Poker
Camp WPF 2002:
Introduction to Camp
Since
I am a recreational player and not a professional,
I refer to my time spent at the WPF (World
Poker Finals at the Foxwoods Casino) as
poker camp. To me it has the elements/spirit
of camp; being away from home, seeing
people I only see at poker events such
as this, having a jolly good time, *and*
sometimes wishing I were back home.
At
any camp there is always the mundane and
the amazing. On the amazing side, during
the 10K championship event this hand transpired.
(I was at another table, I think I have
it correct, if not follow the concept
not the details) Andy Bloch limps utg
(under the gun - first to act on his hand)
preflop, and Young Phan makes a standard
raise from the bb. Andy reraises. The
flop comes KQx. check-check. Turn is a
blank and Young bets T8000 (I think) which
is about 45% of Andy's stack. Andy thinks
for a bit and calls. River is another
blank. Young moves his stack in and Andy
goes into a deep think, he has maybe T10,000
left in front of him (Young has him covered)
Someone calls for a clock and with four
seconds left Andy says "call" Before the
hands are turned over Young Phan says
"good call" exposing his hole cards of
AK, giving him top pair with top kicker.
But Young knows that Andy holds pocket
Aces. Andy's dilemma was that he knew
that Young knew that he had the Aces,
but how could Young move his stack in
knowing that, did Young have him beat
or was he making a move. It was an I knew
that he knew that I knew situation. And
yes, Andy did indeed hold the Aces. It
was poker at the upper end of the thought
process. Brilliant really on the part
of both players.
When
you only get to go to camp a couple of
times a year, you choose wisely. Foxwoods
has one of the best, if not THE best tournaments.
Their structure is such that it allows
for plenty of play and they do try to
protect the player (i.e., they keep track
of tournament chips realizing that they
DO have value). Mike Ward, Tournament
Director and Kathy Raymond, Director of
Poker and their staff put a lot of hard
work and attention to detail into their
tournaments. Have no fear skipping off
to camp with directors and staff like
this, they are the nuts!
Also
the nuts is Linda Johnson who has spent
a lot of time an energy promoting poker.
She is at Foxwoods with the World Poker
Tour (WPT) which will be filming the final
table once it is down to six players.
Linda is herself a top notch player, with
a gold bracelet, shrewd business skills
and poker winnings that most of us will
never amass in our lifetime. She is also
a sweetheart, approachable and just plain
nice. Oh, and subtle. My draw for day
two of the championship event put me at
a tough table. One of the things that
Linda would like to see is women advancing
in the world of male dominated poker.
While I am sitting at this tough table,
Linda comes over addressing me by name
and inquires if I need anything. Talk
about lending support! The tough guys
at my table may not know this "unknown"
(i.e., me) but they *NOW* know that Linda
Johnson knows me and can only wonder whose
ear I have when it comes to strategy and
poker education. I will take any edge
I can get against this multi bracelet
table. Thank you, Linda! I am blessed,
not only am I at my favorite camp, any
playground bullies are gonna think twice
before they pick a fight with me!
For
those of you that only play online and
think that bad beats don't occur at B
& M's (brick and mortar card rooms) check
these out. On the bubble of the championship
event two short stacks collide, Kathy
Liebert and Allen Cunningham. I forget
who got the money in first, doesn't matter
as they both really had few hands left
to play with antes and approaching blinds.
A5 for Kathy and A9 for Allen, with an
Ace and cards below 8 on the flop, (I
believe a two pairs the turn giving them
both two pair but Allen out kicks Kathy
unless the river brings a high card and
then they would split) it's all over for
Allen when a five hits the river. At seven
handed Kathy gets the money in with K's
and Layne Flack has QJ suited (?), jack
something suited anyway, with runner runner
diamonds for the flush eliminating Kathy
from being in the final six and on TV
(though not sure this one counts as a
super bad beat as Kathy didn't move in
preflop choosing to let Layne cheaply
take off the flop). The most brutal that
I witnessed was Tony Cousineau's back
to back beats. First John Rowan moves
in from the button and Tony calls from
the blind with AK. John say good call,
stands up to leave - he was very short
and on a steal with J9, Jack on the flop,
9 on the turn. (John started the day 6th
lowest in chips and gets to the money
by playing "pick your spot poker") An
orbit later Chris "Jesus" Ferguson is
the first one in the pot raising from
the cutoff (the seat directly before the
button) After a slight pause (perhaps
considering calling vs moving in, or perhaps
enticing Chris to call an all in bet)
Tony moves in. Chris hesitates briefly
but is pretty much pot committed (as well
as having Tony covered) and calls with
K3 of hearts. Tony has pocket Aces. TJx
on the flop, A on the turn and a Q on
the river sends Tony packing. There were
many many more, these are he ones off
the top of my head, so kids if you think
that online poker has suspicious rivers
and bad beats c'mon down to the real live
world. The last bad beat I will leave
you with is this, it is my first championship
event and when the sheet that lists remaining
players and chip counts for day two is
released my name appears as John (instead
of Joan) Hadley, now that's a *REAL* bad
beat (smile).
One
funny story before I begin actual poker
content. Anne Rosenblum (Russell's wife)
is sweating Russell, Andy and myself.
At one point, Anne is cheering Andy on
from the rail - something to the effect
of "way to pick up chips, honey!" Gavin
Smith asks Russell if she is Andy's girlfriend,
to which Russell replies: "I hope not!"
Gavin, somewhat confused why Russell would
care, comments: "Why would you hope she
isn't Andy's girlfriend?" Russell replies:
"Because she is my wife!" Two nights later
at dinner Anne leaves the table for a
bit, the waitress comes over and asks
Scott Byron if she (Anne) is finished
with her plate. Scott replies that perhaps
she should ask Anne's husband and the
wait person seems rather surprised that
Anne isn't Scott's wife. Russell questions
"What, now she has TWO husbands AND a
boyfriend!" and also questions why Scott
always asks if Anne will be attending
this or that poker venue. I should clarify
lest the wrong impression is given, Anne
is a sweetheart, she is not a flirt or
poker groupie. She is a great person that
lends encouragement. In fact after Russell
is out of the championship event Anne
suggested to Russell that if Andy or I
make it to day three they should stay
until the end, and they do. When Russell
made it to the final table of the final
event of the WSOP this year, Anne was
touched that people flew out to Vegas
for one day to lend support and watch
Russell play and she wishes to "pay it
back." Neither Andy nor I were present
for Russell on his big day, but that is
beside the point. I am lucky that my buddies
are grounded individuals with no hidden
agenda's, that support each other and
belittle no one, poker is a passion not
an obsession. Though they don't seek fame,
it has come to some of them and is knocking
on the doors of others. Plenty of recognition
will come to many of them, and I love
that it won't be forced. Being with people
I like and respect is what makes camp
so special for me. I don't know if I could
ever be a pro on the tour as "camp" for
me is the total package of learning, being
surrounded with great people that also
possess great poker minds. Russell is
a lucky man to have a wife that supports
his hobby. I am a lucky woman for knowing
both of them. I am blessed to have the
best buddies and be able to attend a premium
poker camp.
Read:
Introduction
to Camp
, Opening
Day
, Arts
& Crafts... er, $340 NLHE Tourney
, Leaving
Camp and Returning
, The
Championship Event Day One
, The
Championship Event Day Two
Joan Hadley
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