Welcome to Phil Hellmuth's Hand of the Week!
 First and foremost, welcome all PPA members to my column! My wife and I are proud to be strong advocates for such a strong organization lobbying on behalf of the game we all love. I've been writing my Hand of the Week column for over 10 years now, and I invite you to opt-in here and receive it once a week delivered directly to your in-box. I'll give you all my experiences-good, bad, embarrassing and insightful!-from the front lines of the biggest games out there. Enjoy and best of luck at the tables. - Phil
World Series of Poker Europe 2009
In late September, almost every great poker player on the planet descended on the Empire Casino-in Leicester Square--in London to try to win millions of dollars and a WSOPE (World Series of Poker Europe) bracelet. Four bracelets were in play, baby! The main event was a 10,000 pound buy-in, or around $US16,000, and it paid over $1 million for first. Huge props to my longtime friend Barry Shulman for his extraordinary win!
I pulled my usual shenanigans and rode 10 blocks through heavy London traffic--from Waterloo to Leicester Square--in a chariot dressed as Caesar! It was way over-the-top and yes, I did feel a bit stupid, but I manned up and played Caesar because I think my entrances are fun, good for me, and good for poker.
Upon my arrival I turned my mind from playing Caesar to playing great poker. I just haven't been playing my best poker, primarily because I have been trying different tactics over the last year or two. I have migrated away from tight patient tactics, and gone towards looser more aggressive tactics with mixed results. I still managed to make six cashes at the WSOP this year, but I made zero final tables for the first time in like ten years, ouch!
The problem with calling raises and reraises with the 8c-7c is that you put yourself in a tough position most of the time, and playing these types of hands puts you in a spot where you have to make more decisions. Do you call a big bet when it comes down J-8-2, or fold? Of course, occasionally the 8c-7c yields a huge winning result, but more often you can get buried with this hand.
There is no doubt that playing these suited connectors causes huge swings. I don't like huge swings. I like being a steady rock! I like showing my opponents super strong, sometimes unbeatable hands when I put my big chips into the pot. I like to play from a position of strength, not weakness or uncertainty.
Meanwhile, at the WSOPE I raised it up with 10s-7s under the gun, and was called by 4 players. The flop was 10c-9d-6s, and I opted to bet out $1,500 into the $3,000 pot. The gentleman behind me made it $3,000 to go, everyone else folded, and I decided that I had to go with this hand, as I only had $8,500 more, and this gentleman was a very loose player. Thus I moved all in, and he called me and showed me 10-9, ouch!
I now needed an eight or two spades to hit on the next two cards. The turn was the miraculous 8s, and now my opponent couldn't even win with the nine of spades as it would make me a straight flush! When the river was another harmless eight, I felt very fortunate to still be in the tournament.
I also reevaluated this style of play. I used to be able to go days without ever being all in, and with this style I was all in on Day One! So now I am going back to my super tight "Classic Phil" strategy, and look out poker world, you're going to need some dynamite to knock me out of a poker tournament the next few years.
I'm off to coach Jeff Shulman to a Final Table bracelet in November. Updates to come!
|
