Tikay's Table Tales

So, that's what the World Series of Poker is like at close hand. I never got to play in it; $10,000 is a bit heavy for the ol' fella. However, I got so close I could feel the action and took away memories aplenty.

How often do you hear this down at your local casino?

It's the final of the main event, and the MC announces matter of factly, "There will now be a short break whilst we colour up the $10,000-denomination chips." The $10,000 chips? Now, we've all seen colouring up of 25-point chips, 100-point chips, and occasionally the 1,000s, but the 10,000s? Just think about it. Every single chip represented the entire starting stack of one player! And they were colouring them up – thousands of them. It was breathtaking.

Quality Starting Hands

Jo Hachem invested $16 million in the last hand of the big final. It was some pot and some hand. What did he hold? A-A perhaps, or K-K? Nope. 7-3 off. Imagine that, sticking $16 million in a pot with 7-3 off!



So, how did this unimaginable sum get in the middle? There was $32 million in total, as Hachem's opponent, Steve Dannenmann, was all in for $16 million.



Aussie Jo took a flop with 7-3, and Dannenmann was dominating him with A-3. Jo looked like he was drawing to a 7, and was a 73-to-27 underdog, according to the CardPlayer.com Poker Odds Calculator.



Try telling me that the poker gods were not having a laugh when the flop came down 6-5-4. Jo could hardly believe his eyes; he'd flopped an invisible straight, and the second nuts. His only problem was how to get his money in the middle.



Dannenmann, meanwhile, also thinks it's Christmas. He's up and down, with an overcard – an ace, at that – with two cards to come. He has 11 outs twice, and he probably thinks his ace high is enough anyway. By his reckoning, he wants any one of three cards: an ace for top pair, or a deuce or a 7 for the straight. That's what he thinks – and he got his wish. At this point, the poker gods are showboating. The turn is one of the two horror cards for Dannenmann, an ace. "Horror" because he thinks it's a beauty. In fact, it's the final card of a trap that is going to destroy his hopes of being world champion, probably forever. Now, Dannenmann has top pair, and an up-and-down straight draw. Perfect, Dannenmann thinks. Perfect, Hachem thinks. Ladies and gentleman, we have a new world champion, and a new glamour hand, 7-3 off. Who needs monsters?

Life is not always fair

One guy who will probably never recover from a huge beat in the main event is Nick Gibson, who suffered the cruellest of exits imaginable, after moving nicely into contention on day five. He's in the small blind with K-9, there's no action, and he makes up. The big blind raises with 3-2; 3-2? Does he think he's winning? As it happens, that's impossible, and he knows it. He's on the steal. Fair enough. Gibson, however, has him all sussed out, and he promptly calls the raise. "I know you are at it," he thinks. He's right, too. Full marks to Gibson so far. The flop looks fine for Nick, K-6-5. He's first to act and bets out. The big blind now raises him. That's correct strategy, I'd say, as you've got to fire that second shell if you want to steal. Gibson is having none of it, though. He knows he's ahead and calls the raise. Depending where you sit, the turn card is a nightmare or a dream; up pops the 4, to give Gibson's opponent a gutshot straight. Gibson, meanwhile, still thinks he's at it. He could have raised with any junk, but surely not 3-2! The big blind's bravery in raising with rubbish was fully rewarded, but you have to feel for Nick. He made a great read preflop and a great read post-flop, but he was history.

So, you think you've won it, eh?
Mike Matusow also felt the wrath of the poker gods. Early on in the final, he managed to find K-K and tempt a low stack to get his chips in with A-A. Matusow's head is in his hands when the cards go on their backs; he's been had good and proper. Then, a king flops, and he's off on his trademark victory rubdown, hooting and hollering … until Mr. A-A four-flushes it. Don't be messing with the poker gods, eh?



Tony "Tikay" Kendall is the presenter of Poker 425, and a partner in blondepoker.com.