Sunday, November 14, 2004
Times Leader | 11/14/2004 | Pocket jacks a dicey deal in Hold 'EmIt is one of the most troubling hands in no-limit and pot-limit Hold 'Em: pocket jacks. Especially without a big stack.
Sure, it's a premium pair. And yeah, it's one of only 10 hands that world-class pro Phil Hellmuth recommends that novices play (the others are A-A through 7-7 and A-K and A-Q).
But even Hellmuth, author of "Play Poker Like the Pros," has a dicey time with J-J.
At this year's $2,000 buy-in pot-limit World Series of Poker event, Hellmuth was one of 12 players remaining when he drew pocket jacks with a chip count of $32,000.
With the blinds at $1,500-$3,000, Hellmuth made it $9,500 to go from under the gun. The action folded around to Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari in the big blind. Esfandiari reraised Hellmuth's remaining $22,500.
"I sat at 1:30 a.m., tired - the tournament started at noon - and facing a tough decision," Hellmuth said. "On the one hand, if I called, I could be eliminated without making the precious final table, while knowing that we were done playing for the night at 2 a.m., and I could come back fresh the next day.
"On the other hand, I could improve my chip position to almost $65,000 if I called and won."
Hellmuth wasn't sure he had the best hand, but he did know that Esfandiari had been playing solid the last 90 minutes.
"I thought he had something strong, although it could have been pocket 8s, 9s or 10s," Hellmuth said.
Knowing how troublesome J-J can be, and knowing how important it is to reach the final table, Hellmuth folded.
"I felt like a better chance to double my chips would come around the corner soon enough," Hellmuth said. "Also, I felt like I would have a chance to build up to over $100,000 in chips without ever being all-in - without a chance of going broke - by moving chips around flawlessly in the next few tournament hours."
Hellmuth's decision allowed him to reach the final table, but he again ran into Esfandiari - twice - one time losing an $80,000 pot that would help Esfandiari win the tournament and capture his first WSOP gold bracelet.
"I do feel like I made the right play because I depended on my skill later on," said Hellmuth, who has won a record-tying nine gold bracelets at the WSOP. "If you're not quite as experienced as me, then you should go with your read. If you think you have the best hand, then put the chips in the pot."
Table talk
Pot limit: A game where the biggest bet can be only the size of the pot.
Sure, it's a premium pair. And yeah, it's one of only 10 hands that world-class pro Phil Hellmuth recommends that novices play (the others are A-A through 7-7 and A-K and A-Q).
But even Hellmuth, author of "Play Poker Like the Pros," has a dicey time with J-J.
At this year's $2,000 buy-in pot-limit World Series of Poker event, Hellmuth was one of 12 players remaining when he drew pocket jacks with a chip count of $32,000.
With the blinds at $1,500-$3,000, Hellmuth made it $9,500 to go from under the gun. The action folded around to Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari in the big blind. Esfandiari reraised Hellmuth's remaining $22,500.
"I sat at 1:30 a.m., tired - the tournament started at noon - and facing a tough decision," Hellmuth said. "On the one hand, if I called, I could be eliminated without making the precious final table, while knowing that we were done playing for the night at 2 a.m., and I could come back fresh the next day.
"On the other hand, I could improve my chip position to almost $65,000 if I called and won."
Hellmuth wasn't sure he had the best hand, but he did know that Esfandiari had been playing solid the last 90 minutes.
"I thought he had something strong, although it could have been pocket 8s, 9s or 10s," Hellmuth said.
Knowing how troublesome J-J can be, and knowing how important it is to reach the final table, Hellmuth folded.
"I felt like a better chance to double my chips would come around the corner soon enough," Hellmuth said. "Also, I felt like I would have a chance to build up to over $100,000 in chips without ever being all-in - without a chance of going broke - by moving chips around flawlessly in the next few tournament hours."
Hellmuth's decision allowed him to reach the final table, but he again ran into Esfandiari - twice - one time losing an $80,000 pot that would help Esfandiari win the tournament and capture his first WSOP gold bracelet.
"I do feel like I made the right play because I depended on my skill later on," said Hellmuth, who has won a record-tying nine gold bracelets at the WSOP. "If you're not quite as experienced as me, then you should go with your read. If you think you have the best hand, then put the chips in the pot."
Table talk
Pot limit: A game where the biggest bet can be only the size of the pot.
