World Series of Poker Main Event: Déjà vu

With more than $82 million in prize money up for grabs in the main event of the 2006 World Series of Poker; first place was a whopping $12 million! That's some serious coin.



After winning my 10th WSOP bracelet in a no-limit hold'em event, I fancied my chances in the main event (no-limit hold'em). I had some serious momentum going, had made the money in five hold'em tournaments, and knew that I was at the top of my game. Unfortunately for me, things started out badly; on the fourth hand dealt to me, I picked up the J J. One player made it $300 to go, and Randy Jensen – who is a bit wild at the table – made it $800 to go. I was at the ESPN featured table, and said, "I'm thinking of folding my hand right now, but ESPN announcer Norman Chad will probably fall out of his chair." Because Jensen is a wild player, I could not fold my hand just yet.

So, I called $800, the flop came down 10 7 4, and Jensen bet $3,500 or so. Without more than 10 seconds passing by, I folded my hand. Then, Jensen showed me his black pocket queens. I somehow just knew on the flop that I was beat, and I'm proud of the fold. The very next hand, I looked down at pocket kings! I thought to myself, "If someone has pocket aces, I'm gone." And someone did have pocket aces, but he just called my $450 bet before the flop. If he had reraised preflop, I may well have gone broke on this hand. The flop was Q-10-9, he checked, and I put on the brakes and checked. The next card was the 8, and we both checked again. On the end, after a deuce came off, my opponent bet $500, and I called. Wow, I had lost only $1,750 with these back-to-back coolers ("coolers" stands for "cold deck," which used to mean a cheater's deck setup so that one person loses all of his money). Things sure were cold for me so far at that table!



Even though I had arrived 100 minutes late, I left the room after that hand and went to the UltimateBet.com booth to relax for a while. Upon returning to the televised table, I raised it to $225 to go with the A 6, and the flop came A-10-9. I checked, Player A bet $500, Player B called, and I called. The turn was a 7, I checked, Player A checked, and Player B bet $1,000. Player A and I called. The last card was a deuce, I checked, Player A checked, and Player B bet $2,500. Was this a nightmare? Could this really be happening to me? It was my first hand back at the table, and I felt like I had to fold for the $2,500 bet.



A while later, I opened for $200 with K-J, and Player C made it $500 to go, which priced me in for only $300 more. The flop was J-7-5, I checked, Player C bet $1,000, and I called. The next card was a 3, I checked, Player C bet $1,000, and I called. The last card was a deuce, I made a defensive $800 bet, and Player C called and showed me Q-Q. Are you serious? There was no way this was happening to me in the main event, no possible way, but it was in fact happening.



About an hour later, I raised from the button with A-Q, and Player D moved me all in from the small blind. I felt some weakness, and called the bet all in. With more than $6,000 in the pot, my opponent had 7-7. I went broke when I couldn't improve; he was an 11-9 favorite. Wait a minute! In last year's main event, I had A-Q versus 7-7, with me sitting in the No. 5 seat and my opponent sitting in the No. 6 seat. It was the same deal this year, and that is some serious déjà vu – but not the kind of déjà vu I like.