WSOP CIRCUIT - Palm Beach Kennel Club

EVENTS CALENDAR
• All Tournaments with Buy-ins of $300 or more will receive a WSOP Ring.
• Players will receive National Championship Points for all buy-ins of $300 or more.
• Ladies Event will receive a WSOP Pendant.

2/17 Thur Satellites and Registration Begin - -
1a 2/17 Thur 11 AM No Limit Hold’Em (Re-Entry) (3 Day)
2/17 Thur 6 PM No Limit Hold’Em (1 day event)
1b 2/18 Fri 11 AM No Limit Hold’Em (Event 1)
2/18 Fri 6 PM No Limit Hold’Em (1 day event)
2 2/19 Sat 11 AM No Limit Hold’Em (2 day event)
2/19 Sat 6 PM No Limit Hold’Em (1 day event)
3 2/20 Sun 11 AM No Limit Hold’Em (2 day event)
2/20 Sun 6 PM No Limit Hold’Em (1 day event)
4 2/21 Mon 11 AM No Limit Hold’Em (2 day event)
2/21 Mon 6 PM No Limit Hold’Em (1 day event)
5 2/22 Tues 11 AM H.O.R.S.E. (2 day event)
2/22 Tues 6 PM No Limit Hold’Em (1 day event)
6 2/23 Wed 11 AM Omaha 8 or Better (2 day event)
2/23 Wed 6 PM No Limit Hold’Em (1 day event)
7a 2/24 Thur 11 AM No Limit Hold’Em (Re-Entry)(3 day event)
2/24 Thur 6 PM No Limit Hold’Em (1 day event)
7b 2/25 Fri 11 AM No Limit Hold’Em (Event 7)
2/25 Fri 6 PM No Limit Hold’Em (1 day event)
8 2/26 Sat 11 AM No Limit Hold’Em (2 day event)(10 AM restart)
2/26 Sat 4 PM Mega Satellite
2/26 Sat 7 PM Mega Satellite
9 2/27 Sun 11 AM No-Limit Hold’Em Championship Event (3 day event) (1st start time)
9 2/27 Sun 7 PM
No-Limit Hold’Em Championship Event (3 day event)
(2ndstart time)
10 2/28 Mon 3 PM No Limit Hold’Em (2 day event)
2/28 Mon 6 PM Ladies No Limit Hold’Em (1 day event)
3/01 Tues Final Table

Venue:
Thursday, February 17, 2011 to Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Palm Beach Kennel Club
1111 North Congress Avenue
West Palm Beach, FL  US
(561) 683-2222

Bad Beat Poker

It was in my early days as a poker player and I had a fairly small bankroll to fall back on. One of my friend  had asked me to come with him to the casino in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Poker is a very popular game here, but the tables at the casinos seldom see full ring games and those attending the casino often play a crazy game with a lot of attitude. We sat down at a no limit table with six players. Blinds were $3/$3 and the maximum buy-in $300.

One of the guys had just lost a good-sized pot and was cursing his luck loudly, yelling at the winner of the pot. With this upset guy in seat 6, I sat down in seat 5 and played a very tight game. There was a subtle war going on between the guy who lost the big pot and the guy who won it. The loser of the pot commented on every play made and was generally disrespectful. My friend told him that perhaps he shouldn't play poker if he couldn't handle bad beats. The loser made big bets and won most pots on the table, often with an annoying grin to his face. He was either in a constant state of tilt or simply a maniac without a trace of social manner. No matter what, it was his stack I was aiming for.

About an hour into the session and a close to breakeven game I picked up K J off suit on the small blind. It was folded to me and the battle of the blinds began, with Mr. Talkative as my opponent. I raised it up to 4x his big blind. He placed a big grin in his face and told me, just like Teddy told youngster McDermott, to "stay away from this one, it's not good for you" whereupon he came over the top on me, making it another 8 big bets to go. I called and the pot was $72 with the flop to come. The dealer flips up the three cards, showing a rainbow of Q 10 9. 

