♠, went all-in for $15,300. Gerritse called the final chips and the hand ran twice: the first run produced a backdoor flush, while the second gave Gerritse top two pair, taking the entire pot.
- •Pair of fours on the flop
- •Double-suited structure
- •Edge realized over two runs
- •Q♠Q♠10♠10♠7♠
- •All-in for $15,300
- •Only about a 55% favorite
The Second Big Hand: Jacks and Nines vs. Aces
The second hand saw Gerritse open from the button for $700, facing a three-bet from the big blind that pushed the pot to $2,200. The flop of J♣ 7♠ 3♠ was a pot-size win for the opponent, but Gerritse re-raised to $19,600. When the opponent shoved for $29,196, Gerritse called again. He held J♠ 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ while the opponent had A♠ A♠ J♠ 6♠ 2♠. The first run of 10♣ Q♠ gave Gerritse a straight, and the second run of 9♠ K♠ produced a strong hand that let him scoop the $63,293 pot.
- •J♠9♠8♠7♠6♠
- •10♣Q♠ completes a straight
- •50.5% preflop edge
- •A♠A♠J♠6♠2♠
- •Disconnected ace hand
- •Aces lose value in 5-card PLO
Strategic Insights: Hand Selection and Preflop Mistakes
Both hands illustrate key strategic lessons. In the first, the opponent's 4-bet with a hand that is only about a 55% favorite against a random five-card hand was a clear mistake. Gerritse's double-suited five-card hands have enough equity to justify a three-bet, even against a range that includes high-pair holdings.
- •4-bet with ~55% equity
- •Out-flopped by double-suited
- •Overrated the holding
- •Aggression with a disconnected ace
- •Aces are weak in 5-card PLO
- •Overcommitted
In the second, the opponent's preflop aggression with a disconnected ace hand proved costly: aces lose value in 5-card PLO because one pair wins less often when more cards are involved. The opponent's shove left Gerritse with a hand carrying a 50.5% preflop edge and a strong postflop advantage.
Why This Win Matters for 5-Card PLO
Gerritse's performance shows how a deep-stack, high-stakes player can exploit opponents' preflop mistakes and leverage the unique hand-selection dynamics of 5-card PLO. The win highlights the importance of understanding how hand values shift when an extra card is added to the board, and how aggressive betting can create huge pots when opponents overcommit.
Summary
Dirk Gerritse's $200,000 day at CoinPoker is a testament to the skill and patience needed to dominate high-stakes 5-card PLO. By pairing aggressive preflop play with precise postflop execution, he turned a single day into a record-setting haul. At its core, the win rewards understanding how card count reshapes hand values—and the willingness to punish an opponent's mistakes.