A rough start with the main event ahead
The 2009 World Series of Poker main event begins Friday, but during the preliminary events at the 40th annual WSOP, numerous players have had remarkable runs. Some people have dubbed this year "Year of the Repeat Champion." Examples include:
• Jeffrey Lisandro's winning three bracelets, tying the record for most in a single year
• Phil Ivey's adding two more bracelets to his collection, making him the youngest to own seven bracelets and putting him sixth overall
• Brock Parker's winning two six-handed events back to back
• Greg Mueller, after finishing second in back-to-back years, winning two limit WSOP bracelets within nine days of each other
• Other 2009 WSOP bracelet winners also have made additional final tables, such as Ville Wahlbeck (first, second, third and sixth, along with a 12th and 13th), James Van Alstyne (first, second and sixth), Vitaly Lunkin (first, second and fourth), Brandon Cantu (first and second), Steve Sung (first and third)
As for the rest of us mere mortals, cashing in a few events still would be quite an accomplishment. As for me this year, it has not been a good run to say the least. I know no one likes to hear bad-beat stories. However, many people have asked how my 2009 WSOP has gone. This column is the best way to summarize my dismal couple of weeks. Please don't take this as complaining; it's just the unfortunate facts.
Many of you have heard my radio show's sendoff: "May you always go in with the best hand. … And may you never get unlucky."
In most of the events this summer, I followed the first part of the equation. However, the second part was where it all fell apart. Please don't get me wrong. I did have the rare suckout, but never during a critical moment to help me get deep in a 2009 WSOP bracelet event.
Therefore, instead of giving you my top five moments like I have done in the past, I will write about my top five bad beats of the 2009 WSOP. I do realize that for some of these hands I was a clear underdog preflop, but when the money went all-in, I was always a clear favorite, as the odds for each hand will clearly indicate. In the unpredictable game of poker, trying to keep your head up is difficult, especially when the bad beats pile on. Here's a look at my struggles during the 2009 WSOP:
5) Event 32, $2,000 no-limit hold 'em:
During this tournament, I was playing fairly tight (example: I played only one hand during the entire first level). Although I won a few small hands during the second level, my chip stack dwindled to about $3,200. With blinds $75 and $150, I looked down at Ah-Qd, while sitting in the big blind. After a midposition player raised and the cutoff seat called, I decided to call. I was hoping for a good flop, and the dealer obliged with Qc-9d-3s. Since the original raiser had been very aggressive, I decided to check-raise.
As expected, the original raiser bet $1,050, and the cutoff called. Then, I sprung my plan into action by shoving all-in for about $3,000 total. Once the original raiser folded, I thought I would take the pot down. However, the cutoff began counting his chips. Although I was confident I had the best hand (he would have snap called otherwise), I was wary that he could outdraw me based on my track record this summer. Finally, he made the call, turning over Jd-10d. I had to avoid the open-ended straight draw; however, once again, I would not be able to avoid this. Not creating any suspense, the dealer ended the drama immediately by placing an 8s on the turn, as I was drawing dead on the river.
ODDS: Preflop: 59:41 / Postflop: 64:36
4) $1,000 satellite for a 2009 WSOP main event seat:
After being knocked out of Event 13, $2,500 no-limit hold 'em (my 10-10 was outflopped [9-6-4] by my opponent's 9-9), I registered for this satellite. After 45 players bought in, there were four seats up for grabs. Throughout the event, I had been playing my typical tight, aggressive style. Unfortunately, for the first three to four hours, I could not gain any traction. Finally, I had to push all-in or risk getting blinded out. With blinds $300 and $600, antes $75, I was sitting in midposition and looked down at K-10. I decided it was now or never and pushed in my remaining $2,100. As everyone folded, the small blind decided to call. However, after the big blind folded, my opponent winced. He felt he had the pot odds if the big blind called and reluctantly flipped over only 9-8. Needless to say, I was pleased to be ahead. I was even more pleased when the dealer flopped K-J-10, giving me not one, but two pair. However, there was the remote possibility that my opponent could get a straight with a queen or seven. Excuse me, did I say remote? … The dealer proceeded to turn over not one queen (on the turn), but two (another one on the river), just for good measure. Good game, sir.
