Great Laydown for Phil

The L.A. Poker Classic at Commerce Casino was one of the best tournaments of the year thus far. The first event, a limit hold'em tournament with a $300 buy-in and rebuys, had a first-place payout of more than $160,000. Now, that's starting a series of events with a bang! Many of the $300 and $500 buy-in events had first-place prize money of more than $40,000. And in the $1,500 buy-in (with rebuys) limit hold'em event that guaranteed $1 million in prize money, who would have expected $570,000 for first place? Although Austin Powers makes light of the fact that a million dollars isn't very much money, even the highest-stakes players in the world were licking their chops over the possibility of winning $570,000 for first place in this glorious event. I applaud Commerce Casino management for putting together such a well-designed tournament, and I hope that they continue to run this event every year. Yes, a player from Palo Alto won the $570,000 first prize, but it wasn't me! It was Diego Cordovez, and he didn't even consider making a deal. Nice job, Diego.

I flew into L.A. on Wednesday, Feb. 6 to "warm up" with a $300 buy-in pot-limit hold'em event. I was feeling pretty good about my play, as I had finished in the money in three of the last five tournaments I had played down in Tunica. As the tournament progressed and I made it into the money, the players were all joking, "Here comes Phil; he pops into town and knocks off the first event that he plays in." Not exactly! When we hit the final two tables, Steve "Country" Riehle (who was at the final table with me at the World Series of Poker last year) was playing very aggressively. I noted this and told myself, "He's going to go through some chips by playing that fast. I'll just sit back and pick him off when I have a hand." So much for the best laid plans of mice and men!

When we were down to five players at each table, the following hand came up between "Country" and me. I had just witnessed Country go all in with A-6 against his opponent's K-K, and Country made a straight and aces (8-7-5-9-A) to win the pot! With the blinds at $800-$1,600, Country opened for the maximum of $5,600 from first position. I had 10-10 in second position, and I was getting ready to move my $16,000 all in. I was studying Country when I suddenly thought, "Wow, somehow I know Country has Q-Q or better this hand. Given this read, I must fold my hand right now." To me, this would be a world-class laydown, to throw away 10-10 fivehanded for a single preflop raise against a guy who's raising every hand. Anyway, I went with my gut and threw my hand away. Country then showed K-K, and I jumped out of my seat pumping my fist and shouting, "That's how you play poker, baby! Throw away 10-10 when you know it is no good!" I showed the pocket tens to everyone at the table, and thought, "This is my tournament to win right now." However, I made a "bonehead" play merely three hands later that left me shaking my head in disgust.

With a second-place chip position of $16,000, I was a strong favorite to make it down to the final three players. All I had to do was play the safe style I had played all day long. I merely had to wait for others to make mistakes, and then pounce like a lion on their chip stacks. Only once did I move all in on someone, and I had Q-Q that time. Now, I was sitting in the small blind and Country raised it to $5,600 to go on the button (he raised the max again). I looked down at the K J, and started to ponder what to do. Normally, I would throw this hand away, but Country was playing so aggressively that I was considering moving all in with it. After a long deliberation, I thought, "OK, Country has A-10, and he can't call me if I move all in." I then announced, "I'm all in!" After the big blind folded, Country jumped out of his seat (never a good sign) and said, "I got him! I have two aces, Phil."

What in the world was I thinking? I never risk all of my chips on a bluff or a semibluff. I always sit back and wait for people to give their chips to me when they overplay their hands. This time, I was overplaying my hand. I couldn't believe that I made such a bad play. I didn't have anyone to blame but myself. Was I unlucky that Country had survived 10 hands earlier with his A-6 against his opponent's K-K? Was I unlucky that Country had picked up K-K when I had 10-10, and then picked up A-A on the button against my K J in the small blind? No, it was entirely my fault; all I had to do was throw away K J for $5,600. All I had to do was wait and move my chips like I have learned to do over the years. All I had to do was wait for either the first-place trophy or a bad beat.

I should at least have a good story when I am eliminated from a tournament. Maybe the story would have been, "Boys, I took A-K all in against Country's A-Q, and he hit a queen." Perhaps I would have left that night with a first-place trophy. It sure would have been nice to write this Hand of the Week without the K J part in it. It sure would have been nice to say, "After that great laydown, I cruised to victory and $47,000 for first place."

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

Editor's note: Phil Hellmuth can often be found teaching poker online at Ultimatebet.com. To learn more about Phil, or to read more Hand of the Week Articles, go to philhellmuth.com.