World No. 1 chess Grandmaster entered a high-stakes poker game and lost a $17,095 pot with the worst starting hand

• Chess Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen took the poker world by storm Wednesday.
• The five-time world chess champion played at the popular Hustler Casino Live show.

The world's best chess player, Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, swapped the chess board for the poker tables Wednesday and lost a $17,095 pot by playing the worst possible starting hand.

The reigning five-time world chess champion has played poker before, notably competing at the Norwegian Championships main event in April 2022, and finishing 25th out of a field of 1,050 entrants.

This time around, it was a far more informal setting, as he was drinking Modelo beer and playing hands against content creators and one renowned pro player called Mariano Grandoli during a Hustler Casino Live (HCL) session in Gardena, California.

One of the most interesting hands Carlsen played was when he played the seven of clubs and two of diamonds — the worst starting hand which, in normal games, should be instantly folded.

During this HCL stream, if a player won after being disadvantaged with the 7-2 off-suit then they could collect a $100 reward from everybody else at the table.

Incentivized by the potential bonus, Carlsen was happy to raise the stakes to $125 before the flop (first three community cards) were even in play.

When the action checked around to him after a flop of ten of hearts, ace of spades, and five of diamonds, Magnus bet a further $500.

Three other players called the bet, which should have set alarm bells off in Carlsen's mind, as it meant one if not all of his opponents had connected with the board.

The turn (fourth community card) was the seven of hearts, which gave Carlsen a pair. However, Alexandra Botez made two pair.

Unfazed, he bet a further $1,700, which inspired praise from the HCL commentator David Tuchman as it showed what Tuchman called "heart."

As two players behind Carlsen called his action, the pot had grown to $7,725 before the river (fifth community card) got dealt — the seven of clubs.

This proved to be a nightmare card for Carlsen

As two sevens were on the board, Carlsen's 7-2 off-suit had turned from the worst starting hand to trips (three of a kind).

It would normally be a position of strength, however, the bad news for him was that, as Botez had an ace as well as the only other seven in the deck, her hand was by far superior as she had completed a full house.

Carlsen, this time, bumped his bet to $4,100, which Botez raised to put the chess grandmaster all-in.

Carlsen reluctantly folded, relinquishing the $17,095 to chess creator Botez.

Watch the hand right here:

It wasn't the only notable hand Carlsen played that night as he was one of the most consistently interesting players at the table throughout the evening.

YouTube creator Nick Austin picked up the ace of clubs and the jack of spades and attempted to run a triple-barreled bluff against Carlsen.

Carlsen seemed to read Nick Austin's mind

A triple-barreled bluff is when a player fails to connect with the board at any stage, and instead bets large at the flop, turn, and river, in an attempt to show strength.

It can work especially well in situations like the one Nick found himself in with Carlsen, who entered the hand with the four of hearts and three of hearts, and had only made a pair.

As there were high cards on the board, a player betting big at every juncture could be enough to perturb some players.

But Carlsen said that he had a read on Nick, that he did not believe he had anything, and was comfortable thinking his pair of fours was good enough to beat whatever his opponent was holding.

The read was excellent and scooped Carlsen a $13,775 pot.

Watch it right here:

Though play likely continued off-stream, Carlsen had recovered all of his losses by the end of the broadcast segment of the game.

According to a graphic Hustler Casino Live displayed at the end of the YouTube show, Carlsen had $17,790 left on the table with cumulative winnings (profits) of $4,490.

Hustler Casino Live returns Thursday.