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Friday 21st December 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 -
*My tribute to David 'Chip'
Reese
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Hiya there and how have you been this week?
Again - because of the festive season - I haven't played very much
poker this week at all - and I'm writing this e-letter with a very
slight hangover after going to a christmas party last night !
And I'm off to Scotland for the Christmas period so the next e-letter
will be sent out to you on Friday January 4th - so I'd like to take
this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous
New Year !!
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Dedicated to David 'Chip' Reese
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If you are interested in Football - then you would obviously know
about some of the Football greats - players like Pele, Maradona,
Ronaldo and english players like Gordon Banks, Bobby Moore and many
others.
Well - if you are interested in playing Poker - then you should
know about some of the Poker greats - players like Doyle Brunson,
Phil Ivey, Barry Greenstein and many others including David 'Chip'
Reese.
Well I am sad to report that Chip Reese died on December 4th at
the age of 56 :-(
Chip preferred to stay out of the limelight and focus on his family
- but when he hit the green felt - he was most definitely a force
to be reckoned with.
He won 3 WSOP bracelets and his dominance in poker was so pronounced
that in 1991, he was the youngest player ever inducted into the
Poker Hall of Fame, an honour usually bestowed on those after a
lifetime of achievement.
In 2006, he emerged from the shadows to win the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E.
event which is the bracelet most coveted by the high-stakes players,
even more so than the Main event.
In an epic heads-up battle which lasted over 7 hours - he eventually
emerged victorious against an up and coming player called Andy Bloch.
The hand that really decided the tournament went something like
this...
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Either call me or call me a cab !
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Andy Bloch had nearly beaten Chip Reese on an earlier hand but Chip
had doubled up and at this stage Andy has 3,750,000 chips while
Chip has 3,400,000 so they are fairly even.
The blinds are 30,000/60,000.
Chip Reese asks Andy: "We close to even yet?"
Lon McEarhan commentating says: "They are very close to
even and Andy Bloch bemoans that fact with every breath."
Chip says: "I'm ready to brace for the bracelet."
Andy Bloch says: "Well it is a $50,000 buy-in tournament,
we should get some play out of it. It is a little much I think."
Chip replies: "We're getting play aren't we !"
Andy says: "Of course it could have been over a long time
ago but..."
Chip smiles.
Norman Chad also commentating: "Andy is still cursing
the deck for denying him the bracelet on a couple of occasions when
it could have been over."
The cards are dealt and Andy picks up 9C & 7S.
He raises it up to 120,000.
Chip picks up KD & 6D and he calls.
Chip has a 60% chance of winning this hand pre-flop.
The Flop comes down: 9S, 3D & 8D.
This gives Andy top pair but also gives Chip Reese a flush draw.
The odds now change to 54% in Andy's favour - almost a 'race'.
Chip Reese checks.
Andy bets out 120,000.
Chip thinks about it and plays with his chips.
Norman Chad: "These guys are sooo tired, they do everything
in slow motion."
Chip thinks about it some more and then announces: "I'm
all in !"
Andy looks over at Chip with a huge sigh in his eyes and slowly
gets up from the table. He takes his cowboy hat off for a moment,
wipes his head, and puts his hat back on. Then he sits back down
at the table and starts playing his chips while he decides what
on earth to do now.
The difference in prize money is $755,000 so that, in effect, is
what this hand is worth because if Andy calls and loses - he would
be totally decimated.
Lon McEarhan: "AND Reese moves all-in again on a draw
!"
Norman Chad: "Again - the great Chip Reese is all-in on
a draw - Andy again has flopped top pair and it's another tough
call for Andy Bloch - he has the chance to win it but if he is beaten
here - he will be crippled !!"
The crowd, what's left of them after 7 hours, wake up and become
aware of what is happening.
Andy stands up again and contemplates the situation.
Chip looks down and plays with his chips.
Andy looks over at him to try and get a read, but he is so tired,
I think it's easy to see that he will make this call.
Lon McEarhan: "There's no way he's going to fold top-pair
is there??"
Norman Chad: "Well, you know, he's got to consider his
position against Chip right here, they're almost dead-even in chips,
he might think that Chip slow-played a big pocket-pair - so Andy
is going to crunch the numbers and try to figure out if he has the
best hand right now."
Andy continues to count out his chips and try to reach a decision.
Lon McEarhan: "What an impossible decision right now for
Andy Bloch!"
Norman Chad: "Well Chip looks like... 'either call me
or call me a cab !"
Eventually - Andy reluctantly says: "I call!"
Lon McEarhan squeals: "It's a CALLLLLLL !!!"
Chip stands up and turns over his cards.
Andy sees them and realises that they're in a race situation - either
one of them could win this hand -
Lon McEarhan: "Chip Reese all-in again - Andy Bloch with
a shot at winning this championship, once again in the lead."
Norman Chad: "Andy Bloch keeps getting his money into
the middle in pretty good shape."
Andy Bloch says to a friend on the rail: "You know the
hand on the Turn, I think I'm going....Yeah..."
Norman Chad: "And Chip Reese Lon, who is as good as it
gets... keeps needing alot of lady-luck !!"
Lon McEarhan: "You heard Andy mention the Turn, the Turn
has been Chip Reese's best friend so far tonight. Is this Andy Bloch's
bracelet moment???"
The Turn comes down: 5D !!!!!!!
Lon McEarhan SHOUTS: "OOOHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh - Another diamond
and Reese does it AGAIN !!! Bloch is drawing dead !!"
Chip throws his hands into the air and turns to his family and friends
on the rail and high-fives them !!
Norman Chad: "You know... what ARE you going to do if
you're Andy Bloch?? If the best player in the world keeps getting
lucky on you... I don't like your chances."
Lon McEarhan: "OH MY GOodness.. and Reese wins it outright
on the Turn and now Chip Reese is the leader - Andy Bloch DECIMATED
!!"
Chip has a huge smile on his face: "Gotta gamble! It's
getting too late to sit here."
Norman Chad: "It's getting very late and Chip Reese is
exhausted so he's gambling alot."
Lon McEarhan: "I'm sure Andy is tired as well but if he
hopes to win this - he's going to have to extend this match even
more."
The Tournament Director announces: "Congratulations players
- you have just set the all-time record for the longest heads-up
match in the 37 year of the World Series of Poker !"
Andy Bloch retorts: "And we're not done yet !!"
Lon McEarhan: "The old record was in the Main Event of
the 1983 won by Tom McEvoy."
Chip Reese went on to win the tournament very shortly after - you
can view the featured hand and the ultimate outcome at: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4uEczJcr8Cw
There is also a lovely tribute to him from various of the top players
at:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iy7PoQEiK4s
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Last word from Chip Reese
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Norman Chad: "For a long time Chip, you have unofficially
been thought to be the world's best all-around poker player - does
this title put sort of an official stamp on it for you??"
David 'Chip' Reese replies: "Not really in my eyes,
you know, it's great to win a tournament and there's alot of fanfare
involved, but I think Doyle Brunson said it best when they asked
him who the best young players are and who are the best superstars
are coming up in the world... and Doyle said 'well I don't know...
ask me again in 20 years' -
And thats really what Poker is all about - hopefully I've stood
the test of time and that's what it takes - it's not just one day
or two days... it's every day."
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So... have a fantastic Christmas and New Year, I hope you have enjoyed
all the e-letters I have been sending you this year. I also hope
I have gone some way to help you improve your game and think about
different situations you might find yourself in.
I'll be back on Friday 4th January to share some more great hands
with you and let you in on what big tournaments are coming up !
All the best
Meg Arana
Hold or Fold
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