Friday, August 10, 2007
Thursday Night Tournament at the IP
I made a stupid play where I donated $1000 making a move on a pot when the board came out 8c6h2d. I bet $500, and this Libyan guy that had been playing every hand calls. We are heads up. The turn brings the 8c. The guy gets this "Disgusted look on his face", and puts his cards out like he is fixing to fold. I fire another $500...and he "Dejectedly...and with much pain like he was sick" says "I guess I am going to go all-in. I bust out laughing as does several other people while I pitch my cards into the muck before the chips even left his fingers. It was the biggest...dumbest "I got the third 8 tell" that I have see in a long time. We all started to imitate him with that disgusted looking face every time we had to fold...It was funny.
Now to the hand that I played like chump. We were down to 2 tables with about 8 at each table when I am in the High Jack seat. I have built a solid image so far, and I have been in full "Unabomber Mode" with headphones, my favorite sunglasses , my new favorite poker hat and my hood. I was not talking to anyone, just sitting there focused on what was going on. I look down at KhQh. I have about $10,000 left and the blinds have gotten rather high. I think they were $800/$1600. I Jam trying to steal the blinds and the SB wakes up with pocket Queens. I brick out and that was it.
I spoke to Raceland Brian (AKA "Lusky" on the internet), and he agreed that I made a bad play. I should have tried to limp...or make it 3 times the blinds and if someone came over the top, I could have cut lose of the hand and still had some chips.
One cool thing that happened was Gretchen (She has long Black Hair and cocktails at Harrah's) sat on my right for several hours and we got to catch up as I had not seen her in awhile. We have been to many final tables together and she is really cool . She asked me what I was listening to, and when I explained that I was listening to "Poker Wire Radio", she had never heard of it. She has hung out with Gavin and them before in New Orleans. We swapped Ipods and I let her listen to the WSOP version with Eugene Todd (Hilarious) while I chilled to evanescent. She really got a kick out of it.
Look like we will have the "Gulf Coast Poker. Net Lodge" in Biloxi for the WPT Championship. We booked a kick ass place, and we are going to have 5-6 of us. We will have laptops and if we are not in a live game, we will be helping each other out with internet info. I plan on really getting back into playin on the net. Lusky has been running real sweet lately. I just have to get a couple of programs to track my play...and my opponents.
"To protect the sheep you gotta catch the wolf, and it takes a wolf to catch a wolf" Denzel Washington's Character Alonzo in "Training Day"
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Back to the Belle -Part Deaux
I have mentioned in an earlier blog about the dealer here that made it to the final table at the New Orleans event 2 years ago. I actually saw the final table re-run again last Saturday night, so when Dana came to deal at our table, the jokes started flying..."Dana...I saw you on TV 3 nights ago...You just can't seem to get away from that hand Huh"...and "You still have not hit your hand"..."Next time, be sure and lay that hand down"...etc. It was good for a few laughs ;-)
I bought in for $300.00, and there were several people at the table with over $1500.00 in front of them. I got my stack up to about $360.00 when the following hand went down. I am in the BB with 10dJd and the SB makes it $35.00 to go. I call. Flop comes out a dream for me with Kd7d3d. The SB immediately puts out $100.00. I go in the tank for a second to try to figure out what he may have. I have him on Big Slick. I smooth call. Turn card brings the 9s. He immediately bets out $150.00. I now have to put him on Big Slick with the Ad for him to make this play...or I am already dead and he already has the nut flush or the Q high flush. I jam knowing that there is no way we are not getting it all in...Now he goes in the tank. Wow...he already has close to $300.00 in there and it is only around another hundo to call. He comes to the same conclusion and indeed does call...He turns over AdKh. River brings the As, and I double up well over $700.00. I turn a straight a little later and won a medium size pot with pocket 9's. Then the board double paired 4's and 7's and the Mumbling Asian guys called with Ace high after I bet the river. My stack is right at $1100.00 when the following Donkfest hand ensued.
I was thinking of leaving, and was waiting for the button to get around to me when I look down at KhQh. This is a hand I don't like that much but I like to limp in this situation if I can. We have 6 limpers with $30.00 in the pot...Flop comes out KcQsJh. Young internet guy bets out $70.00 and he started the hand with about $250.00 in front of him. I go in the tank juts knowing I am in trouble..."Just fold" I tell myself. Then I start think about what if I hit the Q or K and boat up. I call. everyone else folds, but the Asian mumbler to my right is stewing looking at his cards, and I see that he is folding A-Q...ouch...one of my outs. Turn comes 7s. The guy bets out $125.00 and now I go in the tank and start doing the math...I know I am suppose to fold, but somehow I think I have too much in there to get out now. If I call this, we are definitely getting the rest of his $50.00 or so in the pot. I donk-out and call...even though I know I only have 1 queen to hit. The river bricks...he puts the rest of his chips...I feel I have to call...he turns up 9h-10s for the flopped dummy end of the straight.
I start to Tilt a little here as I know I played the hand terribly. I knew I should have folded. Everyone around the table was saying comments like..."You couldn't have gotten away from that"..."There's no way you can fold in that situation"...and I look at them like donkfish. I want to scream..."Of course I CAN fold here...I only had $75.00 in the pot".
When the button gets to me I cash out for $850.00. A cool $550.00 added to the Bankroll and another lesson learned..."Of course you can fold the top 2 pair when there is an open ended board or the board is suited...of course you can"
"Don't get attached to anything you can't walk away from in less than 30 seconds if you feel the heat's around the corner" Robert Dinero's character Neil Pauly in "Heat"
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Friday night session at Harrah's
I called "Wild Bill" and we decided to get together for a beer and talk about www.gulfcoastpoker.net as we having been changing formats and experimenting with different interfaces ...etc. We are getting hits from all over the country. We want to thank all you guys for coming check out our site. Our traffic has really been picking up lately. We also have several other people that are interested in blogging on the site. Our thoughts are that we would at least like to meet the person before we put them up on the site. We also discussed some different options for the GCP Championship next month as far as housing. It seems the Beau has been completely sold out for months. We discussed several options with Raceland Bryan and his buddy Eddie. We are thinking of trying to get a bunch of us together and rent a house or a condo. Turn it into a poker "Crash House" like those guys do in Vegas. We had a couple of other ideas also, and we are open to ideas if anybody has any.
