The Mandalay Bay Play

Date: 2007.06.04 | Category: Hand Of The Week | By: Phil Hellmuth   

The Mandalay Bay recently hosted a $10,000 buy-in World Poker Tour tournament. Because this event ran right before the start of the World Series of Poker, many of the top players in the world turned out to play. I was thinking, “Why not win a WSOP bracelet, and a WPT title, in the same month?”

Although the tournament began at noon, I showed up close to 4 p.m., which is well beyond my customary late appearance. But I knew that the structure was a slow one, and that it wouldn’t hurt me too much to show up late. One more time, I chose extra sleep over showing up on time.

About an hour after I arrived, with the blinds at $100-$200 and a $25 a man ante, I raised it up to $700 to go with As-6s. I was called by a player right behind me, and then Player A (a loose, aggressive player) in the big blind called as well. The flop came down 6h-4c-3c, Player A checked, I bet out $1,400, and the other player folded. Player A called and the turn card was the Ad. Now I had top two pair. Player A checked, I bet out $2,500, and Player A called. The last card was the 8c, and Player A checked. I reasoned that Player A had a draw, but if it was a flush draw, then why did he check when he hit his flush?