Who is Robbi Jade Lew – The Poker Player Accused of Cheating?

Robbi Jade Lew is an American poker player who became instantly famous in the poker world when she was accused of cheating by top pro Garrett Adelstein during a livestreamed cash game. The controversial hand resulted in allegations of deceit and collusion, dividing the poker community. So who is Robbi Jade Lew, and what‘s the truth behind the cheating scandal that has rocked high stakes poker?

Introduction to Robbi Jade Lew

Robbi Jade Lew is a 37-year-old poker player originally from Saudi Arabia. She moved to Berkeley, California at age 5 with her identical twin sister and younger brother. After studying at UCLA, she built a career in the biopharmaceutical industry. She was a senior manager at Bayer but left her job during the pandemic to play poker full time.

Lew had been playing small stakes poker as a hobby for over a decade before turning pro in 2020. According to her interview in the Los Angeles Times, she was taught the game by her husband, who is a lawyer, journalist and college professor. She improved her skills during the lockdowns by playing online and entered her first World Series of Poker event in 2021.

Robbi‘s Poker Career Before the Cheating Scandal

Prior to the cheating allegations, Robbi Jade Lew was a rising name in poker with over $130,000 in recorded tournament earnings. She had some small cashes dating back to 2010 but took the game more seriously starting in 2021.

In the 2021 WSOP, she cashed in two events – finishing 615th in the $1500 NLHE Mix and 276th in the $3000 H.O.R.S.E event. In 2022, she increased her volume with four WSOP cashes, including a 108th place finish in the $25,000 Heads Up event for $11,276.

Lew‘s biggest cash prior to her viral Hustler Casino Live hand came in February 2022 when she finished 2nd in the USPO Short Deck $2,500 Championship event for $61,768.

While not yet a poker superstar, Robbi had over $200,000 in career earnings and was clearly on an upward trajectory until the cheating scandal brought her momentum to a halt.

The Controversial Hand That Started the Cheating Allegations

On September 29, 2022, Robbi Jade Lew was playing in a livestreamed $5/$10 blinds NLHE cash game at Los Angeles’ Hustler Casino. The game included top pros Garrett Adelstein, Nick Vertucci, and Bryan Devonshire.

In a key hand, Garrett raised preflop to $100 over Robbi‘s $25 open and she called. The flop came Jc4c2c. Robbi checked, Garrett bet $100, and Robbi check-raised all-in for $27,100 total. Garrett tanked for several minutes then called, revealing KsKh for top pair. Robbi instantly flipped over J4 offsuit for bottom pair, shocking everyone. The board bricked out and Robbi‘s Jack high won the $270,100 pot.

Adelstein was incredulous, accusing Lew of cheating based on her bizarre play. The hand sparked a heated argument before Lew agreed to return Garrett‘s money, wanting to defuse the situation. But the controversy brought major attention and allegations of wrongdoing against Lew.

Cheating Allegations and Robbi‘s Response

Garrett Adelstein has remained adamant that Robbi Jade Lew cheated in the controversial hand. His main arguments according to his interview on the Poker Life Podcast are:

• Robbi‘s check-raise all-in makes no sense with bottom pair. No competent player would do this without insider knowledge.

• There were anomalies in Robbi‘s betting patterns compared to her previous play on the livestream.

• Robbi and her staker Rip were overly friendly and familiar, suggesting they were working together.

However, Lew has maintained she played in good faith. In her LA Times interview, she stated: “I 100% unequivocally did not cheat," also adding "Nothing inappropriate happened." She chalks the check-raise all-in up to an impulsive mistake.

Pros are divided on whether cheating occurred. Some like Doug Polk believe Robbi‘s behavior was highly suspicious. But others like Phil Hellmuth think Garrett overreacted, noting Robbi was a recreational player making a fortunate mistake.

The Aftermath – Reaction in the Poker World

The allegations have made major waves in the poker community. Many pros have weighed in with their hot takes. The controversy also renewed concerns about sexism faced by female players.

Robbi Jade Lew‘s reputation has taken a big hit despite no definitive proof of cheating yet. Garrett Adelstein refuses to play against her again. Hustler Casino banned her from their livestream and is investigating internally.

Online sensation Doug Polk has capitalized on the drama for views but also landblasted Lew as "sketchy af" in his analysis.

Many hope Lew is vindicated by the ongoing investigation to restore her name. But the jury is still out on if she will ever shake off this career-damaging accusation.

Key Takeaways on Robbi Jade Lew

• Robbi Jade Lew is a rising poker pro who turned the game into a full-time career during the pandemic after years as a recreational player.

• A controversial hand where Lew check-raised all-in with bottom pair led to cheating allegations from Garrett Adelstein.

• Lew denied cheating but returned the money and was banned from the livestream amidst further suspicion from pros like Doug Polk.

• The scandal brought attention to potential biases female players face when accused of impropriety.

• Lew‘s reputation has taken a big hit despite her innocence not being conclusively proven as of yet.

• The poker community remains divided on whether Robbi cheated or was simply a fish getting lucky.

Robbi Jade Lew‘s story is a cautionary tale of how one surprising hand can completely derail a career when cheating speculation runs rampant. While Lew remains adamant of her innocence, only time will tell if she can recover and regain the trust of poker fans and her fellow players.