Mike Matusow Moves on a Good Read

I am writing this column while playing $100-$200 limit poker at Phil Ivey's condo, which overlooks the ocean in south Los Angeles (nice place, Ivey!). With me, enjoying a cocktail or two (or more), are Howard Lederer, Mike Matusow, Annie Duke, Phil Ivey, and Andy Bloch. We are lamenting the fact that we were eliminated from the tournament I will talk about below. So far, I'm helping to pay Ivey's mortgage – I'm fluctuating between $7,000 behind to $3,000 behind.

Mike Matusow is regarded by the top poker players as being one of the best – if not the best – limit Omaha eight-or-better players in the world today. Mike, who is affectionately called "Mike the Mouth" by his peers, also has some "game" in no-limit hold'em tournaments. In fact, he won a no-limit hold'em event at the 1999 World Series of Poker (WSOP), and finished third in another WSOP no-limit hold'em event this year.

Recently, in the Legends of Poker $5,000 buy-in World Poker Tour (WPT) event at The Bicycle Casino in L.A., the following hand came up. With blinds of $100-$200, a fellow player limped in for $200 while gesturing to his friend on the rail. Mike took this to be a sign of weakness, and decided to raise when it was his turn to act. However, Men Nguyen decided to make it $800 to go in front of Mike. At this point, Mike thought Men had picked up on the same "tell" that he had.

So, Mike asked Men how much he had left, and Men said he had $2,400 total. Mike had $6,500 left, and made up his mind to move Men all in, because he believed Men didn't have much of a hand; he thought Men was making a move. Thus, Mike made it $2,400 to go with 9-8 offsuit, and the first player quickly folded – as Mike and Men thought he would. Men called the $1,600 raise, and Mike said, "You got it, I have 9-8." Men then flipped up the 8 7, and Mike wound up winning the hand with 9 high! The final board was 6-4-2-K-K.

It's weird sometimes that a big pot can be played with 8-7 vs. 9-8 between two great players. From Mike's point of view, he correctly read both players and acted accordingly, although he couldn't count on Men folding for $1,600 more. From Men's point of view, he read the limper perfectly, and made a good raise. After his raise, Men was getting more than 2-to-1 to call the $1,600 raise with the 8 7 (Mike's $2,400 + Men's $800 + the limper's $200 + $300 in blinds = $3,700); his call here wasn't terrible.

Sometimes players correctly read each other as being weak, and end up with a lot of money in the pot with subpar hands. I hope you enjoyed this Hand of the Week. Good luck playing your hands this week.

Editor's note: Phil's new book, Play Poker Like the Pros, is available through Card Player. Phil is available for personal appearances or lessons for $10,000 a night. Read more about Phil at philhellmuth.com. Play poker with Phil at UltimateBet.com, table "philhellmuth."