We both bought in a 1-2 game for $200.00 as we happen to be there right when they opening a new game as $200.00 is the max buy-in. We decided we were going to play for a couple of hours and then get out winner or loser. Bill got Aces twice and was able to mount a push, but I didn't get anything to play with. I dumped $65.00 in one hand where I had big slick offsuit, and had to fold after a big bet after the turn as a straight was on the board. In the next hour I dumped about $50.00 in limping and calls trying to hit a hand. I got felted on a hand where I held K-Qo and called a $15.00 pre-flop raise. Flop came Kd7s4d, and come to find out we all had a king. We got it all in there after a 2c came on the turn. We turn them up and one guy had Big Slick suited and the other had Kh2d for 2 pair...great...I was the third best hand.
Cashed out my money on Neteller. I went with the check option. I now wonder how long it will take them to send it to me. I will keep you guys posted on their speediness. I hope it gets here before the GCP Championship...it would be sweet to add to my Bankroll.
I just finished reading this crap about Phil Laak and some Thailand fiasco...what crap. I am embarrassed to post it up on here, but suffice to say if you do a search with phillaak...and thailand...with maybe a "Dash" between them...and something like ..."dot com"...you can get there. I am sure that our resourceful readership will find it.
"Should I beware of lawyers bearing gifts?" Vince Vaughn's character Sheriff in "Return to Paradise"
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Online Personality Test
http://www.similarminds.com/movie.html
I really like my results too....I am an "Easy Rider" ;-)
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Harrah's session...Neteller...and TonyG
I know that he would have called a $100.00 bet without even flinching.
Some Poker news:
Neteller is finally going to pay us all our money. As most of you know as I have posted before, Neteller owes me, and lots of other p[layers in the U.S. some cheese. I am going to go with the check option. They claim they will send you a check in the snail mail. http://content.neteller.com/content/en/member_businessupdate_us.htm
You guys got to read Newhouse's post about neverwin...looks like they have also sold their site to pokernews.com. Something about Neverwin and Tony G will be playing heads-up for a percentage ...or something. I wonder if Newhouse would get his money if he started yelling at neverwin like Tony G will be doing?
Speaking of Tony G, looks like he is at war with the cardplayer people. Looks like the Shulman's were "cheesing out" on posting the WSOP chip counts. You can read about it here.
Cardplayer family stealing from me.
I would also like to post a link to an article I liked alot. It breaks down the friendships of 2007 WSOP main event final tabler Hevan Khan and Brendan Keenan. It goes into the dynamics of dealing with variance and downturns and the importance of having support groups in place. It points out that this is crucial in bouncing back after loses when you have people there to pick you up. Just being a sounding board for a friend could be crucial in his comeback. You guys can find it here. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19782936/
"The next one after "Queens Boulevard" is a studio picture: I'm talking franchise, baby. We'll get you the lunchbox and an action figure" Jeremy Piven's character Ari Gold in "Entourage"
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Bury them under the Jail
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/top_three/story/7492673p-7388343c.html
"What do you call a thousand lawyers buried up to their necks in sand? --- What? ---Not enough sand" Christopher Walken's Character Mike in "Poolhall Junkies"
Today is my Birthday
Had my teeth cleaned today as my wife has been on my ass to get this done. That stuff they clean your teeth with really taste bad. I can still taste it in my mouth. I am having lunch with my wife. I then have some appointments and conference calls for work. After work I plan on getting together with some friends and drink a few cold ones. Get my presents from my wife, and then head on over to the Amelia Belle where hopefully, there is a game. I have already gotten numerous e-mails and phone calls wishing me Happy B-day. My sister...my aunts and uncles...lots of people.
Lets talk some poker...Played in a couple of sessions in the last couple of days and I am right at even. One winning and one losing session. I stopped at Shorty's on my way back from Lafayette Tuesday, and got in a good game. I was able to pick up some nice hands and get paid off on them. First hand I am in the mid-position in the 3 seat and look down at A-Jo with about $300.00. I limp to see where I am at. Lunchbox in the 10 seat, who I saw make some bad plays earlier, makes it $35.00 to go. 1 seat calls and I call. Flop comes down Jc7dJh. I know this guy is known for over playing his hands, and sure enough he beats out $80.00. 1 seat folds and I smooth call. Turn brings a Kh. He now slams $150.00 in the pot. I ponder for a second, and count out the chips. After I call, this would leave me with another $110.00 left. Instead of just jamming because I want the rest of his chips, I again, smooth call. River brings a Qh. he asks me how much I have left and I tell him. He says, " I put you all-in" and I insta-call. He tables big slick off-suit. I show my hand and he gets a "ship it to the colonel" from me as I double up.
This hand went down on the 3rd after 9 of us started the table. I was not involved, but i was interesting. Keep in mind $300.00 is the max buy-in for a new table. Young kid with hood raise to $15.00 and gets called by grubby looking older guy. The lady on the end re-raises to $45.00 and they take the flop 3 ways. Flop comes out Ks7s4s. Hoodie checks...grubby checks and the lady makes it $100.00 to go. Hoodie and grubby smooth call. Turn brings the Ad. Hoodie checks. Grubby makes it $100.00 to go...The lady re-raises all in. Hoodie calls as does grubby. They turn there cards over. Hoodie has As3s for the nut flush, and he has to fade the board pairing. Grubby has a set of Kings, and the lady is holding AhKh for 2 pair. River brings the Ac...sick...so sick
I cashed out a $350.00 winner on this session. Went with wild Bill to Harrahs last night and we got to sit right next to each other at a 1-2NL table. I donked off the $350.00 that I won the night before. We could only start with $200.00 in this game. I got cold cards and I made the wrong moves at the wrong times. As an example. I get down to $55.00 and I look down at pocket 9's in the BB. Button raises to $15. I jam...he calls with A7o...and he spike an Ace on the turn. That was how my night went. I think Bill's streak was also broken last night. Check out his blog.
I saw that Phil Laak and some other guy beat a AI program named "Prodigy"...go read about it here...Somehow it does not seem that they actually won...I don't know. http://www.pokernews.com/news/2007/7/laak-eslami-team-defeats-polaris-man-machine-poker-championship.htm
Looks Hellmuth will not be "Snapping into a Slim Jim" with Randy "Macho Man" Savage on the latest Surreal life...I think its the 7th episode. I think that Carrot Top, the new buffed up version, will be on too. I'll bet that Carrot Top and the Macho man will trade roid "tirades" often, and I would love to see the Brat mixed in with that Chaos. His new line would have been ..."I can dodge needles baby". You can read about the rumors here. From what I read today...this is bogus. http://www.gambling911.com/Phil-Hellmuth-Randy-Savage-Surreal-Life-072007.html
"How bout this... GO GET MY DAMN BEER YOU FRIGGIN MORONS!" Oliver Platt's character Jimmy King in "Ready to Rumble"
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Poker...and so on
--We have Wild Bill on a mission this week as he has made a deal with his girl that he will play everyday this week. I think the deal was to play until he booked a loser. I told him that he may just want to play every day this week, and just do the math to see were he is at. Even though he books a loser on one day, if he wins 5 out of 7 days, that would be considered a huge win in my book. Lets keep an eye on Wildbills Blog as he said he will be outlining lots of the action, and breaking down lots of hands
--Anybody who plays this game and has taken a huge loss at some point needs to read sbrugby's blog. I have posted a link. This is one of the most prolific online/live players in the business. He is one of my favorite players and I read his blog often. Of course this is Brian Townsend.
http://www.cardrunners.com/fusetalk/blog/categories.cfm?catid=156
It hurts to get caught in a stone cold bluff and get you ass handed to you. I felt the kick in the gut when I read this blog...He lost 1.8 million on 1 hand on a stone cold bluff against Bobby Baldwin in the "Big Game". You will read where he says he ..."Just got caught up in the Bluff and could not get away from it"...good stuff
--I heard on poker radio show that there was "reliable sources" that when Matusow got 2nd place in the Bellagio Cup where he lost to Kevin “BeL0WaB0Ve” Saul that there were numerous people sweating him in the crowd and cheering. It would be great to have that many folks watching your final table only these were debt collectors and repo guys for mob types. This reliable source said that Matusow supposevily got out of the Bellagio with around 50 large after paying off all his debts to these "sweaters". Hmmm...lets see win $670,000 and leave with $50,000. Dude ...lay off the sports betting.
--If you guys have not checked out Mark Newhouse's blog about Dustin "Neverwin" Woolf, it is for good reading. When Mark won his WPT event last year for in Borgata, he was at the table with Chris Bell who pulled him on the side before they left the stage and gave Mark some solid advice. This was Mark's first "Big Win", and the program I listen to said he was seen as a very nice guy but was kind of a loner and he wanted to be "accepted" in the pro poker crowd. Bell supposedly pulled Newhouse on the side and told him, "That he needed to take out a sheet of paper right then and there...now...write down on that sheet of paper your 10 best friends in the whole world. When someone ask you to borrow money you need to take out that sheet of paper, and if there name is not on it, don't do it"
http://www.wisehandpoker.com/blog/index.php/mnewhouse
Pan down to the post "Neverwin is a scumbag". Also, neverwin is dating jennicide as her name comes up in the blog in case you did not know.
"Am I my brothers Keeper?" Wesley Snipe's Character Nino Brown in "New Jack City"
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Local tournament...Amelia belle
You guys can check out Tex here:
http://www.pokerpages.com/players/profiles/84539/jason-henderson.htm
You guys have read about Ruttley here on our site in the last New Orleans Circuit Event $10,000 championship event:
Per K Minton's blog--Seat 6 raised to 8,500. Brandon Ruttley called, Lou Esposito called, and Phil Gordon (button) called. Flop was 2 4 9 . Seat 6 checked, Brandon bet 30K, Lou folded, and Phil moved all-in. Seat 6 mucked and Brandon went into the tank. After a few minutes (the level had ended) Phil called for the clock. Before they got the clock started, Brandon called and showed pocket Jacks. Phil held pocket 4s for the set. Last two cards were Q 8 and Brandon was busted in 39th place. Phil adds more chips to the mountain--
And Paul was actually on TV at the WSOP circuit event at Bally's. This was the one where Kido Pham won. He went out on the hand below with Scotty Nguyen.
Scotty Nguyen takes out Paul Shoultz
No Limit Hold'em
2005-11-21 19:07:28 EDT
Paul Shoultz pushed in pre-flop from the button and Scotty Nguyen called from middle position. The players showed:Paul Shoultz 1010Scotty Nguyen A8o Shoultz stayed in the lead through the flop and the turn when they came Kc9s7h2c, but when the river came As, Nguyen made a better pair to win the pot. Paul Shoultz went home in 23rd place
What a brutal hand...
http://www.pokerpages.com/players/profiles/82946/paul-shoultz.htm
Finally went check out the Amelia Belle last Friday night. I was pleasantly surprised as I guess I was expecting it to be worst that the Belle. Actually, it was pretty cool. Walked up and got immediately called out by a local girl named Kirby that use to bar tend at a bar where we played bar poker about a year ago. The reason she called me out was I didn't recognize her as she was the supervisor. Not a dealer, but a supervisor. She said, "You don't recognize me?". Oh well, sorry Kirby, you guys did a great job though and I am glad to see you are doing well. My buddy Matt has been moved to the Coast. Nice room with 5 tables. I didn't realize just how close it was to my house. In fact, it was so close I called Sunday and put my name on the NL list, left my cell number, and told them to call me if the game jumped off. They called at about 8:30, but I was in for the night.
I played in the 3-6-12 game until the NL game jumped off, and picked up several hundred dollars there as there was lots of action. It was a good game. I moved to the 2-5 NL game and sat down with $400.00 (200.00 out of pocket and 200.00 I won at the limit game). Got in a couple of good hands and was able to build my stack. I was in the 8 seat and had Jose "Cisco" Santana from Thibodaux in the 9th set and Parfait in the 10th. The only hand to talk about is I picked up aces on the button, and made it $25.00 to go after seeing 2 limpers. Parfait also calls. We see the flop with right at $100.00 in the pot. flop "bricks out" with all rainbows...something like Jh8c3d. I jam trying to take the pot right there as the $100.00 was enough for me. Everyone folds and Parfait shows the Pocket Kings. Oh how I wished there would have been on those lunchboxes in that seat. Some of those knuckleheads would have went bust in that hand.
Cashed out with $565.00 for a total profit of $365.00 on the night.
We are still actively looking for bloggers for the GCP Blog Center. Anyone out there on the Gulf Coast looking to write about Poker...and anything else that is related to poker...let us know.
We are looking for a few good writers to help us bring content to the site.
"Sometimes when I think of how good my book is going to be...I can't breathe" Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote in "Capote"
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
New blogger coming from the Austin Texas area
We are having our local tournament tomorrow. We already have over 20 definites. We will be also putting up some pics of some of the local players on the site...stay tuned to gulfcoastpoker.net.
Anyone else looking to join the blog network please e-mail me at gened@gulfcoastpoker.net
"Somerset: I just don't think I can continue to live in a place that embraces and nurtures apathy as if it was virtue.
Mills: You're no different. You're no better.
Somerset: I didn't say I was different or better. I'm not. Hell, I sympathize; I sympathize completely. Apathy is the solution. I mean, it's easier to lose yourself in drugs than it is to cope with life. It's easier to steal what you want than it is to earn it. It's easier to beat a child than it is to raise it. Hell, love costs: it takes effort and work."
Interaction between Brad Pitt's character Mills and Morgan Freeman's character Somerset in "Se7en"
What a loser
"High-stakes gambling is for addicts and idiots, which makes the World Series of Poker a celebration of the sad and the stupid. Watch this train wreck for yourself. It's available live on the Internet and will come to free television later this year thanks to ESPN, which can next build on this viewer experience by televising a DUI checkpoint or maybe a crack house"
Please join me in sending as many comments and e-mails to CBS sportonline "Trashing" this piece of crap. Gregg Doyle has probably been hammered for this, but I say lets keep the pressure on. Get this other quote:
"You won't hear about the man who called a gambling hotline to confess that he had embezzled $48,000 from his job and lost it at a poker table and now is afraid he's going to jail"
Hey Gregg...News Flash Buddy...if this is true which it probably is not, this person is a scumbag thief that deserves to go to jail. How can you defend this person by saying that this is because of poker. Oh ...its OK to steal $48,000 but the tragedy of the story is that he lost it playing poker instead of putting it in a coffee can and burying it in his backyard for a rainy day. How "Bass ackwords" is this comment? Lets see if I can think of an analogy...
This is like saying that a guy steals 48 large from his company, but because he is a no talent writer who is using it to fund this huge article he is writing about ...say about Baseball...lets just say the article is about Bonds steroid use...and he plagiarizes the entire article...so now he is scared he will lose his job and go to jail...so being a writer is the actual blame for his downfall. Not that he stole 48 large. Does that work as an analogy?...Yea...I think so
Here is the link http://cbs.sportsline.com/columns/story/10250057
Lets hammer this guy...
"But there is one thing in this story that checks out....There does appear to be a state in the union named Nevada" Steve Zahn's character Penenberg in "Shattered Glass"
Monday, July 16, 2007
Say it aint so...Scotty?
"He wanted to win this tournament tonight," Lee Watkinson said of Nguyen's usually dominant aggression. Unfortunately, that aggression is what essentially ended his improbable run at another main event title and the the poker world's hopes for a repeat champion"
This was the comments from Watkinson. I have to think that after seeing the hands that maybe he was thinking about Jamie Gold last year, and he was convinced he would need a dominant chip stack at the final table to win it all. Maybe he thought he would need at least 40% of the chips in play...I don't know.
"Even the supporters of his opponents cheered for Nguyen when their friends weren't involved in the hand against him. Imagine that at any other "sporting" event"
Sort of a..."The enemy of my enemy is my friend"...logic
In the first hand, Nguyen called a preflop raise only to have another player move all-in over the top. Nguyen folded.
Easy enough...
In the second hand, Lam raised from the small blind to $480,000 and Nguyen reraised from the big blind to $1.48 million. Lam called and the flop came Kh-5s-4h. Lam checked and Nguyen bet $700,000 only to have Lam call. The turn was another king and both players checked, slowing down momentarily. On the river, a jack came and Lam bet out for $1 million. After what seemed like minutes, Nguyen raised to $3.5 million and five minutes of deliberation later, Lam called and showed pocket 10s to take the pot. Nguyen showed 4-3 on his busted bluff attempt, and the negative swing continued.
The most crucial hand I think...thoughts ...comments? We all know that feeling. Being deep in a tournament on a stone cold bluff with your opponent in the tank for...it seemed like an eternity...only to have him say "Call" ...and then you get that kick to the stomach...Ouch
The very next hand practically marked the end for Nguyen. With a board of Qc-6h-5d-Kd, Nguyen re-raised Him all-in and was instantly called to see a set of fives. Nguyen, with A-Q, was drawing dead heading to the river and was crippled.
Somewhat of a "cooler"...but I want to think that he should have gotten away from this somehow. He just lost a "Huge" hand right before this one . We don't know the pre-flop play but I am sure there was raising involved...I don't know
The agony ended when Nguyen called from the blind and pushed all-in when he was first to act on a board of Kc-7c-3s. Once again Him instantly called with a pair of kings (Ks-Qc) and Nguyen, holding 9c-10c, needed a club to stay alive. Missing both the turn and river, Nguyen was eliminated and grabbed hold of the microphone to acknowledge the support he's received over the past few days.
Jam with a club flush draw.
My heart hurts just typing this. What hurt me the most was as I was reading this, I knew what the eventual outcome will be...He busts out. What also hurt was I can just see myself in a similar situation making these same types of calls/plays...and then being totally pissed off at myself. I would call Bill/Ray/Tex and rant and rave about "How could that guy have called with pocket 10's"...etc. "Why did I continue to Bluff", or "Why fire that last bullet after the river...just call and keep 2.5 million". My wife would then have had to see me mope around for a week, and then dig my nose into yet another poker book to figure out "What went wrong?"...Not Scotty though
I still have a long way to go, and I will finish this post off with a quote from a true champ..."Baby".
"First, I want to congratulate all the players here," Nguyen said. "I wish the best to all of you. But the most important thing is I want to thank the fans. Without you guys, we wouldn't have Scotty Nguyen. We're disappointed, but let me tell you, you guys gave me all I need"
Poker Champ Scoty Nguyen after being knocked out of the 2007 WSOP Main Event
Thursday, July 12, 2007
What do you guys think?
Feats of Strength
It's perhaps a bit surprising that this sort of thing doesn't happen more often, but still--the player at Table 24, Seat 3 moved all-in with and was called by Jimmy Blevins holding . The flop gave both players a pair, but on the turn Blevins hit the to make trips.At which point the player facing elimination slammed his fist down on the table so hard that it made the chips on the table jump. And then, when the hit the river and he knew he'd been eliminated, he LIFTED THE ENTIRE TABLE UP OFF THE GROUND and sent the chips and cards scattering all over the place. The players were able to protect their chips to keep them from spilling into a great messy pile, and the player who lost the hand was quickly removed from the table. The security cameras caught the whole episode, and from what we've heard he's going to be paid out, and then escorted from the building. We're not mentioning his name because we want to make 300% sure we have the right name (the players at his table weren't sure) and we don't want to slander the innocent.
What do you guys think?
"I'm going home... clear a path you mother fuckers clear a path.I'm going home". Michael Douglas' character Foster in "Falling Down"
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Back to the Belle
I got there at about 5:30, and it was "hot as hawbaker" out yesterday. I had to practically ring out the sweat from my shirt. It was a long haul in the sun at...like...105 degrees. Anyways, once I dried the shirt and turned a corner and "Bam"...I am in the poker area...its not a room.
They had 3 tables going with a 1-2nl and a couple of 4-8 limit hold-ems. I took a seat at the 4-8 game to wait for the 1-2 to open and hope that they might open another table. The game was pretty crazy for a 4-8 game. There was usually a raise pre-flop with 5-6 people seeing the flops. Some of the pots got huge. Below is an example of what a typical hand was.
I am on the button with 10c-10h and there is a raise before me to $8. I make it $4 more to go and we get 7 callers. Flop comes Qh-10s-7c. 5 of us cap it here. turn comes the 9h. 3 of us call a raise. River brings the 8c. The lady bets, and I call after the other person folds...we show down and she tables Jh-2c to win a huge pot. I was involved in numerous hands just like this that were $200+. I bought in to the game for $100, and cashed out with $386.00 for a smooth $286.00 profit. I flopped a full house once, and the nut flush twice.
Another one here were I made a terrible lay-down. The guy to my right was an Asian player that mumbles all the time. You can't understand a word he says and he was showing me his cards on every other hand. Ive got Kh5h and the we cap the raise 8 ways pre-flop. $100+ pre-flop in the pot. Flop comes all bricks with 2 paint cards, a Jack and Queen, and a deuce, we check all the way around. Turn comes the 5d, again, we check all around. In the meantime, again, I see mumbles hand and he has 5s8d. River comes the 7s. No flush or straights. Guy at the other end of the tables bets $8.00...mumbles reluctantly calls...I fold like and idiot because I think the guy has to have a higher pair, and the guy betting has Ac4d for Ace high. knuclehead mumbles drags the pot with his pair of fives with an 8 kicker and continues to ramble about something nobody can understand...I was pissed. What an idiot I was.
"If you want to see this last card your gonna stop speaking Sputnik" Ed Norton's character Worm in "Rounders"
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Just talked to Wild Bill...
I do know that he has got in the money 3 times so far on his trip. Mostly in the daily tourneys they have at the casinos. He did win 1st in the one last night. If I am not mistaken, I think it was a $60 buy in at the Treasure Island. He picked up $540.00 for first...his entry into the Main Event super he is playing in right now.
I went to Boomtown looking for a game Friday night, but there could not put together a NL game? I mean, I got there at 5pm, and waited around to 9pm, but nothing materialized. I am told that usually they do get a NL game going on weekends. I wanted a change of pace, and decided to play some 1-5 stud to pass the time. I am a firm believer that you will need to be a practitioner of all the games of poker to be a true "Poker Player". Bill and I both played in the $300 stud tournament they had at this years circuit event in New Orleans. It reminded of the old days years ago when all I played was stud and was just being exposed to hold-em...hell...I can remember when the 4-8 hold-em game was the "Big Game" at the Treasure Chest casino in Kenner years ago. I can remember driving 2 hours to play stud years ago a place called Bayou Caddy's on the Mississippi Gulf Coast...Wow...That was a while ago. The parking lot of Caddy's is still there on the first Mississippi exit coming from Louisiana.
"That's edelweiss. It grows in the mountains, above the treeline. Which means he climbed up there to get it. Supposed to be the mark of a true soldier" Ron Livingston's character Nixon in "Band of Brothers"
Friday, July 06, 2007
Session at Harrah's
I bought into the 1-2 nl game with $300.00 (Max). The game had just started, and I came around about 20 minutes later. Right off the bat I get in this hand from the BB. Guy UTG I have played with numerous times, and I know him as a somewhat good player. He wears a Poker Room shirt from Harrah's. I look down at Big Slick off. Poker shirt guy looks at one card and limps. Of course, ha also announces this to the table..."I only looked at one card and I will play". I don't want to get in a big hand this early. I want to get to look at everybody, and get at least a small read before I start raising...so I "knuckle" the table and we see the flop. Kc7s3d. I bet $20.00 ...shirt guy calls ...as does the button. Turn come the 2d. I bet $20, shirt guy raises and makes it $50 to go... button folds. I notice we have a drunk lunchbox across the table and he starts to comment on the hand before someone shuts him up. I have lots of "bells and whistles" going off in my head, but top pair -top kicker ain't bad...I liked my hand. River brings the Qd. With the flush out there, I check...and so does he...he tables pocket Aces..."AAHhhhhh YYeeeaaaa...so this is how this session is going to go".
For the next hour I donked off some more cheese in several hands where I chased an opened end straight. I have 7s6s and the flop comes 8c5h2s. The board bricked out on me. I started to get a little shotstacked when I got on a semi-rush. I double up with 9c10c when the board came 6s7c8h5h2s...and a medium stack called my all-in with 9-3o.
Next came the hand of the night. "Drunkbox" wins a couple of pots on lucky 2 outers and such, and has accumulated a big stack. Everybody was after him. It was so, funny to see the game "Tighten up like a 16 year old cheerleader" when he went smoke a cigarette, and then open back up once he got back. I pick up AhQc in middle position and raise it to $10. Get 3 callers including drunkbox on the button. Flop comes Qs9h5c. I make it $20 to go and everybody folds around to drunkbox who raises it to $50.00 ...I call turn brings the 8h. I bet $30 and he calls and whispers to his neighbor..."He ain't got shit...I am going to smoke his ass with A-K watch". River bricks out with a 2s, and I go in the tank thinking to myself whether he was on a "Trap"...I keep saying to myself..."Did he want me to hear that or not", "I think he really thought I could not hear him"...etc. I really think he did not mean for me to hear this...I bet $50.00. He starts to laugh and says, "You ain't got nothing huh ...brother"...."Can you beat A-K?". I just looked at him and I said, "You don't have A-K"...He gets mad and says ..."Oh yea...I call"...and he indeed turns over A-Ko.
Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"I hate jail, it's got the wrong kind of bars in it..." Micky Rourke's Character Henry in "Barfly"
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Well...Here we go again to see if the video uploads
We all decide to introduce ourselves once we get down to 4
Wow...it worked this time.
Good Luck to Wild Bill at the WSOP!!!
I am heading to Harrah's tonight to get in some action. I hope to be heading to the Gulf Coast next week. I plan on giving it hell at the IP and the Beau. I have still not made it out to check out the Amelia Belle. Damn...I need to get out there.
We will be posting some pics up on the site of some of the locals here around the southeast. I took these pics at the poker club we use to have in Houma...Sixth Street Social Club. I have pics of Tex, Joe B...etc.
We are planning a local tournament in Houma next week. It will happen on Thursday night 7/12. It will be $100 buy in...last month we had close to 30 people. Hopefully we will get enough people there to make a good tournament.
"Thirty years from now, when you're sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks you, "What did you do in the great World War II," you won't have to say, "Well... I shoveled shit in Louisiana."," George C Scott as General Patton in "Patton"
Monday, July 02, 2007
Last comment on the domain issue
I will try to keep this short as I don't have much time.
- All our gear will have "gulfcoastpoker.net" on it.
- We also...Have put in for copyright with a lawyer that specializes in this sort of thing from New York. He also plays with us in the "Dead Money" tournament you will be reading about. Bill is meeting with him Friday...in Vegas...at the WSOP.
- Please do not post on my blog anything more about this. My blog is for poker.
- If you want to discuss this, than e-mail me at genedeee@gmail.com with proof that you own the domain name. We do not know who you are. You could be some Internet kook posting on here just to cause trouble...we don't know.
Some things that we do know that are facts:
- They got gulfcoastpokerclub.com in Jan of '06. Gulfcoastpoker.net was available then. It was available up until I purchased it and put up our site in Sept. '06. Our site has been up for almost a year now. Why did he not get the .net version then?
- We had our site up before they did.
- They are posting on our site as we have lots of traffic. None of our people are posting to their site. Are they trying to use our site to drive traffic to theirs?...I don't know...you be the judge.
- Once they went to get the .com version, and then "Stumbled" upon our site. Why did they continue to get the .com version when they saw that we were already doing it?
- We are not anonymous...we are public, and our skill levels are proven.
- The picture on their site is not of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Until we know who were dealing with, not some anonymous poster on my blog that "Claims" they own the domain name, we are in a "Business as Usual" mode. We are not looking to get in a pissing match with anyone. Can we work with people...sure we can. If we meet the person that owns .com and we feel comfortable with him...who knows. It would be a combination of lots of variables.
Back to Poker...WE will be adding another blogger from the Tampa area that will be blogging on the Western Gulf Coast of Florida. He has 3 cashes in major tournaments with the results being public on poker sites, and He also cashed in last years main event.
Stay tuned...
"Guess what guys, it's time to embrace the horror! Look, we've got front row tickets to the end of the earth!" Steve Buscemi's character Rockhound in "Armageddon"
Friday, June 29, 2007
2 for 4...Not bad for a week
Am I that good...I don't know. I only claimed to be "Above Average" in my profile, and I think my profile on Card Player Magazine's cardplayer.com is proof of this. I don't claim to be the best player around, and I am not the best player on the Gulf Coast. I made a decision based off of the situation at hand based off my personal perception on the table, the people that were left in the game and how the tournament played out. I felt that this was the best decision for me and my bankroll. Again...I am not the best player in the world, I do not have the biggest bankroll and I do not play in the biggest games around. I am an everyday poker player trying to make it through the "Grind" of everyday poker playing. My heads up game is strong because I have played heads up numerous times. I play heads up quite often even though it is not mentioned in the blog.
I wanted to comment on the fact that Binion's has now been sold again. I personally hope that the company that purchased Binion's this time will put enough money into it to make it into the the classic Casino that it is. The poker room and staff there is really great and second to none. Maybe I am prejudice because of my cash there this year, but I did fell the "Nostalgia" of the place. My wife took some pictures and short videos of the table on the wall with signatures on it, and the wall of fame. To tell you the truth, I am actually glad that the I was able to be a part of the "First Annual Poker Classic" at Binion's
I am not going to respond to anyone that post critical stuff in my comments section unless I know your credentials. Show me who you are, what you have done, and how many tournaments you have cashed in...etc. Then I might think about responding to your comments. If you post anything in my blog that is "Inflammatory" or has anything to do with that other site , I will delete it until we sort this out. I have read Kevin's comments, and plan on responding. I am getting advice on whether this should be played out in a public forum, or off line. There are legal steps that can be taken by us, but I personally don't think that is necessary. If he is a young kid that is truly from the gulfcoast and he is trying to better the poker community on the gulfcoast ...well...Bill and I can admire that. This is not a blog for negative idiots who want to post things and be critical. If you think I need to do something different or better in my play...great...That is why I post here.
Well...Back to Poker...I went to the cash games after the tournament. I moved over to the Horseshoe to get in a NL game. I bought in for $500 and sat at a 2-5nl game for several hours. I lost $200 pretty quickly playing bad, and not being patient. I lost another $200 in a hand where I had Kings in the BB. I think I played the hand bad as I feel I played it "too aggressively". We have 3 players limp around to me including the SB. I make it $35 to go. All 3 limpers call...not good. I move in with the last of my stack about $280 in the dark after the flop. The dealer had not even put the flop on the table. Everyone folds around to the SB who makes some sort of speech about, "My wife is waiting on me", or,"I am ready to leave anyway". I know that I am dead once this is said. He calls with what he has left, another $175. Flop comes 9s3s8h. He shows As10s, so we are on a coin flip at this point. 9c peals of on the turn...Now I am at about a 69% to win (I think)...4s on the river...and I rake my last $75 back to me and leave the game.
My week in Tunica...4 tournaments...2 chops (Cashed in the Money)...Played in 4 sessions at the NL cash games...and left overall about a $200-$250 winner.
"Autumn comes slowly in New Orleans. The grass remains a stubborn green, but the heat gives way to a gentle warmth" Gabrial Macht character Lawson in "A Love Song for Bobby Long"
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Chalk up another Chop
he...Hhmm...Intresting. I think he has a Q, but I am not sure. River bricks out and he makes a nice, solid bet of 3 times the pot. I call like an idiot and he is holding AQo. I was a little pissed at myself. I sometimes wonder how I can play so bad. Went to the cash games and got in a tight 2-5nl game. I was in the game as it jumped off. I looked around, and the 1 seat is buying in for $900, the 3 seat for $1200, the 5 seat for $1000, so I say "Damn...looks like we got a poker game" and buy in for $750.00. I play tight most of the night going up to $900...down to $500...back up....etc. I picked up a profit of $65 after 2 1/2 hours. Biggest hand I had. From the button I called a $15 pre-flop bet with Ac8c. We see the flop 3 handed. I flop the nuts. Check...Check...I check. Turn card doesn't pair the board. Check...Check...I bet out $20.00 and get 1 caller. River is harmless ...check...I bet..fold. The monster I had been waiting for and I pick up $55.00 or so...Oh well
Last night I played the Sams Town $80/$25 tournament. I think we had 44 but not sure. Started strong and picked up some good hands. Busted a guy in the third level with Kings when I call his raise pre-flop. Flop is all low card and he bets out again...I raise...He re-raises all in and I call...He shows AQo..."Ship it to the Colonel". I built a nice stack and then I lost half my stack when I miss-played Jd10d to a guy I called this guy "Schleprock" because he looked like that guy Ben Affleck kicked out the room because he had his series 7. Flop comes out 8h9sQc. Great... right? Wrong. He checks and I bet...he smooth calls. Turn is the 10s. He checks and I bet...He calls. River is a harmless 3c. He check raises me all-in. My mind starts racing...If I call I will still have chips, but I won't be a force. I can still push people around with the stack I have...etc. I fold. The guy shows me 1 card...a K. I knew he had J-K. I got rattled and started tilting. I donked off some more chips.
We move to the final table where I am average in chips. The first hand I get pocket 6's...I raise. Schleprock, who is the chip leader, re-raises. I go in the tank, and I have him on a big Ace. I jam .... He calls and turns over big slick. A 6 peals off the flop, and the board pairs on the turn. BAM. I win a few more hands. I am now 2nd in chips and a force to be reckoned with.
We play down to 6, and they start talking chop. They are paying down to 5, and the total prize
pool is 2800. Scleprock is chip leader, and I am second with a little more than 1/2 of his stack.
He says he will chop if he gets $700.00. Everyone is ready and they all look at me. I say, "No way...I am not giving him $700.00". The other 4 are all about even, but the blinds are going up. We play a hand...everybody starts talking chop again...I am silent. Schleprock starts with the table banter with me, "Come on man, look at my stack", "I got more than you "...etc. If he takes $700 we all get $420. Nah...he can do better.
I told him my, "Heads up game was strong" and that I would be, "willing to bet on the side if we wound up heads up". I then propose to the table that he take $600.00 I will consider it, but I want more than $440, and I waited while the bottom 4 guys huddled up. So we chop 6 ways with schleprock getting $600...I took $540...the last 4 took $415.
2 for 3 on the week and will be playing again tonight a 6pm @ The Goldstrike with a $100/$25 F/O with a $5000 guarantee.
"Somebody messes with me, I'm gonna mess with him" Robert DeNiero's character Al Capone in "The Untouchables"
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Can you believe this guy?
Hello gentlemen, I enjoy your blogs. Gulfcoastpoker.com is a site that I believe fellow bloggers will love. It is in no way a copy of Gulfcoastpoker.net. I wish you gentlemen good luck with your site and invite you to be a part of ours as well. We will be up and running shortly and are excited to what this site will bring to local poker players.
By you posting this on my blog you have now convinced me...beyond a reasonable doubt...That you indeed stole our idea for the site. If you would have just went ahead and built your site and said nothing then I would have had to wonder whether someone else may have just had the same idea as me. We wanted the domain name gulfcoastpoker.com, and now you have it. My blog will be a testament to the whole world that you guys have been "Lurking" on my site and that you guys pulled a "Fast One" by getting the domain name right when it became available ...while I was in Vegas actually playing in the WSOP. Do you even play on the Gulf Coast?
On a positive note, we are adding another blog to the site today. Please come check out Big Ray's blog. He is considered one of the more aggressive players in the New Orleans/Gulf Coast region. He is widely known in the poker circles and highly respected. He spent the entire first day of the Main Event in New Orleans sitting next to Gavin Smith. This is the one where Gavin got 2nd to Peter Feldman...He played his heart out. You can check out his blog at ...(Drum Roll starts up in the background)... www.gulfcoastpoker.net ....Bo Ya....
I want to assure everyone that we all live, and play on the gulf coast. We will be traveling and bringing feedback, poker hands, logic, theory...etc from cash games and tournaments from the
Isle of Capri in Lake Charles around to the Hard Rock in Tampa. You will get a look at what it is like "In the trenches" on the gulf coast. I will post later about my tournament last night at the Gold Strike.
I think this is what it might have taken to get us motivated. Someone trying to come in and backdoor us on our idea. We are meeting with the lawyers next Monday, and with the apparel company on Wednesday. We all will be wearing Gulfcoastpoker.net gear in our next tournaments.
"I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fail... when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. This day, we fight!" Viggo Mortenson's character Aragon in "Lord of the Rings"
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Tunica update...and stealing ideas...what a world
I got in 2 hands early that really solidified my table image, and helped me also with my read on the table. The first one was really easy and fairly simple. I am UTG with the blinds at $25-$50 and I look down and pocket jacks...the hand everyone loves to hate. I make it $225.00 to go because I hate the hand and would rather take it down there. Everyone folds around to the BB who calls...Hmm...lets seeeee...lets call $175 more to protect $50. I immediately put him a monster. Flop comes As10c3d. I check ...he checks turn comes 9d...I check ...he bets out $500 and I say, "Yea...you better try to get something out of the monster hand you have" and I fold the Jacks up...he smiles and shows the pocket aces.
The next hand I had pocket 10's in middle position. There were 3 limpers, so I made a nice raise to 3-4 times the BB. The cutoff re-raises. we see the flop 2 handed heads-up Flop comes Ac9c6d. I check...guy checks. turn bring Ah. I go in the tank here thinking I can steal the pot. My fear is that he played something like A-K to A-Q. I decide to just check...dude checks. Now this has me wondering what he has. I still have him on a big hand...but doe she have an Ace? The river brings the Qs...I now check...he can't even pull his hand back from the middle of the pot before I fold the 10's face-up. He shows pocket Kings.
We wound up chopping 8 ways…I took home $545 after dealer tip out…picked up another $125.00 in a 1-3 NL cash game at the Horseshoe. 1 for 1 on the week so far
Stealing ideas...Well what do you know...it looks like since I have been dragging my feet on getting our regional website up and running, someone has decided to steal my idea. I should not have been telling so many people about what we were planning to do. I should have known better. I knew the .com version was set to expire soon, and we planned on grabbing it. I guess we will just have to see who has the better site once we have our stuff up. We have 5 more bloggers set to start posting soon, "Wild" Bill and I are are adding things and changing things daily, and we are planning on using the WPT event in Biloxi to kick off our site. I am just wondering who it is that is starting the other site. I wonder whether I actually know them...or did they just read my blog and said, "Hey...that's a great idea".
