How important are these qualities to a poker player?
I have just been watching a programme on sky, narrated by world champion sprinter Michael Johnnson and he was breaking down the qualities that where needed to be the fastest man on earth and these two puppies popped up.
For me it is vitally important when playing in any tourney that I first of all believe I can win ait and secondly that I have the hunger to win.
I would say by nature I am competitive and I don't ever enter anything and not want to win.
I really don't know where the competitive nature comes from, as when growing up my mum all preached that as longa s I did my ebst it was good enough, at school the emphasis was always on taking part and not the winning. For me winning has always come first.
How do you all tune yourself for a poker event and how much emphasis do you put on the winning over the competing?
Self belief and the will to win. Just how important are these? Well, there have been a few times in my poker life when I have felt driven beyond the norm. And in truth, I can’t help but feel that on each occasion, it was purely the will to win that pushed me across the finishing line. From all of these, there is one that stands more than most, BTW this is the first time I have shared the whole story with the world.
We go back to December of 2002. It had been an incredible year for me. I played poker with a focus that the Zen philosophy would have been proud of. That was reflected by my results, results which ensured that I was unchallenged in the race for the European Player of the Year award.
I prepare for Helsinki and the awards ceremony. But first, I take in the Bellagio for a few events. I therefore book my flight to Vegas and then the long journey to Helsinki. However, a little problem develops as I make the second day of the two-day main event. Panic sets in as I try to find another route to Helsinki. The best I can do is to get there five hours after the ceremony is due to begin. No problem I was assured. Simon Trumper asked me to email my acceptance speech and I left it at that. What followed was slightly farcical.
As I understood later, the TV cameras were there for the ceremony, and the panel felt it wise to offer the award to someone that was there, namely, Gary Bush. I was still at the Bellagio when the news came through that Gary had “won“. I don‘t know how many players came over to me and made obvious their disgust, but the place was buzzing. I looked forward to Australia like never before; and not just for the tournaments.
Before the first event, I had a brief chat with Nic Szeremeta, the publisher of Poker Europa. Joining in the conversation was Gary Bush. I don’t recall the exact words used during the chat. But the upshot was that Gary was not pleased at being given the award that everyone knew belong to me. He even mentioned the possibility of releasing some sort of written statement. Gary who is a very close friend, felt uneasy with the whole thing and just wanted to make clear his thoughts. My conversation with Nic continued as he tried to justify what happened. In the end, I just told Nic that they will know by the end of the Aussie Millions who the best f****
player in Europe is. Nothing more was said as I actually enjoy a good relationship with Nic. But I had to get my point across.
The tournaments began and I set about them with what you may call a great vengeance. I made four cashes before the main event with a 3rd, 5th, 6th and a 7th place finish. It was a great start, but not good enough in my eyes. I needed much more, I needed to win the main event. Usually, there are only a couple of reasons why a person is driven to win a poker tournament, money or fame. I had seven very good and valid reasons. Just so happens that there were seven judges involved in the awards. And so to the main event…
As a double chance format, I decided to just start with the 5K and hoped that I didn’t need to take the other 5K until after the third level. I played very cagey to begin with, this would be a long event and I wanted to set my image for later. With just a few minutes before the end of the third level, my stack stood at about 7500. It was a very inactive first three hours but there was no need to rush. And anyway, the patience looked like it was about to pay off….
With two or three limpers, I decided on a big raise with Q-Q in late position. The big blind with about the same stack wants to push all-in. He thinks about it, ponders all his options, but decides to just call. I try to work out his exact hand as quickly as possible. He has J-J, 100%, no doubt. Anything but another Jack on the flop and I will be good shape. He pushed all-in on a flop of A-9-3. I call instantly. My opponent says good call when I turned over my hand. A jack hit’s the turn and it will be uphill from now on.
The field begins to dwindle but I cant make much headway. I have managed to get my stack up to 10K, but with less than half the field remaining, I am beginning to feel the pressure of the blinds and antes. I need a hand, and I need it soon. Looking down at J-J, I cant wait to get my chips in; this was so desperately needed. Hang on a minute, the early position raiser has a hand. He has been playing very solid and deserves respect here. With binds at 300-600, his raise of 2200 is going to leave me short. I really should just push all-in. No, on second thoughts, lets see what play the flops brings. Ten high flop rainbow, and the raiser want to set me all-in.
Looking at my stack of 7700, I ponder the options. I don’t like either of them. If a muck, the next blind increase, due in a few minutes, will really put me under pressure. I hate to fold this. I look at his stack and he has chips to spare. But would he make this move with A-Q or A-K? Yes, he could very easily make the same move. But my instincts tell me otherwise. Damn these instincts, this could cost my chance if I muck this one. I smile at the thousand thought in my head. My hand reaches out, grabs my cards and throws them face up. I can’t believe I did that!
This had been a fun table, and hands had been shown numerous times by almost all the players. I hoped that would still be the case and that he shows again; or do I? Two beautiful ladies hit the table face up. I had another chance, just not much time. But I instantly get my reward for laying down J-J by being dealt T-T on the next hand. Before I could enjoy the thought of stealing the blinds, another early position raiser beats me to it. Oh well, this is it. This is a compulsory all-in, Costa‘s last stance. So why the delay when it comes around to me? Why haven’t I pushed in yet? What am I waiting for? Just a minute, lets see, another 2200 to call, leaves me with just over 5K. Again, this can only be a coin flip at best. Jesus, what are you guys doing to me? I know, lets just call. He had just seen me call with J-J, he knows I have hand. But his stack has so much leeway here, he could easily bluff. I guess I could allow him bluff if I like the flop? I pick up all my chips but just throw in 2200.