ODDS: Preflop: 64:36 / Postflop: 70:27 (3 percent tie)
3) Event 36, $2,000 no-limit hold 'em:
During this event, I actually had a good start. I had flopped two sets of queens with one actually becoming quads on the turn. With blinds $75 and $150, I had built my chip stack to almost $9,000. After the hijack raised to $400 and the cutoff called, I decided to call with 9h-8h from the button. Eventually, we went to a five-handed flop after both blinds called. The dealer delivered a great flop: Ac-9d-8s. After the first three players checked, the cutoff bet $550. Not wanting to slow play my bottom two pair, I raised to $2,125. Surprisingly, the small blind shoved all-in for about $9,000. After the remaining players all folded, I quickly called. When the small blind flipped over Ah-Ks, I had a chance to increase my stack to almost $20,000 and be in excellent position for the remainder of Day 1. The turn seemed innocuous enough when the 10d fell. I was staring at the board, hoping to avoid an ace or king. However, when the 10c fell on the river, this huge pot was pushed to my opponent once again.
ODDS: Preflop: 40:60 / Postflop: 75:25 / After turn: 82:18
2) $500 single-table satellite during 2009 WSOP:
After being eliminated from Event 7, $1,500 no-limit hold 'em, where my kings ran into aces for the second event in a row, I decided to play in a $500 single-table satellite. We had just gotten underway with the blinds $25 and $50. Sitting in early position, I looked down at Ks-Qs. Before I could act, the under-the-gun player limped. With this dangerous hand, I decided to limp as well, along with four other players, including both blinds. I definitely needed a solid flop to win this highly contested hand. And what an amazing flop it was: Ac-Js-10c! After both blinds checked, the original limper bet $225. Since we started with only $1,500 chips, I decided to reraise to $625. After everyone else folded, my opponent instantly pushed all-in and I instantly called him, believing that he must have at least two pair or a set. However, I was shocked to see him turn over just Ad-8h for a pair of aces. I was a huge favorite, as my opponent needed runner-runner to beat me. Unfortunately, the turn card (Jd), as it so often does, brought a sweat. However, when the dealer revealed the Ac on the river, the table moaned in disbelief. While my heart sank, my opponent let out a loud cheer. This hand seemed like the precursor for all my WSOP preliminary events.
ODDS: Preflop: 43:57 / Postflop: 96:3 (1 percent tie) / After turn: 91:9
1) Event 39, $1,500 no-limit hold 'em
Although the previous hand was statistically worse, this hand hurt much more. I was playing in my last WSOP preliminary event before the main event. During the first few levels, I had flopped some huge hands (flopped a set and flush) and got paid handsomely both times. I thought this event just might be the one. With blinds $100/$200, I already had built my chip stack to $17,000. Sitting in early position, I looked down at 2h-2d and limped into the pot. After a middle-position player raised to $700, I decided to call. Upon asking my opponent his stack size (it was about $10,000), the dealer flopped 9h-3h-2s. After I checked, my opponent led out for $1,300. I decided to raise him to $3,800. After some thought, my opponent pushed all-in. I insta-called, as my opponent flipped over As-Ad and shook his head. This pot would have put me at about $27,000, the highest level I would have ever had in any 2009 WSOP preliminary event. With the press circling the table, the unthinkable card fell on the turn -- the Ah. I could not believe it. How could this happen again! The river brought the 8d, and I once again lost a critical pot. A few levels later, I was ousted when my pocket jacks ran into both pocket queens and pocket kings.
ODDS: Preflop: 18:82 / Postflop: 86:14
Thankfully, all these eliminations have given me plenty of time to play online, where I have had good fortune, as I have won multiple seats to the main event. After these past couple of weeks, I definitely need to reread my previous column on surviving bad streaks. Overall, I hope the poker gods have had enough fun with me. Let's hope for a deep, successful run in this week's WSOP main event.
And one last time, repeat after me (and this time, try to mean it): "May you always go in with the best hand. … And may you never get unlucky."
Bernard Lee is the weekly poker columnist for the Boston Herald and author of "The Final Table, Volume I." He also hosts a weekly poker radio show, "The Bernard Lee Poker Show," on Rounders Radio and in Boston on 1510 AM. The show can be heard at 7-8 p.m. Tuesday and is repeated throughout the week. For questions or comments, e-mail him at BernardLeePoker@hotmail.com.
