The second episode of the latest installment of the Winamax-produced Inside the Mind of a Pro series aired Monday, bringing viewers along for the ride as the cameras followed Winamax Pro Gus Hansen on his 2024 WSOP Main Event run. After a slow and frustrating start through the first level of play, Hansen looked to recalibrate his approach in the second level.
With plenty of chips still in his arsenal, Hansen remained patient as he waited for a good spot to ramp up the aggression. Unfortunately, the proper hand eluded Hansen and he continued to bleed off chips through much of the episode. There are several instances where Hansen connects with the board in a meaningful way, but either fails to complete his draw or simply has a made hand that's second-best. The cumulative result of these hands leaves Hansen feeling powerless to the deck – an emotion most tournament players can resonate with.
This is the end
It's a familiar pattern for anyone who puts in decent volume in the tournament streets. Either you don't pick up any premium starting hands, or every time you make a pair your opponent has a better one, or you miss on all your big drawing hands. Sometimes, it's all of the above rolled into one. When the deck feels stacked against you, it can lead you to make overly aggressive moves.
While Hansen doesn't punt it off, he does make a few missteps along the way as he tries to compensate for his lack of strong hands. In the end, Hansen's luck doesn't improve in any way and he gets the last of his chips in the middle with another hand that's second-best. It's pocket tens against pocket jacks and the runout offers no miracle two-outer for Hansen, ending his Main Event run.
