Shadowing Practice: A $10,000,000 Hero Call - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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bracelet.
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Back with you now, Alina Jad and Nick Shulman.
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Blinds two and four million with a four million big blind Annie.
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It's tough mentally for Lucas being a card away.
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But what else but to keep playing?
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This kid has a great mindset, great attitude.
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We'll see.
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Check from Saski Lottie.
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During an interview, Lucas actually said, I know this may never come around again, and I'm just soaking it all in.
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It is surreal.
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There's no pressure.
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We're just playing cards.
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But you're playing them for $4 million in pay differential, and that cannot be overstated.
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Ace-King-4, Queen-High over Jack-High, although neither huge fans of this board.
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That spade works for Jumalan, and with the check in front of him, He delivers $4 million, which is being called, Nick.
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It certainly is.
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You see, this guy does not go quietly.
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Finds the jack.
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Royal flush draw working for Jumalan.
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Second check in front of him.
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And while it is still just queen high, it's certainly the kind of hand that could continue to lean into this now.
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20 million in the middle.
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I agree with that, Ali.
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Looks like Lucas agrees as well. Is this 10 million-ish?
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That's 40, I believe.
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Oh, whoops, yeah.
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We're looking at a very different color.
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42 X pot.
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Just two X-POP, Ali.
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Am I getting too excited about that?
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No, no, you're not.
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You're absolutely right.
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And for Saski Lottie with his Jack.
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Gotta think we're out. But maybe...
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He's just hyper focused.
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Usually the massaging of the hand precedes a release. Of tension?
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Of the car.
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The thing is, the last time we observed this, as we alluded to earlier, from Saski-Latti versus Mueller three-handed,
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it was with a strong hand.
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On this occasion, it's a semi-bluff.
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I'm not saying it's a tell, per se.
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I'm referring to the 2x pot, not the stroking of the finger.
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We have seen both, you're right.
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Got a bluff with that size sometimes, you have to have it.
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Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, Lucas,
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Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, Lucas.
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Hayden Hedlund, Lucas's good friend.
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Leading a sort of Tomahawk Chop, I believe.
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This is a kind of strange tank at this point.
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Oh my God.
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Mind you, he does have the best hand.
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He's calling.
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Wow.
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Here's the issue though, Nick.
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There's a hundred million in the middle, but there's no guarantee that Jumalan steps away from it on the river and he's hit the spade.
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He's got the nuts now.
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You know, even just starting on the flop, Masculati put an awful lot of chips into this one.
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May have made his own bed a touch.
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And as you said, Ali, no sweeter sight in the world for Jumalan than that six of spades.
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The stone nuts.
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If there's any mercy to be had, It's the fact that Lauri sees those four spades,
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and when he sees this bet, he should be able to get away from Jax.
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One would think.
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180 million?
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That's 180 million.
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I think most of us expected him to get away on the turn.
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Something about this hand he didn't believe on.
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Does he just put him on something like 7-8?
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No spade?
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Is he really about to hero call 180 million on the river?
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We've seen him do it before.
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Not quite this spot, but we have seen him make some huge calls.
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Suddenly the felt feels more like a war zone, just given the number of bombs that have been dropped out there.
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2x on the turn, 1.8 on the river.
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I feel like you have complete air.
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I don't have a strong hand.
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It's not complete air, Laude.
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It's toxic air.
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And you'd do well not to breathe it in.
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Fuck.
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Ay, ay, ay, ay.
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To hero or not to hero?
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What do you think, Lucas?
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You have it?
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Yes, he does.
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You're a little bit changing your story.
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Ali, is he really gonna call 180 million?
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Look at me, buddy.
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Back three.
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Oh my gosh.
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I wish I could safely say no, Nick, but I just can't.
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Don't want to run into this guy in an alleyway.
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Aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye. That is 180.
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He's measuring out a call, Nick.
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I don't know, man.
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Ooh, it's this and this.
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I think he wants to know how much he would have left.
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I mean, the call on the turn was wild enough.
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Especially after the tank, but he did figure out and was wrong.
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I feel like you're bluffing.
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Put it in.
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Don't rescue that, guys.
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No, I'm not gonna put it in.
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If I call, I will just call if I do something.
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I don't know.
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Because you are somehow telling that you had the ace is...
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Ah, fuck.
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You know, I only have a jack.
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I think the jack might be good.
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What do you think?
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This is pretty wild.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Wife Kaisa, looking on.
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Put it in.
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And Saski Lottie continues to look over, perhaps in search of something in the way of a live tell.
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I called.
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Oh, he's called!
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Calls.
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Oh my God.
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It didn't work out, but that's got to be two of the gutsiest.
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He makes the call.
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80 million in the middle.
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That's 20 big
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Something to fight on with for loudy
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And heads up it can be very hard to close somebody out funny things can happen Lucas find some help
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King for a king!
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King for a king!
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Just shy.
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Another 3-2 favorite, the ace-seven has been out-flocked.
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Joom along with sixes, Nick, and again, Sasuke Lati has work to do with his back against the wall.
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It's the heart!
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It's the heart!
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It's the heart!
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It's the heart!
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It's the heart!
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It's the heart!
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70-30 now is Jumalan.
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Oh, that's it.
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And it's trip sixes!
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It's over!
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He did it!
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The kid from Spokane, Washington, has just won the main event.
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Lucas Jumalan is the 2026 main event champion, Ali.
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He did it.
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It's over.
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Why Practice Speaking with This Video?

This video is a goldmine for English learners looking to boost their speaking skills—especially if you love dynamic, real-world conversations! The fast-paced, emotional dialogue between the hosts mirrors how people talk in exciting, high-stakes situations, making it perfect for shadow speech practice. By mimicking the hosts’ tone, pauses, and excitement, you’ll learn to speak more naturally and confidently. Plus, the mix of casual phrases and technical terms (like “blinds” and “semi-bluff”) helps you build vocabulary for both everyday chat and niche topics. It’s like getting a free lesson in conversational fluency—all while enjoying a thrilling story!

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Let’s break down 3 key structures to level up your English:

  • “It’s tough mentally for Lucas being a card away.” The phrase “being a card away” uses a gerund to show a current state—great for describing ongoing situations. Try it: “It’s hard for me being so close to finishing my project.”
  • “We’re just playing cards, but you’re playing them for $4 million.” The contrast with “but” highlights a surprising twist. Use this to add drama: “I thought the test was easy, but everyone else struggled.”
  • “Got a bluff with that size sometimes, you have to have it.” The casual “Got a bluff…” drops “you’ve” for speed—common in fast speech. Practice shortening phrases: “Got a minute? Let’s chat.”

Common Pronunciation Traps

Watch out for these tricky words in the video! “Saski Lottie” has a soft “s” and a quick “t,” so it sounds like “Sas-kee Lot-ee,” not “Sask-ee Lott-ee.” “Jumalan” might trip you up—stress the first syllable: “Joo-mah-lan.” Also, the hosts often link words, like “check in front of him” becoming “checkinfronta him.” This is where the shadowing technique shines—repeat the dialogue aloud, focusing on linking and stress. For extra practice, try a shadowing app to slow down the audio and match the rhythm. You’ll nail those tricky sounds in no time!

Ready to start? Hit play, pause, and repeat—shadow speak your way to better English with this awesome video. You’ve got this!

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowhave seen · We've seen · have been dropped
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itcannot be overstated · being called · have been dropped

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →