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Author Archive
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WSOPE Winning Hand
My final hand (the winning hand) of the 2012 WSOPE Main Event. So cool to have it framed!
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“All In” for Kids Poker Tournament
We raised almost $800k over the weekend at the annual “All In” for Kids Poker Tournament, sponsored by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. This is the 5th anniversary of the tournament, which has raised close to $5M for the hospital. I was proud to be back as Emcee!!
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Hand of the Week: Win the War, Not the Battles
During the 2003 WSOP, poker pros Freddy Deeb and Marcel Luske had been really working me, bluffing me out of hands a combined 17 times in a single event! Yes, they outplayed me many times that day, but their wins were relatively unimportant battles — really just a bunch of small pots.
My plan was to win the war.
That same year, at the Bellagio’s World Poker Tour Doyle Brunson Classic, I faced off against Freddy Deeb once again. This time, though, I wasn’t in the mood to let him run his bluffs against me. Freddy started things off in a similar fashion, tossing in huge raises with the blinds at $100/$200, but once I started calling his game I had him dominated. Obviously, when a person bluffs continuously and successfully, they’re getting away with something and need to be put in their place. It was time for me to step in.
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Bahamas
Beautiful Bahamas! I’m in paradise this week drinking scotch, smoking cigars, and eating red snapper while gearing up for PokerStars PCA. Staying with a friend, and the view couldn’t be better! Clouds reflecting in the pool with beach, Caribbean Sea, palm trees and sun streaking through the clouds. Ahhhhh.
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Family Ties
This year marked my first win in our annual holiday Family Poker Championship! Here’s our traveling bracelet: sterling silver with initials engraved on the back. Do you think I can count this as WSOP #14?
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Poker News Interview
By Tatjana Pasalic, via Poker News…
Tatjana Pasalic: Hi Phil and welcome! How was your experience in China?PH: I love it here! I mean, from a poker point of view, I sat down at the small blind five hours late, busted on the big blind. I lasted one round! I did take an incredible beat. It was a dream come true scenario – blinds were 150/300, I open for 1k. I had already come over the top once. This is my 5th hand. The guy behind calls, button makes it 2900. I call with JJ. The other guy starts studying and studying…and I think: ‘God, I hope he moves in!’. He looked like he wanted to call and he did. Then came 2, 3 7, with the 7 and 3 of clubs, excuse me the 7, 2 of clubs, 3 of spades. I checked, the other guy checks. The button bet 5300 and I am studying and thinking. My mind says I have to fold this as I do not want to jam 60 BB but I just won the WSOPE and my instincts, I have all my bracelets on my instincts, so I have to go with them. I feel like he does not have AA or KK. I am really good at reading those hands.
I start talking to him and I see he is nervous. He doesn’t even have queens. I ship it! 10300 more and the other guy folds right away and it gets back to him and he starts studying. The minute 10 seconds pass, I am like alright, he does not have queens but once 20 seconds passed I knew he did not have queens and I am thinking ‘This is beautiful! I have the best hand and I am proud of the way I played it.’
I started joking, I walked over to Matt Savage and Adam Pliska from the WPT and the director of the casino, Andrew Steel. They are all standing there and I say, ‘God, I can’t believe I moved all in for 60BB with JJ already. So unlike me! But now I am about 95% sure I have the best hand.’
I go back to the table and it has been announced that I am all in, a big crowd gathers around and I say to the guy, ‘Hey, you can be famous if you call and bust me.’ He flips over the J2 of diamonds. I was in shock! It can’t get better than this. He can’t even make a backdoor flush. He’s drawn to a duck! I mean, it is so beautiful; I am a 1:11 favorite.
