Gus Hansen's Every Hand Revealed
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Last week I bought this book figuring it would be a while before I was able to get it started given my crazy work schedule. Then on Tuesday ChickJax had a severe allergic reaction to an antibiotic which ultimately put her in the hospital near anaphylactic shock. It's been a scary ride in the hospital the last few days, but thankfully she is starting to turn the corner today and has had a good chance to sleep and recover.
For those that read here regularly and knew about what was going on (primarily from my FaceBook updates), thanks for your thoughts and prayers. We are hoping to be out of the hospital tomorrow, with her continuing to rest from home. The doc (no not Dr. Pauly or DrChako this time) said it will probably take up to 2 weeks to be fully recovered. Yeesh.
All that said, during the quiet times I've had a chance to start reading this book. I plan to do a write-up/review, but for now let me just make a note to the professional poker players that decide to write a book...
LAY OFF THE FUCKING EXCLAMATION POINTS FOR FUCK SAKE!
Between Helmuth and Hansen (what little I've read of Gus' book so far), it's enough to drive a sane man batty. I find myself wondering when the next EC will show up instead of focusing on the book.
And with that I'll end this post, but be back soon with a full write-up! I promise! It will be awesome!! Thanks! Exclamat!on po!nt!
Until next time, may the felt be with you.
-- Posted from my phone that starts with an i.
posted by TripJax @ 4:05 PM,
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2009 WSOP Main Event Final Table Random Thoughts...Again
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Now that the final table has aired on ESPN, I have a few minor follow-up comments...
Why did Darvin Moon lie to his own family and friends about what he held in the hand against Steve Begleiter where he folded to an all-in raise with only 6mm more to call into a 45mm+ pot (numbers not specific). He held K Q offsuit, but told his family and friends in the crowd he held QQ. My only guess is he was worried the players were close and might hear what he really had, but regardless, saying you folded QQ in that situation just sounds straight up terarded.
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During the live reporting, I seem to recall reading where Darvin Moon did not shake hands with either Phil Ivey or Steve Begleiter after knocking them out, but the production tonight shows he did in both cases. I don't recall where that was written, and I don't think it was written to call out Moon, but I just wanted to make sure that was noted.
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Joe Cada at one point had 1% of the remaining chips in play at the final table and came back to win. That is mind boggling; it boggles the mind.
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Darvin Moon better get a few years worth of season tickets out of the New Orleans Saints for wearing that hat when he could have just as easily taken some serious cash for a sponsorship patch covering that Saints logo up. They've already gotten good press from that story and could keep their team name in the news and in good light by reaching out to him.
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Cada run goot.
posted by TripJax @ 11:32 PM,
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Here We Go
Well that didn't take long. The 2009 WSOP main event final table doesn't even air on television for another 5 minutes from now, but already the fresh college kid gloom and doom articles are hitting the news. This is why in my previous post I thought we might not see this type of thing - or at the very least, less of it - if Darvin Moon had won. Instead the beacon of light for college kids looking for an easy way out will shine in just a few minutes.
I really like how Joseph Cada has presented himself and I think he will be a good ambassador for poker, but I doubt he helps the cause for legalization anytime soon given the tendency for those in power to poo-poo anything that involves the potential degeneration of our youth.
posted by TripJax @ 8:56 PM,
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2009 WSOP Main Event Final Table Random Thoughts
Sunday, November 08, 2009
If you don't want to know anything about the current final table results, now that they're down to the final two, then the title of this post should have already sent you away. Otherwise, please read on...
I managed to keep up with the coverage all day and night via the PokerNews live reporting blog (thanks F-Train and friends), the Bluff Magazine audio/video live coverage (no visual of players or reporters, just video showing live chip counts and action), and various bloggers who rawk (mainly Doc Pauly). Okay I'll try not to use anymore parenthesis the rest of the way for fawks sake.
Now onto various thoughts in no specific order.
On such a big stage - the final table of the greatest tournament in the world, no doubt - when is the last time you recall 2 of the smaller chip stacks at the start of the day making it to 3rd and either 2nd or Champion? Antoine Saout started with only 9.5mm and finished 3rd, while Joseph Cada started with 13.2mm and will finish 1st or 2nd. Pretty amazing if you consider the big stacks at the start.
