5th October 2007

Welcome to Hold or Fold - The UK's only Poker E-Letter dedicated to
helping YOU become a better player!

In this week's E-Letter -

       *The Hammer falls - BIG TIME !!!

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Hiya there and how have you been this week?

Continuing on from the last few weeks - I'm still playing these Sit and Go Tournaments - but I have to admit I lost a bit of focus last week as I played in the Sunday Tournament and won a Multi-Table Tournament - as a consequence - I've only played a few more SnG's from last week - 130 of them now to be precise...

And the profit is slightly down on last week - currently standing at $775 - So - I have to decide whether to continue or to carry on diversifying...

I think I'll have to re-focus and really get into the SnG's again - I am determined to get the profit up to over $1000 - so I'll let you know what happens...

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And the Hammer Falls - BIG TIME !!!

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Have I got an amazing hand for you to see this week !!?!?!?

Do you remember a couple of weeks ago - I told you about 'The Hammer'?
Let me refresh your memory...

*****
Recently, on the season premier of High Stakes Poker, the players established a rule where if you win a hand with 7-2 offsuit-aka "The Hammer"-and show the cards, you get $500 from each person. We won't give anything away, but suffice to say that the rule does come into during this season's premier episode with hysterical results.

With the new hammer rule in effect, and the increased stakes coming later in the season, this year's version of HSP promises to be the best one ever. You'll never guess who drops the hammer on whom.

*****

So here it is - I've found the hand for you and what a whopper it is...

It is the new season of High Stakes Poker and a collection of some of the best cash game experts in the field are all sat at the one table...

It starts off with Mike Matusow having a real good go at Phil Hellmuth...

Mike Matusow speaking to Phil: "Oh and I thought you said you were the biggest idiot sitting at this table."

Phil Hellmuth replies: "Mike now that's not true - you already proclaimed me to be the best No Limit tournament player in the world."

Mike: "but in a cash game - you're the biggest fish here!" and laughs heartily !

Mike gestures to the table: "and I've got position on the fish !!" and laughs even more !!

Gabe Kaplan commentating: "And Mike starts off laughing at his own jokes - since nobody else is!"

Mike is first to act and he picks up Pocket Kings - KC & KS
 

He raises it up to $1,800 making the pot stand at $3,500.

Phil 'the unibomber' Laak folds his cards.

The next player folds and so does Todd Brunson.

The next player also folds and so does Antonio 'the magician' Esfandiari.

Eric Lindgren also folds in the small blind and it's over to Phil Hellmuth sitting in the Big Blind.

He picks up 7D and 2S
 

- i.e. The Hammer - the worst starting hand there is in Texas Hold'em Poker.

A.J. Benza commentating: "Seven-Deuce for Hellmuth - and he's going for it."

As Phil decides what to bet -

Mike says: "The way you looked at me - you looked like you might have a big hand or something."

A.J. Benza continues: "And he might raise here."

Phil announces: "Raise"

Antonio Esfandiari says: "I love it - you don't know if he has Seven-Deuce or Aces! It's SO good for the game!"

Phil raises to $7,000 making the pot now stand at $9,900 - remember this is real money - not tournament chips.

Gabe Kaplan: "That's weird - they're talking about it and he's got the seven- deuce!"

A.J. Benza: "He's raised it to $7,000 into Kings pcheuw!!

Mike has his head on his hand looking nonchalant and thinks about it.

Antonio chips in: "Da DAA - two of the greatest poker minds going at it!"

Mike just calls and the pot is at $15,100.

Eric Lindgren laughs: "OK everyone get their $500 ready!"

Antonio joins in: "One of these guys has Seven-Deuce !!"

The Flop comes down: QD 6H JS - no help for either of them.
   

The odds are 99% in Mike's favour to win this hand.

Phil checks and so does Mike.

Now personally - I think that is a big mistake to check - he's obviously trying to slow-play but it's a dangerous move in my opinion - I would have bet out and if Phil had folded - I would have been happy with $15,100 - but then I suppose Fifteen Thousand Dollars means alot to me whereas it's peanuts to these guys.

Gabe Kaplan agrees: "I like Hellmuths check but I don't know why Mike checked. Hellmuth checked, he's representing a big hand now - he has no idea that Mike has Kings."

The Turn is 8D


Phil bets out $17,000 !! And he strikes his familiar pose - his elbows are on the table, his chin is in his hands, his head is down, his shades are on and his cap covers what little you can see of him. He sits as still as a statue.

Gabe Kaplan: "Mike has GOT to raise here...."

Mike counts out $17,000 in chips and puts them into the middle.

The pot is now $49,100.

Gabe Kaplan continues: "....But he's not going to, he just calls. Mike's afraid of three jacks, three queens or a pair of aces."

The River is 6C.


Mike can only lose this hand if he folds it.

Gabe Kaplan: "That's a great card for Mike if Phil did have Queens and Jacks. Mike now has the best hand - so those three hands I mentioned are the only hands Mike can't beat. Will Phil fire another bullet?? and make that $500 from everybody at the table??"

Phil has a ponder and looks at Mike -

Antonio looks at the two players and says: "I'm a little nervous... things are happening"

Gabe Kaplan: "It's a matter of pride also. The first one to win the hand with Deuce-Seven."

Phil stops fiddling with his chips and leans over to look at Mike - and more particularly - Mike's chips.

Phil asks Mike: "How much you got there Mikey??"

Gabe Kaplan: "But I'm afraid - no matter how much Phil bets - Mike's going to call"

Mike replies: "About $65,000"

Phil grabs a wad of cash - real dollars cash - and puts it into the table announcing: "Forty Thousand!"

Gabe and A.J. both gasp: "WOWWWWWWwwwww"

Gabe: "Mikes GOTTA call"

Mike looks at his two cards again.

Gabe: "Just call!"

Mike mutters to the table: "I know Phil never makes a big bet on the River unless he has it - that's the thing!"

Phil has resumed his familiar chin-in-hands statue position.

Mike turns round to his friend behind and shouts: "This sucks!!"

Mike continues: "I know he hit a XXXXing two-outer on me!" Meaning he thinks Phil has a six in his hand and has hit trips.

He thinks some more and turns his Kings face up on the table effectively folding his hand.

Gabe Kaplan exclaims: "Turns the Kings over, throws them away and here it comes!"

Phil proudly turns his Seven-Deuce face up onto the table too.

Antonio shouts: "OH MY GODDDD!! WOWWWWWWWWWWW!!!"

Mike turns around to his friend again: "That's the ONLY thing I thought !!"

He stands up and walks to his friend: "THAT's the ONLY THING I thought !!! He either had Deuce-Seven or ...."

Antonio cannot believe it: "Kings - how can he fold Kings !?!"

Phil says: "It's a new game today boys, it's a new game."

One player says: "You finally have respect - right there - that gave you alot of respect !"

Phil replies: "Finally have respect?? I crushed everybody in the world at No- Limit for twenty years in side games and cash games and I finally get respect?"

The player replies: "You lost it - you had respect there for one second but now you lost it!"

The whole table laughs as they pass $500 to Phil.

Phil Laak points to Mike: "I KNEW one of them had Deuce-Seven but it had to be him -"

Phil Hellmuth leans over to Mike and asks for his $500...

Mike is not happy: "XXXX I ain't giving you $500 - take my money and shut up!"

Someone tries to take the $500 from his stack.

Mike shouts: "NO - I ain't giving him $500."

Phil sorts out his chips and says: "I like that Deuce-Seven Game!"

You can view this hand at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viAbXmPRu_M

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Post Mortem

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I know it's effectively a bunch of lads having a laugh at the poker table - but the fact remains that it was Phil Hellmuth's table image that got Mike to fold the best hand.

Phil has spent many years building up a reputation of only betting out when he has a big hand - and Mike decided that Phil had hit trip-sixes on the River and that his Kings were no good.

He got it wrong - boy did he get it wrong - but in the long hand - if he can lay down hands like that - it shows why he has survived long into Multi-Table tournaments and made some final tables in world-class tournaments...

Oooh - I found a clip of Mike talking about this hand

- he says: "I know Phil - I read him that he might be making a play - but he doesn't re-raise out of position - ever! Even when he has Aces - he likes to smooth call - when he made the big re-raise out of position - I knew it looked funny - The Flop came Queen-Jack - I thought he could have Jacks and Queens but I didn't think so - Check-Check - He bet real big on the Turn - he doesn't play big-bet poker - so I felt he was really weak - I called $17,000 - and Phil doesn't fire a third bullet - ever !! - he never big-bet fires bullets - and he bet $40,000 on the end - and because I only brought one bullet with me and playing a little bit cautious - I elected to fold - and I didn't want to be out early - and it was a mistake."

Then watch the next hand and have a laugh !!

http://www.mikematusow.blogspot.com/

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Well I hope you have a good week - may the cards be with you and I'll see you again next Friday.

All the best

Meg Arana
Hold or Fold