A Hand Matchup from the 2011 Epic Poker League Season 1 Series 2 Main Event
| David Steicke | Pre-Flop | Post-Flop | Post-Turn | |
| 44.81% | 31.41% | 29.55% | ||
| Mike McDonald | Pre-Flop | Post-Flop | Post-Turn | |
| 54.89% | 68.28% | 70.45% | W | |
Outcome
Final table, heads-up, with the blinds at 20,000 and 40,000 with a 5,000 ante, McDonald raised to 90,000 from the button, Steicke reraised to 300,000, McDonald went all-in, Steicke called.
Analysis
Steicke is one of the rare players who seems to thrive in tougher fields with the most talented opponents, his best results coming in predominately large buy-in events. With Epic Poker League’s restricted entry and $20,000 buy in, the event is right in Steicke’s wheelhouse. Steicke had a chance to score another major title here, with an opponent all-in and covered, but he did not win this crucial flip. McDonald’s pair held up, in spite of the ominous turn card which opened up straight and counterfeiting opportunities for Steicke’s broadway cards. Steicke was crippled but managed to rally his stack back to 1.1M, when he eventually busted as runner up for $506,260 when his K-2 fell to McDonald’s A-4 in an all-in preflop confrontation. Barely 22, McDonald catapulted his lifetime earnings to 4M with this title and $782,410 score and remains one of the most successful and talented young guns in the game.