The 2009 Main Event

With a respectable three cashes and one final table under my belt at the 2009 World Series of Poker, I still needed a crown jewel to really consider it a success. The main event was my last opportunity to accomplish this, and I went into the tournament ready for a deep run. I chose the Fourth of July, as I figured that a lot of the Internet kids would want to party and not play that day. I think it was a good choice.

I got a pretty good table draw, and didn’t know anyone there. Play seemed pretty loose and passive, which was perfect for accumulating chips without putting myself too much in harm’s way. My first pot came down perfectly.
Several players limped in front of me, and I held the K 9. I limped, and flopped gin — A 7 5! Everyone checked to me, and I started to give a free card, but decided against it just in case someone had flopped a set, two pair, aces with a big diamond, or a smaller flush, and was hoping to check-raise. If that was the case, I didn’t want to disappoint him or let him off the hook if a scare card like another diamond came.

I bet the pot, and almost started crying as my opponents began dropping faster than Obama’s approval ratings. As the action approached the final player, things looked dim, but then he went into the tank. Yes! This might mean a call, or even a check-raise. Finally, he flat-called.

The turn brought a total blank and my opponent studied a moment before checking. He may be trying to scare me into not betting, but then again, he might hold a big hand, so I fired the full pot. He again studied for a while before calling. I knew that he must have either a set or two pair here — most likely two pair, as he didn’t raise — so I was praying hard for the board not to pair or bring a fourth diamond, which would queer my river action.

Bingo! An offsuit 10 came, and nothing changed. Again, he checked, and I fired a pot-sized bet, which he quickly called. Upon seeing my hand, he sighed and showed me the A 7; he had flopped top two pair. Well, too bad for him, as his misfortune was my first step to a deep run in the main event.

A few minutes later, a young Finnish player, Juha Helppi, was moved to my table. I decided that I was going to “Helppi” myself to some of his chips as soon as possible, and I didn’t have to wait long. I limped from under the gun with pocket deuces. I like this play, as it tends to entice players to call behind me, creating a big pot, which is what happened here.

Four or five players, including Juha, called preflop, and the flop was K-6-6. I bet right out (600), as someone pretty much needed a 6 or a king to call me. Everyone folded except my Finnish friend, who called. Now, if he doesn’t hold a 6, he will be hard-pressed to call a big bet on the turn. However, if he does hold a 6, or gets stubborn with a king, this could get expensive fast.

I hadn’t decided what I was going to do yet when the dealer dealt the turn, a deuce, giving me a full house. Sweet! I decided to try to win a big pot, so I went for the check-raise. He bet 1,200, and I quickly raised an additional 2,500.

Now, he goes into the tank and I can tell that folding is not one of his options. He must have a 6, and since the other cards are a king and a deuce, I don’t think a full house is at all likely. I probably would have committed all of my chips at this point, as I couldn’t see him playing either 6-2 or K-6, and he would have raised with pocket kings. Quad sixes are possible, but on the outside chance that he has that hand, he will just have to bust me.

He finally settled on a call, unfortunately. Now, I’m really sweating the river, as I know that he holds a good hand that I can beat, and I want a value-bet on the end. If an ace, 5, 7, or 8 comes on the end, there’s a good chance that he fills up, as that’s the sort of hand I put him on; luckily, a 10 came, which I didn’t think changed anything. I fired out 6,000, which was about half of his remaining stack. I picked this amount because I felt he would call it and still have chips left to play. It was a good choice, as he called and I won a nice pot.

But Juha wasn’t one to give up. He raised the pot a few hands later and got several callers. I looked down at pocket tens and called him. The flop came with two small diamonds and a jack, and everyone checked to me. I bet the pot, and Juha quickly moved in his remaining chips. The ESPN camera crew rushed over like vultures, as they always do when they smell blood. So, I announced to them that I had to call just in case he had a flush draw (it wasn’t too much to call, anyway), and sure enough, he did. And with his one overcard, we were about even money.

Since I already had won a pot against him, the poker gods must have figured it was his turn, and gave him his flush. Oh well, you can’t win ’em all, and this one didn’t sting too much. Next time, I’ll tell you about a couple that stung worse than a hive of African bees!