This is the USA, and competition is free and fair. This blog will be the testament that building a regionalized website around the gulf coast region...was my idea
"Waaarrioooors! come out and play!...Warriors, come out out and PLAY-YAAAA" David Patrick Kelly's character Luther in "The Warriors"
Saturday, June 23, 2007
UFC and a relaxing Sat night
My predictions: I really like Nate Diaz to take the TUF championship. I think he is a stand up guy that will tell you what on his mind. His brother Nick has helped him get that attitude of "don't let no one push you around". Stand up and fight if you have to. So, obviously, I am going with Nate Diaz over Manny Gambarayn.
I really like Jens Pulver as the coach. I think he is a cooler person in general than BJ Penn although I would love to see him beat BJ, I don;t think that is what is going to happen. I think BJ may just be more "hungry" to make up for the lost to Jens years ago.
I keep seeing that Burger King commercial for the "Western Whopper", and I can't help but crack up laughing thinking about Captain Stacks. That mustache on the commercial is soooo cool. It reminds me of the Cap. I keep thinking of him doing that little "Ho-down" dance ;-)...I hope you are tearing them up in Vegas Captain Satcks!!!
"The first rule of Operation Mayhem is ...you do not ask questions" Brad Pitt's character Tyler in "Fight Club"
Friday, June 22, 2007
Book Reviews
First book:
Reading People, Jo-Ellen Dimitrius, PH.D., and Mark Mazzarella
Great book about reading people in general. Not only has it helped me out in my poker game, but it has also helped me out in interviewing people at my job, reading the salespeople when they try to lie and reading the customers when we are at a closing appointment. It is so much like a poker game when you are in front of a customer proposing your service and they are giving you objections and such. I see the same tells, body language and demeanor. It is funny.
Jo-Ellen Dimitrius' claim to fame is she is one of several people that picked the O.J Simpson jury...I think I would rather be known for something s little more sincere that, "I picked the jury that let a killer walk the earth free for as long as he is alive"...pitiful...but it is a good book. She claims she got a lot of flack about the fact that she was apart of the team that picked that jury...A must read for poker players.
Second book:
Ultimate Guide to Poker Tells, Randy Burgess with Carl Baldassarre
Wild Bill turned me on to this book...WOW...what a book. I think that besides the Harrington books, which by the way, I consider them my Poker Bibles, this book really helped me take a look not only at my opponents, but at my own perception of myself. It helps you to take a look at body language, table talk, eye contact, playing with your chips and lots of other visual variables that allow you to read into what your opponents hold. It is amazing how "behavioral analysis" will make you into a winner...or loser
R.I.P
Goes out to Roxy...Captain Stacks loyal companion for over 12 years. Captain Stacks...hang in there big guy. I know it sucks right now, but it will get better.
"Look, if you had 1 shot...1 opportunity ...2 seize everything u ever wanted...One moment ...Would u capture it ...or just let it slip" Eminem's character rabbit in "8 Mile"
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Heading back to Tunica next week
Monday night 6pm @ The Goldstrike with a $100/$25 freeze-out with a $5000 guarantee
Tues night 6pm @ The Goldstrike with a $50/$10
Wed night 6pm @ Sam's Town with a $80/$25 Freeze-out
Thurs night 6pm @ The Goldstrike with a $100/$25 F/O with a $5000 guarantee
I will try to keep everyone posted on how I do. Lets Poker Martin actually cashed in one of the Deep stack events at the Venetian. I think he fell around 35th and collected about $1400.00. Good job buddy!!!
Fellow blogger Captain Stacks is now blogging and you can find his blog in my comments section. I am going to talk to "Wild" Bill and see if maybe we can link the blog with our site...with stacks approval of course. We are still working on the site...it looks kind of cheesy right now. I want to apologize for missing you in Vegas stacks. I wish I now would have made it a point to go meet you guys, but it was crazy. It looks like he also has a 1st place cash for over a quarter of a million. Damn Stacks...I didn't know I would attract someone of your skill level to my blog. Let me know when you want to stake me...I am all ears on whatever you would suggest. I have been looking for a stakehorse to put me in a couple of tournaments. I can be ...your "Protege" HaHaHaHahHaHa. Sort of like Negreanu and Anthony Mak...no seriously...Thanks for showing yourself. The mustache is pretty cool.
I have had numerous conversations with lots of my friends about whether this is a good idea or not. Some said I should have kept my anonymity while other commended me for coming out and having the balls to put myself out there like this. I have "Lurked" on so many blogs in the past years, and finally I said, Oh well, lets see where this all goes.
"I came here to do two things..drink beer and kick some ass..looks like we're almost out of beer" Ben Affleck's character O'bannion in "Dazed and Confused"
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Hellmuth and his final table
1) Stamina/Tiredness. He may have made a stupid play the night before because he was tired, and we all agree that he was fresh the next day. 2) Different set of playing cards 3) Having a different dealer. The old dealer may have dealt him Kings against his opponents Aces. 4) Different shuffle machine 5) Having to re-draw seats for the final table... the stars and planets re-aligned...numerous variables in the cosmos that will point to the fact that no one will be able to "know" what would have happened if they kept playing to the final 9. The final table ...is the final table...is the final table. I don't believe that they can now say that since he made it past 9 people...this is now considered a "Legitimate Final Table". My thoughts...Yes...he made the final table...with an asterisks.
This is my opinion. Personally, I think he is a great player. I would have loved it if he would have stepped up and said..."No...No...No...we need to keep playing because if I make the final table tomorrow, I don't want any questions". He did not do this. If you do not agree, I would love to hear what everyone else thinks ...in a very calm and civilized verbiage.
I am going to cut and paste a hand from the blog that will explain "How" he continues to do well and move up in tournaments.
(From Kaelaine Minton's blog)
"Blinds are 10k/20k and Phil raised to 40k, a minimum raise. Even I could smell the trap from across the room, but Brett raised enough to put Phil all-in. When action got back to Phil, he made his trademark 'insta-shove' and turned over his pocket Aces -- duh. Brett held 7 4 (I don't make this stuff up, folks). Phil ran over to the stands and got insurance from Phil Ivey, who is watching this final table. If his Aces get cracked, Ivey will pay him $90,000. The board came K J 8 K K and Phil doubled up"
This explains it folks...people play bad against him.
"Fortune and glory kid, fortune and glory" Harrison Fords Character Indiana Jones in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom"