Trying to Do Something Special

I assume you know that I have a big ego; why else would I write Play Poker Like the Pros? In any case, I was looking to create a great story when I flew into Las Vegas on Monday, June 30 two hours late for the $1,500 buy-in pot-limit Omaha tournament at Bellagio's Festa al Lago tournament.

My plan was to show up after 2:15 p.m. – my plane landed at 1:35 p.m. – get the chip lead, and make it to day two, when, of course, I would win it. Then, I'd write a great column about it. Also, I planned to win the $5,000 buy-in no-limit hold'em event a few days later. When I showed up at 2:30 p.m., I had $2,150 out of $3,000 in chips left. At that point, I asked myself, "What's wrong with you? Why don't you just get up two hours earlier and show up on time?" I tend to show up late far too often, but what was done was done – again!

It was time to view this as a challenge, and try my hardest to run my chips up. Shortly thereafter, I noticed that we were going to play down to the final five players instead of the usual nine before we broke for the day. I had about $6,000 when the following hand came up.

With the blinds at $100-$200, I opened for $700 with Q-J-9-8, and was called by Mark Seif and Chip Jett; Chip was in the small blind. The flop came down Q 10 5, Chip checked, and I bet the size of the pot, $2,400. Mark folded, and Chip announced, "I'm all in," and quickly moved all of his chips into the pot.

I felt a little sick, because I hate putting all of my money in the middle in any pot-limit or no-limit game. Be that as it may, it was time to count the pot and make a decision. At first I almost folded, but I suddenly realized how bad a play that would be. Chip could be drawing or he could have three queens, but either way, I easily had the odds to play. After all, I had a "wrap" straight draw!

So, I called, and Chip flipped up A J 8 5. He had flopped a flush draw, and needed a king for a straight, an ace for aces up, or a 5 for trips. I figured the odds were pretty close in this case, and the next two cards were the 4 2. I won the pot with my pair of queens with a jack kicker.

When we made the final table (Howard Lederer and Annie Duke, brother and sister, made it there as well), the following hand came up. With the blinds at $300-$600, Vinnie Vinh limped in for $600, and the flop came down J 8 6. I was in the big blind with K 10 7 5, so I had flopped a weak open-end straight draw and a small flush draw.

The small blind and I checked, and Vinnie bet $1,800. The small blind folded, and I decided to just call the bet. In retrospect, folding or raising would have been better here. If I had read Vinnie as being weak, I should have raised, and otherwise I probably should have folded. In any case, the J hit, for a board of J 8 6 J, and I checked. Vinnie also checked.

The last card was the A, and I bet out $600 (the minimum allowed). Vinnie immediately announced that he was going to raise, and he put in $6,000 total, or $5,400 more. As I studied him, I began to sense some serious weakness. He is extremely aggressive, and more than capable of trying to bluff me.

I counted out the $5,400 and looked again at my small flush. I couldn't beat anything, really, except a bluff, and it would cost me half of my remaining chips to make the call. He easily could have a full house or higher flush, but I didn't think he could make that kind of raise with just a flush.

My mind kept telling me to fold, but my heart kept telling me to call. I've won a ton of tournaments with my heart, but I believed I could make the final five players without calling, saving my last $12,000 for a better spot. In other words, if I was wrong, I felt like I would be as good as out.

I finally folded, even while "knowing" that Vinnie was bluffing, and I regretted it immediately. If I had called and was right, I would have had $24,000 versus the $12,000 I now had. I always do well when I trust my gut feeling, and when I am occasionally wrong, I forget about it, saying, "At least I trusted my heart."

However, one thing I knew was that if Vinnie bluffed me once successfully, he would try again. I would check a strong hand to him soon, that was for certain, or I would make a big call against him.

I made it to day two, but with only $17,000. Again, I was late, but I am never intentionally late for a day two. The bonus was that by the time I arrived, there were only four players left. After Vinnie raised my big blind over and over again, I knew I would nail him soon, but alas, I gambled in the wrong spot against him. I called his raise with Q J 10 5, and moved in when the flop came down Q 9 3; I had top pair, an open-end straight draw, and a flush draw.

Vinnie showed me aces and the nut-flush draw. He had three diamonds in his hand, which helped me slightly. Again, it was pretty close, but he was definitely a favorite this time, and the 3 on the turn made him a much bigger favorite. The last card was the 7, and I asked myself, "How did you get involved with Q-J-10-5 before the flop?"

It was definitely a bad call before the flop, especially since I believe that Vinnie would have spotted me the best of it had I waited. Why risk my chips in that spot when I could have waited for a better spot and possibly moved up to third or second? Oh well, I played two events in June and cashed in one of them, so it's not that bad.

Unfortunately for me, I didn't play my best game in the $5,000 no-limit hold'em event. I did take a terrible beat and was down to $350 out of $10,000 early, and even thought I was out until cool-minded Curtis Bibb asked for a chip count. I proceeded to run it up to $20,000, but that is a story for my next Hand of the Week. Good luck playing your hands this week.

By the way, check my latest "Champion of the Year" standings. More information on this award is available at PhilHellmuth.com.

Editor's note: Phil's new book, Play Poker Like the Pros, is now available through Card Player. Phil can often be found playing poker at UltimateBet.com, table "philhellmuth."