A famous poker player alleges he was 'clearly cheated' in one of the biggest, most famous cash games in the US

• The poker world was struck Thursday with its drama of the year.
• No-limit, Texas hold'em star Garrett Adelstein said he was "clearly cheated" during a hand with a $269,000 pot.

Pro poker player Garrett Adelstein alleged he was "clearly cheated" during one of the biggest, most famous cash games in the world.

Adelstein is a regular at the 24-hour Hustler Casino in Gardena, California — a luxury venue that hosts Hustler Casino Live, a weekday stream that brings together some of the country's best poker players for no-limit Texas hold'em games.

During a hand on Thursday's live stream, Adelstein seemed stunned after his semi-bluff shove with eight-high and a combo draw got called by new player Robbi Jade Lew, who was holding jack-high, for a pot that had grown to $269,000.

The controversy began when Adelstein and Lew played a hand heads-up.

Lew called Adelstein's pre-flop $3,000 raise from the $800 straddle with the jack of clubs and four of hearts to the more experienced pro's eight of clubs and seven of clubs.

The dealer dealt this flop:

Adelstein bet a further $2,500 as he seemingly felt confident with his hand's potential thanks to the open-ended straight flush draw.

Though Adelstein's hand was not yet made, a club — particularly six or the jack (which Lew had) — would give him a huge advantage. A six or jack of any suit would also give him a straight.

Lew, with jack high, called Adelstein's bet.

The turn:

Adelstein maintained the pressure with a $10,000 bet at the turn, which Lew raised to $20,000.

Contemplating his next move, Adelstein went all in with a semi-bluff, meaning that, though his hand was not yet made there were enough good cards left in the deck for him to complete his hand.

For Lew, this meant committing what was left of her entire stack — $109,000 — if she wanted to get to the showdown.

The HCL commentator, Bart Hanson, did not expect Lew to call. After all, she still only had jack high, had no draw, and would have been left hoping for a pair on the river.

Lew, though, "wanted to see it" — meaning she was considering paying Adelstein off just to see what his hand was, and appeared to talk herself into the weird, wild, and remarkable call.

The river ran twice, with a nine of diamonds coming first, before the ace of spades:

The players agreed to run the river (the final card) twice but as both cards were, again, ineffectual, Adelstein was left with eight high.

Lew, meanwhile, flipped over her cards to show jack high, prompting disbelief from those at the table — and Adelstein in particular.

The reason for the disbelief is that, regardless of Adelstein's hand, modern poker theories suggest Lew should have folded rather than commit her entire stack of chips.

This is because, as DraftKings calculated, not only would Lew have lost to all made hands like full houses, over pairs, and other pairs, but she'd also have lost out to many of his bluffs.

DraftKings reported that there were approximately 150 ways for her to lose her hand, but only six ways to win.

Yet win she did.

There was a heated argument both on and off camera

"I don't understand what's happening right now," a perplexed Adelstein said as the cameras continued to roll.

He asked what her reasoning was for calling.

"I thought you had ace high," Lew said.

"So, why call with jack high?" Adelstein said, as jack high would have lost to ace high.

"Because you don't have shit," Lew said.

Adelstein then left the table.

At some point, Lew also left to speak with Adelstein and an HCL producer.

Poker player Eric Persson, who had witnessed the hand as he was part of the HCL game, said to other people at the table: "She never should have given the money back. It makes you look guilty."

A player called RIP then got up to join Lew, and could be heard yelling at Adelstein, who then returned to the table to collect his chips and leave the game altogether.

It turned out that Adelstein left with the chips he had lost to Lew, but there is confusion as to whether Lew had voluntarily offered to give him the chips back or if there was another reason.

Watch the hand right here:

Lew, Adelstein, and HCL all provided statements on Twitter

For Lew, she played the hand the way she played it because she had a hunch that his hand was inferior to hers.

"Get over it," she wrote on Twitter, before calling on Adelstein to return the money she had won from him.

When a follower asked why she gave him his money back, Lew said: "How do you keep a grown man from throwing a tantrum?"

She also tweeted: "As a woman in a male-dominated sport it's hard enough to stand up against the table bully."

Lew added that her call was based on "past experiences" with Adelstein, hinting that she's aware his poker ranges were wide and that jack high might have been the right call, regardless.

Adelstein, though, remained suspicious and accused Lew of foul play during a lengthy statement on Twitter.

"Poker is an extremely complicated and nuanced game," he said, before claiming that Lew's hand had "very little equity" and shouldn't have been played by the turn.

Adelstein provided his analysis of her prior strategies, and said he's "aware" of the ways someone could "cheat" during a live stream. He said this could include a "device hidden that simply vibrates to indicate you have the best hand."

He added: "Another common way of cheating is someone has the technology to know who will have the best hand at showdown by hacking into the card reader."

He provided no evidence that Lew had done either of those things.

"I immediately felt very concerned about foul play," he said.

In Adelstain's statement, he said he talked with HCL co-owner Ryan Feldman and Lew.

'I think you know now, you fucked up'

Adelstein said he told Lew: "Robbie, this is likely to be viewed by millions of people … I think you know now, you fucked up."

Adelstein then said Lew offered to pay his part of the pot back. "Knowing a) this was likely the closest I would get to a confession and b) how impossible it is to get refunded in these cheating scandals … I took her up on her offer."

He added: "Once she offered, of course I am going to accept my money back after being clearly cheated."

HCL offered its own statement to say that it would not invite either player back to the show until it had thoroughly investigated the incident.

"We completely understand the magnitude of the situation and the accusations," said HCL in its statement. "We take this extremely seriously.

"At this point we have no proof either way or any indication of any wrongdoing besides the accusations of parties involved."

Adelstein is a crusher on the HCL show. According to trackingpoker.com, he's ranked No. 1 out of all HCL guests as he's earned $1,657,075 from 52 appearances on the live stream.

Prior to Thursday's show, the same website reported Lew had made two appearances and collected $101,650 in winnings.

Responding to the allegation, Lew seemed confident she'd be "vindicated" and invited Adelstein to a heads-up game, where: "The whole world can watch me read you all day."

Adelstein has yet to respond.