Trying to Run Over Stu Ungar

In the championship event at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in 1997, I found myself leading the tournament with almost $400,000 when there were about 50 players left. I was sitting in seat No. 9 and Stu Ungar (Stuey) was sitting in seat No. 7. Although there were reportedly 30 bracelets at the table that day (the players there had a combined 30 WSOP titles), I don't remember who any of my other opponents were. There was Stuey and there was me, period. I mean no disrespect to anyone else at that table, but Stuey and I battled almost every hand! Sometimes he would make a raise with nothing and I would reraise him with nothing, and he would fold. Sometimes it was vice versa. Stuey and I were raising every pot and running over the table! Whenever any other player showed weakness in any pot that we were involved in, we just put the big power bet on and stole the pot.

I felt very good about playing against Stuey. I had done well against him during my life – up until that day. Other people had told me how great a player he was, but I thought that I could handle him. In fact, I had handled him in the past. This, however, would prove to be the most important battle that Stuey and I would ever have. That day, in the biggest, most prestigious, and most important event that exists in poker, Stuey just flat out beat me. I must have bluffed off $250,000 to him that day! I continued to try and bluff him, and he continued to call me. With $1 million for first place and poker history hanging in the balance, Stuey "out-dueled" me. I tried to run over him, but instead, he got his back up and just called me right on down. He went on to win his third world championship over the next two days, while I finished 24th or so. Imagine one man winning three world championships – wow! I take my hat off to the late, great Stu Ungar. May he rest in peace.

I recall a couple of the hands in which Stuey beat me. In one hand, Stuey made a raise with the A 3, and I called with the K J. The flop came 7 4 3, and Stuey bet out. I figured that I had two overcards with my flush draw, so I decided to raise. I made a big raise to try to bluff Stuey out of the pot, but he called me. The next card off the deck was the 4, for a board of 7 4 3 4. Stuey checked and I made another big bet, and he called me fairly quickly with his bottom pair. The last card was a blank, the 8, and Stuey checked. I just gave up and "dogged it" (checked behind him). When he showed me his hand, I stared at it in disbelief for a moment and said, "Oh, I see, you were going to try to bluff me with the bare A in your hand if the flush card hit." He just smiled and said, "The thought had crossed my mind." Whatever the case may be, he did manage to take the heat with bottom pair in the world championship!

In another hand, I limped in with A-10 while the blinds were $600-$1,200. The reason that I just limped in instead of raising was that I had been raising every single pot, and I was afraid that someone was going to come over the top of me soon. When you're running over the table, sometimes you need to back off a little bit. Stuey was in the big blind with Q-J, and he checked after the flop came down J-9-4. I was mad at myself for limping in, so I decided that I was going to win this pot no matter what. Yeah, right! There was one other limper behind me to be concerned about, but I said to myself, "I'll 'power play' this pot." I bet out $10,000 into the $5,000 pot, and Stuey called me with his top pair. There was no flush draw, so it was one heck of a call that he made. I guess that the big bet convinced him that I was weak. The next card off was a jack, for a board of J-9-4-J, and Stuey checked to me again. I fired out $20,000 on the power move, and Stuey hesitated for a minute before calling me with his trip jacks. I decided that I was going to give up again and not bluff the river, but an ace hit, for J-9-4-J-A, and Stuey checked to me again. I pondered for a moment. I had Stuey firmly planted on a pair of nines. Meanwhile, the ace had given me a pair of aces. I remember telling myself that Stuey could call a $20,000 bet only if he had three jacks, and therefore I shouldn't bet. Finally, I decided not to "dog" my best possible card on the river. I bet $20,000 and Stuey beat me into the pot! I said, "I have an ace." He said, "No good." Then, he said, "Phil, you gave me $40,000 drawing dead." So I did, Stuey, so I did!

I hope you enjoyed this Hand of the Week. Good luck playing your hands this week.

Editor's note: You can play poker with Phil Hellmuth for fun and for free at www.ultimatebet.com. To read about Phil or more of his Hand of the Week columns go to www.philhellmuth.com.