43 Braclets!

On Sunday I played PAD ("Poker after Dark") with TJ Cloutier, Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson, Layne "Back-to-back" Flack, Eric Seidel, and Chris "Jesus" Ferguson. What a lineup! It featured 43 bracelets, with Doyle and I at 10 apiece, Seidel at 7, Cloutier at 6, Ferguson and Flack at 5 apiece. That's some serous bling! I bet $20,000 on myself to win at four-to-one with Gus Hansen. My problem is that I'm cash poor in Vegas right now, due to losing $536,000 to Ivey, paying taxes, etc…This actually affected me late in the match, because I wanted to get heads up, make a save, and then call Gus and get paid something.

First Flack went out, then Ferguson, then Seidel, then I put a bad beat on Cloutier. But before I get to that, let's talk about the hand (or two) that I misplayed. First, with the blinds at $800-$1,600, I opened for $4,500 with Ad-Qd, Cloutier folded, then Doyle raised $10,000 more. I sort of felt like he had A-J, or A-10 or something weaker; still, I hate A-Q. I asked Doyle how much he had left, and he said "About $20,000." I studied a long time, then I decided to fold. As it turns out, Doyle had 8-2 off suit (nice play Dolly!), and if I had reraised it all in, then I would have won the pot right then and there. One factor may have been that I was looking for a save, and knew that I had to get heads up to make one. I'm embarrassed to admit what my net worth is, and then to be concerned over $40,000, dumb move!

The very next hand, Doyle made it $5,000 from the small blind, and I called with 7-7 in the big blind. The flop was 10-10-2, and Doyle bet my last $25,000. I folded, and he told me later that he had A-9 off suit. I do not mind this lay down, but the Ad-Qd lay down still bothers me. I hung in there, and doubled up when I picked up what I was waiting for, K-K. 10 minutes later I picked up Ah-6h in the big blind, and Cloutier opened for $7,000 on the button. Uh oh, with the blinds at $1,500-$3,000, an alarm bell went off in my head. Cloutier had min raised it (almost), just like I did with my K-K. Could he have K-K or Q-Q. I called, trying to hit an ace, and the flop was Kh-3d-2h (I flopped the nut flush draw), and we both checked. The next card was the 8d, and I checked. Cloutier now bet $10,000. What to do? Obviously I would have moved all in on the flop with my heart flush draw. But now what? I thought about and decided that Cloutier either had three kings, pocket queens, A-K, or a hand like Q-J suited. Finally, I raised Cloutier's last $6,600, and he insta-called, flipping over A-A. I really wasn't expecting a heart on the river, but "Bam" the Qh came off and I had the nut flush.

Now we counted down, and Doyle had $69,000 to my $51,000. Doyle and I saved $35,000 to $26,000 (the winner paid the loser that amount), and like a coward I called Gus Hansen to settle our bet. We reasoned that I would either win $80,000 or lose $20,000, thus $30,000 was fair--if the chips were even. Finally, Gus thought that $23,000 was fair, but he offered a little extra ($25,000). I accepted, and now if I lost, I would still get $51,000 ($25,000 plus $26,000). Doyle then proceeded to pick up A-K, A-Q, and 7-7 in then next eight hands. With the blinds at $2,000-$4,000, I went down quickly. One hand, I picked up A-6 on the button, and I thought about moving all-in for my last $24,000 or so. I feel like 90% of the world would have raised it up. Instead I called, to let Doyle try to bluff me out. Doyle then did raise it $10,000 more, but something seemed out of the ordinary. Doyle seemed super strong to me. I studied for 90 seconds, and every conclusion that I made was to move all-in. Still, there was a nagging feeling that I should listen to my instincts, that Doyle had A-10, or A-J, or some hand that had me dominated. Finally, I folded, and sure enough Doyle had A-K!!! Great lay down for me, in fact as good as it gets. I do not see more than 2-3% of the players getting away from that situation.

A few hands later, I called on the button with Q-3 off suit, and Doyle moved me all-in. With only $15,000 left, I knew I was calling the second I called the $2,000 more on the button. Doyle had A-6, and he went on to bust me. I felt like it wasn't really fair, considering that he moved in $400,000 at Foxwoods, into a $200,000 pot with A-5-after a K-7-3-flop, and I called with K-10. That hand, a few years back, he spiked an ace on me, and I was left wondering why I couldn't beat him one time…In fact, I lost seven out of eight heads up pots to him. Still give Doyle credit for making some great plays.

This means that I have finished sixth, fifth, the fourth (three heats ago), third (two heats ago), and second (tonight) in PAD. I wonder if I can pick up that first tomorrow (Monday), for the cycle. I bet $10,000 on myself with Gus at four-to-one, and this time I will not call him, this time I will not make a save, this time I will play to win!! If I can pull out the win Monday, it will be worth $160,000.