Poker Players Give Back
Annie Duke showed that professional poker players have heart when it comes to raising money for charity. In last season's Celebrity Apprentice which she won - okay, she finished second to Joan Rivers - Annie raised about $500,000 in charitable contributions from the poker world. Way to go, Annie!
In that same spirit, I hosted and/or emceed four charity tournaments in a single week last month. In Montreal for an event benefiting the Starlight Foundation, we raised over $250,000 for children in need. Then, in Manhattan, I helped emcee Roy "The Oracle" Winston's charity event on Wall Street. The next night, at an event in Philadelphia, we raised $1 million in one night for the Children's Hospital.
Finally, I was joined by twenty other pro poker players and a slew of big-name celebrities for a weekend of poker and golf in Phoenix to benefit the Fallen Officers Foundation. We raised about $500,000 for this organization that supports families of officers killed in the line of duty www.holdemforheroes.com.
Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari won the main event in Phoenix and fellow poker pro Jeff Madsen finished second. Then came the so-called Winners Tournament where the top two finishers in each of the four charity events and I squared off for a $10,000 seat at the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event.
Blinds were $100/$200 when I opened for $600 with 6-6 from early position. Jeff Madsen, sitting directly to my left, called with A-A.
The flop came 7-7-6. Bingo! I checked and so did Jeff.
A deuce hit on the turn and I bet $800. Madsen called.
A ten popped off on the river and I tossed in $1,200. Jeff studied the situation. Even though he recognized that I only had $2,200 left, he just called.
I told Jeff that he played the hand masterfully, managing to lose only the absolute minimum.
Let's break this hand down.
My opening $600 raise was standard however Madsen's smooth pre-flop call with pocket aces was a very advanced play. He was attempting to trap one of the players behind him - including me.
I like Jeff's play, especially because the table was filled with aggressive players. Jeff reasonably expected that one player would reraise or at least overplay his hand after the flop.
My check on the flop was just okay. A bet might have been better as everyone seems to expect a continuation bet these days. As it turns out, my check probably revealed some of my strength to Jeff.
Madsen's check behind me on the flop was solid. He checked for the same reason I did on the flop; he was trying to trap. His check was designed both to signal weakness and tempt me to bet on the turn with a weak hand, or even bluff.
On the turn, I like my smallish $800 bet. I was trying to make it easy for Jeff to call with a hand like A-Q, or even give him a chance to attempt a bluff.
His smooth call on the turn was a good play. He probably thought he had the best hand and that I may have been bluffing.
My $1,200 bet on the river was decent. How could I know that he had an overpair and that he'd only call with A-A? My bet was designed to get maximum value for my full house.
Madsen's smooth call on the river was great but I'd never recommend that sort of play unless you've got an unbelievable read on your opponent. Obviously, Madsen had that kind of read on me.
An all-in raise was the standard move for a player in Jeff's position, especially considering that I only had $2,200 remaining. I definitely prefer the all-in move unless you possess Jeff Madsen-like reading skills!
-Phil Hellmuth
In that same spirit, I hosted and/or emceed four charity tournaments in a single week last month. In Montreal for an event benefiting the Starlight Foundation, we raised over $250,000 for children in need. Then, in Manhattan, I helped emcee Roy "The Oracle" Winston's charity event on Wall Street. The next night, at an event in Philadelphia, we raised $1 million in one night for the Children's Hospital.
Finally, I was joined by twenty other pro poker players and a slew of big-name celebrities for a weekend of poker and golf in Phoenix to benefit the Fallen Officers Foundation. We raised about $500,000 for this organization that supports families of officers killed in the line of duty www.holdemforheroes.com.
Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari won the main event in Phoenix and fellow poker pro Jeff Madsen finished second. Then came the so-called Winners Tournament where the top two finishers in each of the four charity events and I squared off for a $10,000 seat at the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event.
Blinds were $100/$200 when I opened for $600 with 6-6 from early position. Jeff Madsen, sitting directly to my left, called with A-A.
The flop came 7-7-6. Bingo! I checked and so did Jeff.
A deuce hit on the turn and I bet $800. Madsen called.
A ten popped off on the river and I tossed in $1,200. Jeff studied the situation. Even though he recognized that I only had $2,200 left, he just called.
I told Jeff that he played the hand masterfully, managing to lose only the absolute minimum.
Let's break this hand down.
My opening $600 raise was standard however Madsen's smooth pre-flop call with pocket aces was a very advanced play. He was attempting to trap one of the players behind him - including me.
I like Jeff's play, especially because the table was filled with aggressive players. Jeff reasonably expected that one player would reraise or at least overplay his hand after the flop.
My check on the flop was just okay. A bet might have been better as everyone seems to expect a continuation bet these days. As it turns out, my check probably revealed some of my strength to Jeff.
Madsen's check behind me on the flop was solid. He checked for the same reason I did on the flop; he was trying to trap. His check was designed both to signal weakness and tempt me to bet on the turn with a weak hand, or even bluff.
On the turn, I like my smallish $800 bet. I was trying to make it easy for Jeff to call with a hand like A-Q, or even give him a chance to attempt a bluff.
His smooth call on the turn was a good play. He probably thought he had the best hand and that I may have been bluffing.
My $1,200 bet on the river was decent. How could I know that he had an overpair and that he'd only call with A-A? My bet was designed to get maximum value for my full house.
Madsen's smooth call on the river was great but I'd never recommend that sort of play unless you've got an unbelievable read on your opponent. Obviously, Madsen had that kind of read on me.
An all-in raise was the standard move for a player in Jeff's position, especially considering that I only had $2,200 remaining. I definitely prefer the all-in move unless you possess Jeff Madsen-like reading skills!
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