Recently, while filming the next season of
High Stakes Poker for the
Game Show Network, a weird hand came up between Brian Brandon (a successful businessman "invitee" to the game) and me. With the blinds at $300-$600 and a $100 per man ante, millionaire Brandon opened for $2,400 from early position. In the small blind, I looked down at the 9
9
and pondered my options. It seemed like a call to me, for two reasons. First, I like to merely call with medium pocket pairs to disguise the strength of my hand; and second, I like to merely call (versus reraising) to avoid being reraised. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was supposed to reraise this time. My instincts kept telling me that Brandon was very weak. Finally, I went with my gut and reraised, making it $9,000 to go, and Brandon called me.
The flop came Q
J
7
, I checked, and Brandon bet $16,000. I studied for a moment, with my first thought being that I should fold. After all, Brandon had called a reraise, and I couldn't beat very many "real hands." But, again, I had a strong feeling that Brandon was weak. I called, the turn was the 4
, and we both checked. On the river, the 7
came off, and I bet out $2,500, saying, "I guess that you don't have too much."
Brandon said, "I'll just call and let you off cheap, because you may have me beat. But I think I win this pot." Brandon then flipped up the 7
6
and claimed the pot with three sevens. At that point, I went a little crazy, and I'm sure that it made for some pretty good television. I really do wish that I could control myself better in these situations, but, on the other hand, they tell me that my tantrums do make for excellent television!
Here is what the Poker Brat … uh … what I said: "I cannot believe that this guy called a $6,600 reraise with 7-6 offsuit! Are they just trying to give their money to me, or what? And how poorly did Brian play this pot? I mean, we put in $25,000 apiece when I had him dominated, then $2,500 apiece when he hit his miracle seven! These businessmen play so poorly that they cannot win!" Then I said to Mike "The Mouth" Matusow, "What a beat that was for $50,000!"
Then, the real fun started.
First, Matusow said, "Stop whining; there wasn't very much money in that pot."
I replied, "What are you talking about? We put in $25,000 each, at least!"
Matusow then said, "Are you crazy? That pot was small."
Then Matusow bet me $10,000 that there was less than $52,000 in the pot. I accepted that bet, but began to wonder if my math was off.
Just then, Phil Laak said, "I'll lay $30,000 to $10,000 that there was less than $52,000 in that pot."
Was I going nuts? I could remember $25,000 each plus the antes, but was there $52,000 in the pot? Since I could remember $50,000, I bet Matusow another $5,000 that there was more than $50,000 in the pot, and he accepted the bet. Of course, as those of you counting at home know, the pot actually had more than $56,000 in it ($9,000 + $9,000 + $800 antes + $600 big blind + $16,000 + $16,000 + $2,500 + $2,500 = $56,400). If only I could have remembered the $2,500 bet on the end, I could have won another $30,000 from Laak. Still, Matusow's $15,000 was sweet, especially considering that he told me that I didn't "have the right to whine because the pot was so small."
Now, let's take a closer look at this hand. Brandon's upfront raise with 7-6 offsuit was a bit suspect, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, as he had been playing pretty patiently before then. I made an excellent reraise with my 9-9, sensing Brandon's weakness. His call of my reraise was superweak. Why get involved with 7-6 offsuit against me? On the other hand, he did have position on me, and we both had deep stacks of more than $150,000 apiece. Because we were both deep, his call here is not that bad, because if he does hit his hand, he can potentially make $150,000 in profit on the hand. I like my check on the flop. His bet on the flop was not bad, really. I could have had A-K, A-10, or a pocket pair lower than jacks. So, his bet gives him the chance to bluff me out, or charge me to draw a card to A-K or A-10. I like my call on the flop, but could I have raised and won the pot right then and there? That question haunted me a bit that night. I like my check on the turn, as well, but could I have made a big bet and won the pot? His check on the turn was a good one. My $2,500 bet on the river was an excellent one. It forced Brandon to pay me off if he did have a pair lower than mine, like 6-6, or if he had A-K, or even A-10. The bet also served a defensive purpose: It froze Brandon! I hate his call on the end. Why not raise when you hit your miracle 7? I may have called a $10,000 or even a $15,000 raise.
