POKER HAND #8

WSOP, NOT THE BIG ONE: From Daniel Negreanu's great website, fullcontactpoker.com:

With the blinds at just $4,000-$8,000, I expected a long, drawn out match, considering our respective styles of play. Just six hands into the heads-up match, however, we played a monster pot: Phil limped in on the button and I checked from the big blind with Q-8 offsuit. The flop came Qc 8h 2h. In other words, I flopped gin. Hoping that Phil would bluff at it, I checked, but he checked behind me.

The turn brought the 5, putting three hearts on board. I decided to try for the check-raise once more, hoping Phil might see my double check on the flop and the turn as weakness. Phil bit this time, betting $30,000. With three hearts on board and several straight draws out there, I decided not to get cute with the hand, so I made a substantial raise to $130,000.

Phil didn’t seem shaken however. He didn’t seem to mind very much that I’d just raised him. “Uh-oh,” I thought. “Phil just might have the flush.” Phil’s check on the flop didn’t rule out that possibility to me at all, as he is more than capable of checking the flush draw on the flop behind me.

I was getting that sinking feeling in my stomach … I was trapping Phil here, but it looked like I might be the one getting trapped. Yep, Phil reraised me my last $117,000. As much as I hated to call, I really didn’t feel like I had much choice. Sure, I was probably beat, but there were several hands Phil could have that didn’t beat mine, and the pot was laying me too big a price to fold. He could have A-Q with a heart, a worse two pair, or even just top pair with a flush draw. I called.

Phil turned over the 4h 3h and I wasn’t able to snag a miracle queen or 8 on the river. Oh well, I’ve had worse days, I guess.

I’ve gone over that hand in my head several times, and I realize there were alternate ways to play it, but I’m not disappointed with the choice I made. Sure, I could have just called on the turn and then check-called the river and saved some chips. Sure, I could have listened to that old saying, “You can never be too careful,” but the truth is, living by that statement while playing tournament poker will keep you on the outside looking in. There comes a point in every tournament when it’s imperative to take some risks. This seemed like one of them.

I’m rarely, if ever satisfied with a second-place finish, but considering the fact that my final two opponents are two of the truly great no-limit hold’em players of our time, I can honestly say it was a happy second, and I consider that finish one of my more memorable achievements.