This isn't final table talk, but can anyone who was in media row during the final 18 please tell me approximately how long the decisions were for Moon and Kopp during each move of the now infamous diamond debacle hand. No doubt the ESPN editing can sometimes be deceiving when it looks like decisions are made in a split second, but are sometimes minutes long.
During the Bluff Magazine audio broadcast I mentioned above, they were asking listeners to submit questions to the show for live discussion among the reporters. At the time the discussion was between Annie Duke, Hollywood_Dave and someone else I don't recall. I submitted a question and it actually was brought up during the commentary. The question was...
@Hollywood_Dave In recent interview PhilH. said Shulman would introduce a monumental game changing tactic. You seen anything as such yet??
For those that don't know, in a recent interview on ESPNs The Poker Edge, Hellmuth told Andrew Feldman as part of his coaching of Jeff Shulman, he had introduced a tactic that would change the way the world thinks about poker. I was highly skeptical and, ultimately disappointed in what he finally disclosed was the tactic.
To step back a moment, at the time my questions was discussed on air, they were unwilling to read too much into the question as it was still relatively early in the game, but they did mention it seemed Shulman was raising 4x the big blind instead of the typical 2.5x or 3x.
In the end, once they were down to 7 handed, Phil Hellmuth did disclose his new tactic was to raise 5x the big blind. I don't recall Shulman ever raising 5x - I'm pretty sure he was sticking to a regular raise or at the most 4x - so I'm guessing once he got into his groove, he determined it was not the right play for the table.
I get why Hellmuth felt this was a good move, as it put the small stacks to the test and kept them from calling small raises to hopefully hit, but I don't think it was a poker move that would change the way the world viewed tournament poker. Those are basically his words, not mine, thought I don't recall exact quotes.
It's no secret that Joseph Cada got lucky at the final table to end up heads-up with a 2/3 to 1/3 chip lead. Twice he was all-in behind needing luck on his side and twice he flopped sets to take down game saving hands. I think it bears mentioning that this luck should not result in his accomplishments being overshadowed. You play the game as best you can each hand and at some point in a tournament that size, you need luck to take it down. He is no different and, quite frankly, there was some serious luck going on at the table. I think Cada showed he was a pro more than anyone else at the table from 27 down to 2. I was very impressed with his play throughout. I can't wait to see how all the action from the final table translates into an ESPN episode.
Between Darvin Moon and Joseph Cada, I think Moon would be better for poker. A win by Cada would be a lot like Eastgate winning last year. He's the young guy who is making a living playing poker. We get it and every other college kid gets it too. I'm sure the number of young online players is currently rising and will continue to grow whether Cada wins or not.
For those across the nation and world who are against poker, we don't need more glamourising kids dropping out of college to become poker pros. We know it happens and they are probably a big part of the growth, but it doesn't help with the vision we want to portray to the world about the legalization of poker. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I feel.
Now as for Moon, here is a guy who took no advertising deal for the final table, instead choosing to be his own man and wear his N.O. Saints hat. He's the guy that is reminding everyone out there that it is okay to work hard, but also enjoy the game of poker without it getting to you. In every interview I've heard of him so far, he says he won't change and will be going back to work no matter what happens. Yeah that would suck as far as an ambassador of poker, but it helps show the world that it's okay to go play some poker, enjoy it, but not let it change you and your family. To me, that is a win for the legalization of poker both online and off. What am I missing here?
Joe Sebok and Jordan from HighOnPoker sound a lot alike. I can't remember if that has ever come up in his or other blogs, but I could definitely hear it in the audiocast last night. In fact, Sebok and Jordan share a similar sense of humor. I found myself laughing quite often at a Sebok comment, which is pretty much what happens anytime I'm around Jordan. Methinks Mr. HighOnPoker should consider his own podcast or, at the very least, be a guest on poker podcasts whenever possible. It wouldn't even have to be solely about poker. I would dig a podcast of various discussions from him.
Okay that's going to have to do it for me. Please leave a comment if you'd like to discuss various thoughts from my topics above.
posted by TripJax @ 2:33 PM,
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