Crashing And Getting Knocked Out At WSOP

Date: 2007.07.16 | Category: Hand Of The Week | By: Phil Hellmuth   

More than 6,300 people played in the main event of the 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP). While the number is down from last year’s 8,700, no one this year was forced to play in the main event. And those who did play came to Las Vegas of their own accord. And why not? You get to play in the biggest, most prestigious poker tournament on Earth, if only you have the $10,000 buy-in.

My own adventure began when I was inducted into the “Poker Hall of Fame.” That same weekend, while filming a commercial, I wrecked a NASCAR vehicle in the Rio Hotel’s parking lot. The video of my car accident is at Splashcastmedia.com. Still, it wasn’t a very auspicious start to the main event, which I was knocked out of right before the dinner break. Here’s one hand that really nailed me:

With the blinds at $200-$400, I picked up A-K, and limped in for $400 — with around $17,000 in chips in front of me (we started with $20,000). The guy right behind me (Player A) made it $800 to go and three players called the $800. When the action came back to me, I reraised it $3,000; and then Player A called me, along with — surprisingly — the player in the small blind. There was now $14,000 in the pot going to the flop, and it comes down K-7-7. The player in the small blind checked, I bet $2,000, Player A called, and the small blind folded his hand. The turn was a J, and I hated it. I gazed into Player A’s eyes, and I did not like what I saw.