Friday 6th June 2008

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 -

       *He wants that handbag - the Mock Croc !!

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Hiya there and how have you been this week??

I've had my ups and downs this week - I've qualified for this Sunday's tournament but I
can't play it as I have to go out for a family do - so that'll have to wait for another week -

I've also got on my high horse twice this past week - I don't mind players getting annoyed
and peed off if they get bad beats - but to bypass the censorship and use disgusting language
is too much for me -

So I've reported two players and had their chat privilege taken away so they can't type
their disgusting language again on the table !! hehe !!

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He wants that handbag - the Mock Croc !!

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This week's hand is taken from the EPT Main Event recently held in Monte Carlo.

Not only is it an intense hand but it's Vicky Coren's commentating which had me in stitches...

The Blinds are 15,000/30,000 with a running ante of $3,000 and there are 7 players left on the table...

Three players pass around to Maxim Villemure who picks up 5C & 5D.
 

He raises it up to 80,000.

Next to him sits Ian Chorny who picks up 8D & 8H and he slowly counts out his chips and
calls the bet.
 

Vicky Coren: "That's a lazy call from Chorny with the Garden Gates - hoping they swing
open to victory"

Everyone else on the table folds so there is 181,000 in the pot and Chorny is the 81%
favourite to win.

James Hartigan also commentating states: "To our American cousins who don't do
rhyming slang - they are the Snowmen"

The Flop comes down: 3C 10H 10S
   

Vicky laughs: "I don't quite see why Chorny didn't re-raise Pre-Flop - This isn't the best
kind of Flop we could have seen - but it's likely there'll be over-cards and he could afford
to... I might have raised it up with his hand."

Chorny makes it obvious that he is staring into Villemure's face and I think Villemure is a bit
intimadated by this and he checks.

Vicky: "Villemure not showing great strength on the Flop - I think Chorny will be pretty
comfortable. He doesn't really follow-through, Villemure, he doesn't make continuation
bets very often."

Chorny is now a 92% favourite to win this hand and he decides to check too.

The Turn card comes down: 9C


Chorny carries on staring at Villemure who continues to stare at the table.

James Hartigan: "No betting on the Flop, I wonder if there'll be any on the Turn."

Vicky: "It's too late now - If Villemure bets it now - Chorny is definitely going to call him.
He probably would have called on the Flop but now he definitely will."

Villemure checks again.

This time Ian Chorny bets out 81,000.

Vicky: "Well now Villemure has made it difficult for himself by checking the Flop because
it is now possible that Chorny's bluffing without a hand - If Villemure had bet the Flop
and been called - he would KNOW that this Turn bet must be the best hand but now he
doesn't really know because Chorny's going to bet with anything isn't he for that much
weakness."

There is now 343,000 in the pot.

The River comes down: 2C


Villemure checks.

Vicky: "Bad card for Villemure - an Undercard - he could call again if Chorny makes it
something like 90,000, then Villemure could call again."

Ian Chorny bets out 225,000.

Vicky gasps: "225,000 - I'm not sure - I think it's a little steep..."

Maxim Villemure goes into the tank -

James Hartigan: "Villemure is considering it."

Vicky: "Well he's got to think through whether he's being bluffed - I'd say the price is
too high - you know like when you really want a handbag and you think 'I could justify
£200 but £400..."

James laughs: "I've never really been in that position - I don't do Man-Bags!"

Maxim plays with his chips and thinks about the hand - still deep in the tank and wondering
whether to call or not.

Vicky: "Ohhhh - Villemure wants that handbag - the Mock Croc !! - The compartments
for lipstick - he can't resist reaching for his wallet !! "

More time passes...

Vicky whispers... "Let it go - use a carrier !"

More time passes...

Vicky laughs: "He's in absolute turmoil isn't he the kid!"

James: "You can see it in his eyes"

Vicky: "He doesn't know what to do !"

One of the other player calls for the clock.

Maxim: "Hey - it's the first time I take time...!"

Vicky: "Yes - the clock's been called for and Maxim doesn't like it."

James: "It was Ilikyan who called for the clock and he's not even in the hand"

Vicky: "No but - everybody who is at the table suffers from time passing as the blinds
are going up - fair enough to call the clock - but it's irked Villemure and put him off his
thinking."

Finally Villemure calls.

Vicky: "He's made the call and now he's going to blame the russian for tweaking him
into the call !"

Chorny flicks his cards over and Villemure sees that he's lost.

James: "The pressure of that countdown... Ilikyan apologises..."

Vicky: "Ilikyan apologises now but if Villemure had had the best hand - he would have
done him a favour."

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Post Mortem

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I think Vicky is right when she said that Chorny could have re-raised before the Flop - that
would have been a good move and once the Flop had come down - I definitely think Villemure
should have bet out to see where he stood. He obviously decided that if he was winning on
the Flop - then he was winning after the River - so if Chorny had gone all-in would he have
called???

That would have been a very expensive bag indeed - but they were in Monte Carlo after
all and I think James Hartigan wouldn't have looked out of place with a Man-Bag either !!

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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