Good flop at least, nine high and rainbow, that will do nicely! He of course sets me al-in. I go for my short stack. But before I throw it in the middle, the doubts begin again. Jesus Peter, what’s the matter now? Just call and get it over with! I want to call, but my chip arm becomes as heavy as lead. It struggles to let go of the chips. Oh, oh, the smile is back on my face. I just can’t do it! I have no vibes here, I cant work his hand out. Everything is against me. My smile speaks volumes, it tells my opponent that I know he is bluffing. But I know I’m mucking here. Could I entice one more show with that comment? He asks if my two jacks from the last hand had been black. When I nodded, he throws them over and said “These two”. This is fucking unreal. What the hell is going on? I’ll tell you what’s going on! Someone does not want me to win this tourney, that’s what!
When I came to Melbourne, even though I had the most unbelievable 2002, this was the start of 2003 and a brand new year. Last year was now history, I wondered what this one had on store for me. So many of my wins and finals had come through sheer determination and not giving up. But this was too much. I search the memory banks for other times when I had to overcome so much to win an event. Various victories run through my mind. Although some had come close, I struggle to find one in which the cards had taken the piss as much as today. I was angry now. I didn’t turn green and rip my shirt, I didn’t even show any emotion, but I was pissed! If I was to go out of this event, then I was going to make sure that it would NOT be the cards that sent me packing. I will not be waiting for K-K so I could run into A-A. I shall not wait for a coin flip. But I look at my stack of 5400, and realize that it’s big talk from a little stack. My moves are limited, far too limited! .
I am now on the big blind and all muck to the small blind who limps. I don’t recall the flop or my hand, but he called my small bet on the flop and again on the turn. I bet my remaining 1500 on the river and he mucked. Suddenly, I was close to 9K with enough to protect my hand, and even enough to re-raise with. What followed, is not recommended. In fact, in a over a thousand tournaments that stretched back thirty years, this consecutive plays were unique. I had never done this before, or ever really needed to. But today was different, today required something unique.
Hand number one and the standard raise comes from early position. It seems a bit tentative this raise, it somehow lacks conviction. OK, this is it. After the table had seen me just call with J-J and then T-T, surely I have earned this play. All-in with
-7d. I was right, it was tentative raise, he shows A-T and mucks. I don’t know why, but I show mine. The table smiles.
Hand number two and another standard raise has been made. There is no way that they should expect this, but what if I’m wrong? What the hell. All-in with T-8. The raiser mucks without showing. I can’t help it again and show. More smiles.
Third hand in a row and now George McKeaver, two to my left raises in late position. Hang on a second, don’t try it against George. He is not the type to lay any decent hand down. But wait a sec, after the last two hands, my stack will hurt him now. You know what? Fuck it, all-in. George comments that I must have a better hand this time and mucks. George is right, I do have a better hand as I show K-5. Suddenly, after 5 minutes of madness, I am at average chips and right back in it.
If those three plays had been unique, so was the sequence of big hands that followed. A-A, K-K, A-K, Q-Q, A-Q. I don’t recall the order, but each hand got the right action and each hand won. Within twenty to thirty minutes, I was one of the chip leaders. But this meant nothing at this stage, there was so much work to be done still. We came back the next day with me holding the chip lead and with three tables remaining.
I took so many liberties that second day. But the timing proved perfect as each of my re-raises brought the muck that I expected and hoped for. But looking from the rail, you could not tell, it was not obvious that I was making moves. But every time that I saw an ace, king or queen and the opportunity arose for me to play back, I just did it. It worked time after time. I was smiling inside, if only they knew…
I keep the chip lead for the final. The first crucial hand in the final came between myself and Ram Vaswani. Being close in chips and looking at big raise from Ram on the button, I felt that I would be unlucky for him to be beating my Q-Q. I therefore decided to give my hand max protection and move all-in. Ram decided to make a major call with his A-K and a mother of showdowns was about to take place. When my Q-Q held up, it was the first coin flip that I had for many hours. In fact, I don’t actually recall one, but I assume that one took place. Big chip lead now, six remaining. The lead held and we found ourselves at three.
What followed, really defies all logic. I was faced with Leo Boxall and Harry Demetriou. The problem I faced at the time was somewhat self-inflicted. Harry had only recently joined the pro circuit and was still very much in the learning process. As we had played on the same table the previous night, I picked up on a couple of mistakes from Harry, one was in fact against me. I don’t really recall if Harry asked or not, but I didn’t think twice about offering a little advice. During further breaks, Harry and I had a few more chats concerning plays etc. My problem now was, I didn’t really want to be left heads-up with him. I had began to feel that playing against a “friend”, would have been disadvantages to my chances.
I therefore did not want to face Harry. Leo on the other hand, was a stranger to me. As it turned out, I later became very good friends with Leo and his family, but at the time, I wanted to play him. With him also being a local, it sort of justified everything about my approach to the tournament. I know it may sound strange, but those were my thoughts. Which goes someway to explaining why Leo was able to take down about fifteen blinds in a row. That’s not to say that I “purposely” avoided attacking his blinds with any decent hands. I more or less declined to raise with garbage and the option to put pressure on him.
I also knew that this was a cagey game I was playing. This could have easily gone wrong and I could have finished in third place. Luckily for me, he eventually busted Harry and I got my wish. The next problem was that Leo now had 3-1 chip lead. And though that increased to a 4-1 lead, I actually felt comfortable all the way through the heads-up. It all worked out in the end and I had great joy in dedicating this win to seven people, that in my mind, had no right to deny what was just. For them to deny such focus and effort was bordering on cowardice. But the dedication was also a thank to you to them. For without such a fire in my belly, I could not have won the event in the manner that I did.
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