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A Beat Down in Paradise
I recently played in Day 1 of the Ultimatebet.com Aruba Poker Classic. After working out on Monday night, and meditating right before I played, I felt ready to finally make it through Day 1. During the last three years, I didn’t make it past the first day. At least one of those years I just played badly. Three years ago, I self-destructed and knocked myself out of the tournament early. Two years ago, I lost a hand where the flop was K-7-7, and my opponent called a check raise with Q-Q, only to hit a queen on the turn and bust me. Last year I had some bad luck along with some average play.
This year I felt like I was at or near the peak of my powers, and thus I trusted myself when I decided to avoid slow playing any of my hands. The reason that I decided against using the slow-play tactic was this: it is too risky for one tournament result. At the World Series of Poker I can use the slow-play tactic, and if it doesn’t work, then I get to play the very next day.
Here in Aruba, if the slow-play tactic didn’t work, then I would have to go to Plan B, and hang out at the beach. Plan B wasn’t bad (it is Aruba!), but I’m trying to be a champion every time I play a tournament.
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Brothers Battle in Aruba
For my father’s recent 70th birthday, the family rallied and made it to sunny Aruba to celebrate. My gift to my dad was the penthouse suite at the Radisson Hotel for nine days. This suite is so nice that it occupies its own floor!
Eventually, we found a nice little $5-$5 blind no limit Hold ’em game at the Radisson’s casino with a $200 buy-in. One night, my brother Dave, my sister Molly and I hopped into that game, and as is the custom with our highly competitive family, we played hard against one another. Both hands that I’ll talk about involved my brother and me.In the first hand, I limped in for $10 with J-8, and Dave limped in right behind me with 10-9. The flop was 8-7-5, and I bet out around $50 into the $50 pot. Dave called, and the turn card was a three. Now I moved Dave all-in for his last $105 or so. He said, “I guess I’ll call.” We flipped our hands up and I asked the dealer to hold off on dealing the last card. I said to Dave, “I’m over a 2-to-1 favorite, but I’ll split the pot with you.”
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Erupting in London
After playing for nine days at the World Series of Poker Europe in London, the highlight of my trip was a publicity stunt. I’m a person that prides himself on winning poker tournaments and making the final tables (the final nine players) — or at least making the money (the final 10 percent of the field). Since none of that happened, at least I had a stunt to remember the trip by:
UltimateBet.com rented a red double-decker bus with my face painted on it and signs reading “Phil Hellmuth Invades London” (for video check out youtube.com). Right from the bus, I walked into the Casino at the Empire on Leicester Square (where the WSOPE was held) with 12 beautiful models (sorry, honey) all in tow. At least I can say that I won the “best entrance” award.
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London Calling
When it was announced that the World Series of Poker Europe would be giving away three official World Series of Poker bracelets in London, almost every great poker player in the world cleared their schedules from Sept. 4 to Sept. 16. After all, it was the first time that a bracelet was given away outside of Las Vegas. And who wanted to miss that party?
On Sept. 10, I rolled into the Casino at the Empire on Leicester Square. Being that this event was so important, I decided to rent a red double-decker bus — open on top — and have a quick tour of London before I began my play. Of course, the bus had my picture on all four sides (press stunt), a DJ up top, a camera crew, the media and 12 beautiful models along for the ride. By the time I arrived at the Empire, I was in an awesome mood.
I began my day on the TV table, and was joined there by a great player named Thor Hanson. Despite being friends, Hanson and I started jawing at each other, which ended with Hanson saying, “I don’t fear you.” And without missing a beat, I said, “You should.”
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A Great Call in a Monster Game
I recently played in a $50,000 buy-in no-limit Hold ’em game in Las Vegas. The blinds started out at $200-$400, but a mere two hours into the game they were kicked up to $500-$1,000.
Rebuys were $50,000 a pop, making this particular game one of the biggest no-limit Hold ’em games I have ever played in. A great hand came up during play: With the blinds at $500-$1,000, Player A opened for $4,000, Player B called from the small blind, and Player C called as well with J-10. The flop was Js-10s-4s. Player B checked and Player C checked. Player A bet $15,000, Player B called $15,000 and Player C announced, “I raise.” Player C raised it up $45,000 more, Player A folded and Player B called instantly, but strangely Player B didn’t put any chips into the pot (which is OK as verbal declarations stand).
On the turn the 9h hit, and Player B announced he was all in. Player C studied for a while — with his top two pair — while counting down his own chip stack. Player C had more than $150,000 in chips left in front of him, and he was faced with a tough decision. What would you do with J-10 right here?
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Get a Hotel?
My wife tells me that I’ve been traveling too much lately. Since she’s never complained about my traveling before, I knew she was right. Thus, when the World Poker Tour event at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles recently came up, I chose to fly to it on starting day, rather than a day early. That way, I had a day to hang out with my family. I considered skipping the tournament altogether, but this is one of the important ones with tons of history behind it. Way back when — in the ’80s and ’90s — this tournament was considered a “major” on the poker tour. In fact, the main event at the “Bike” was the first major that I won on tour, way back in 1988.
I arrived at the bike at 2:40 p.m. for a 2 p.m. start time and was promptly given a penalty for swearing — oops. I had been in the casino merely eight minutes before they asked me to leave the tournament area for one round of play (about 10 minutes or so). And I was certainly guilty. I swore, but not at anyone specifically, just over the frustration of losing with 10-10, 8-8 and 10-10 in eight minutes of play. Losing all three of those pots was probably due to the fact that I slow-played all three hands. At the break, I decided to play more aggressively (no more slow playing!), and lo and behold the chips started piling up.
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