I used to be a poker palyer

Just as the WSOP was about to begin, my only thought was that of a frail old lady back in the UK. She was a special lady, a precious lady; she was Mum.

At aged eighty-eight and with her vital organs working at less than 30%, it was becoming clearer by the day that were losing her. The nine siblings she was leaving behind thought the word was coming to an end. The eight in England traveled from all over place to spend as much time as possible with her. The one living in Vegas was the expectation.

Having filed for my Green Card and unable to travel out of the country, I pleaded with the authorities to expedite my travel documents. They said it would take five weeks. I needed them in one. After further pleading, they promised them within five days. They fulfilled their promise and I booked the first flight I could find. The three day wait before I would get to see her was the most torturous period of my life.

On the way to the hospital, the other siblings warned me how Mum had changed in the last few months. I assured them that I was prepared. I wasn’t. But then I held her hand. Her skin felt like velvet, it always felt like velvet to me. She then smiled at me - it lit up her face and made my knees go weak. Only this woman do that to me. Only a mother can do that to a son.

On my last visit, I took a photo of her on my phone. I commented that she would be with me on the flight back to the USA. “What”, she said “you‘re taking me to Vegas?”. I said America and she said Vegas. She still had her faculties and that pleased me above everything else. She knew it was me - I had caught her in time.

Back in Vegas, I try and get on with things and play some poker. After five events at the Rio, I get the expected and dreaded call. I again try to find a flight, but it was too late. I return for the funeral and to a kind of emptiness that cannot be described. Suffice to say that if you still have your mum, make the most of it. It is the most precious and unique relationship that a person can have.

Returning to Vegas, I doubt if the Rio was an option. When just the big one remained, family and friends push me to play. I understand the thoughts behind the push.

When my day arrives and I take me seat, I decide to play with as much fun as possible. Of course the miracle could happen and I could dedicate the win to one of the most loved people I would ever my in my life. However, I cannot bank on miracles. Instead, I dedicate every smile and every fun moment to her memory.

Seat one soon gets that first smile going as he tells us how Phil Hellmuth, was his idol, how Phil was the best in the world and how he has read every book Phil had written. He even brought them along to read during the break.
Within an hour two, we all start to wonder how Phil was the kid’s idol, when the kid played more like Gus? Raise, after raise, after raise. When did Phil ever play like that?

I tease the kid by offering to call Phil so he could speak to him. Seeing his excitement at the prospect of speaking to the idol he had yet to meet, I tease a little further by offering to sell him the number. His excitement increases as do the smiles from the other players. The photographers keep taking pictures of the kid, he seems be famous for something. We learn his name is Grant Hinkle. I’m still no wiser as to who the kid is, but I was crap with names anyway.

In the meantime, I get a couple coolers that bring further smiles at the this game they call poker. At 16K, I still had time, but time for what?

Another cooler seems to be developing. Grant again raises in early position and gets called by the SB. On the BB with K-K, it’s an easy decision for me to pump it up. Grant‘s re-raise causes major concern. He has one of three hands. A-A or Q-Q are the same odds in my mind, while A-K is about a 10% probability. If I call, I am left with about 9K from the 16K. It‘s not the best option by a long way. But it‘s still an option if I intend to call the expected set-you-all-in bet after the flop. With the odds slightly (very slightly) in favor of a full commitment to the hand, I suppose I could call and see if the Ace fails to flop. On the other hand, if a Queen flops, I would be faced with uncertainty and the major possibility that I would muck to the bet. And that could happen and if he held A-K.

The J-9-3 flop does bring the bet I expected. It also brings another opportunity to see just how that bet is made. His quick all-in bet, would probably have come in the same manner, irrespective of his hand. I was therefore no wiser. Except for one little thing, I didn’t have bad vibes when the bet came. Of course, I allow myself some TV time, even though the cameras were not present. But when I do make the call, it was with more confidence than at any time after his re-raise. This was indicated my turning my hand over before he turned his. I fully expected to see Q-Q, instead it was the 10% shot and the old A-K soooted. The vibes indicated that he wouldn’t spike the ace on the turn or the river.

On the table behind to my left, Dave Colclough begins to ask me what I would do with K-K after he had re-raised an early position raise only for the guy after him to come over the top all-in. Dave then began to explain that it was one of three hand etc etc. LOL. Actually Dave……..

“What did you do?”, he asked.

Dave mucked his K-K. With his stack being closer to 25K at the time, I would have probably done the exact same thing. As it happens, the guy had pushed with Q-Q and Dave would have won a monster. But that‘s poker.

As for me, I got my stack up to the dizzy heights of almost 40K, before another hand had me smiling.

Limping on the button with A-8 sooted, the two blinds and I get to see a rainbow flop of A-8-2. Of course it gets checked to me and of course I make the expected steal bet. What I didn’t expect, was a re-raise from the BB. With having position, it would have been foolish to re-raise him there and then. No, that would come on the turn. That plan went to pot when he checked. I couldn’t imagine that the Nine was much use to his hand, but I still made a big bet. His call was surprising really. I didn’t think he had a hand at all and that his flop raise was a move and nothing more. When a Ten hit the river and he led out, it was an easy call to make. Yep, 6-7 got there.

That was my day really. Nothing to write home about and nothing else to report. As for Grant, he made a great comeback after doubling me up. But poker being what it is, he got smacked in an unexpected way. On a flop of K-5-2 and two hearts, his continuation bet with 7-7 was standard. The call from his opponent indicated a flush draw. When Grant turned the set, I think he was past caring and fired out again. When a none heart nine hit the river, he fired again. The re-raise that set him all-in could not have been expected. It would have been tough to lay down considering his opponent could only realistically have the 6-8 of hearts. Sure enough, that’s exactly what he did have and Phil‘s greatest fan departed.

Damn, I didn’t get a chance to sell him that number!

PS,

Must say a thing or two about Jon Kalmar. Having met him a few times now, I don’t think you can meet a nicer guy. He is again stacked up in this and I hope he goes deep. I love nice guys, they make it so easy to cheer for them!