 

I was jumping up and down on the inside before I got to my senses and put in a weak bet of $16, yelling for a playback. He looked at his cards and pushed in another $40. It was a big moment for me and eager to keep him in the pot, I doubled his bet, making it another $40 to go. He looked me in the eyes and said "some people never learn", pushed his remaining $300 in the middle and leaned back. Satisfied enough, I call with my remaining $200 and flipped my nuts over. A bit angry he turns his two cards face up, showing J 10 without a trace of flush draw. Certain that I couldn't lose, I watched the turn. It revealed a Q. Still sure there was only one outcome to the hand. The river shows a third Q and my former nuts were worthless.

Admitting a little luck but claiming it is something you deserve rather than randomly get, he scooped the pot of $640 home in front of my eyes. As I left the table, I let him know how I felt about him and his play. Beaten and broke, I headed home.

Another Poker Player Was Created

Thanks to Deb for sharing his personal experience with me. This is one of her great time experience while playing poker. Here is the whole incidence :

We were in the Sahara, my daughter, Starla and I. I had been playing blackjack and had won 155 dollars. All from a lone twenty. A good win indeed.

We were on our way out to the side door to the parking garage when suddenly fate stepped in. A most charming man took a few small steps from the poker room area and said " Good evening ladies, how about a little poker tonight? I have seats open."

Well now, I had never played poker in a casino, had never even thought about it. At Thanksgiving we always had a fun poker game with pennies and nickels. I couldn't play a lick, didn't hardly know what beat what.

But here I was in one of my manic the-world-is-my-oyster states. So I thought "Why not?" Before I knew it I was in a plush poker chair, Starla in the same sitting behind me. The game is 3 to 6 dollars 7 card stud. I had to have been crazy.

The cards were in the air. I was in the game. Wow!

A cocktail waitress appeared and I ordered a whisky and water, Starla a coke with lots of ice. Drinking at the poker table is something you should never do. Not ever. I can imagine today how happy the "sharks" were to see me drinking. They had a real "fish" with a 100 dollars on the green felt. And brand-new to the game, a "fish" ready to be eaten alive. Happy days were here again.

The drinks kept coming. The cards were in the air, I played every hand, every card clear to the river. I was riding' high. I won hand after hand: two pairs, straights, flushes, full houses. I could do no wrong. The Jacks and Kings were smiling and winking at me. Some of the pros ceased to be so friendly and they started cussing and throwing cards at the dealer. One man was laughing his head off.

That fantastic night I won 365 dollars at that poker table. Old Sahara dealers still talk about it. I was hooked for life. Some say the "Poker God" wanted to create another player that night. He made two. Starla went on to become a professional player and holds two world titles.

Sometimes fate "deals out strange cards" into our lives.

Stages of Play in Game of Poker

The poker game is developed in a clockwise direction. Each player starts the game with a certain amount of chips. The dealer button is indicated by "D".
In each game, the button moves from player to player, clockwise.

The two players sitting to the left of the dealer shall pay a mandatory mail-called "blind" (dark). On his turn, each player, clockwise, took the floor and announced his intentions. When it's turn to speak, you can:

    * Change (check): Do not make any bets, but remain in play. You can pass only if no other player before you has made a bet (so if anyone has opened)

    * Point / Open: Be the first to make a bet

    * See (Call): Point the same amount of the player who made the opening to stay in the game

    * Raise (Raise): Responding to the current bet, making a bet with an amount higher

    * Respond to raise (Re-Raise): Make a raise on a raise

    * Fold (Fold or drop): Exit the game and then giving up the stakes in the pot already paid during the previous betting rounds

Each turn of speech ends when all players still in the game have put the same amount.

If no player can "see" or "raise" bet, the player who opened wins the pot (the total bets). The winner can then show their cards to other players, even if it is not obligated to do so.

If at the end of the last betting round, several players are still in the game, hands are compared to each of them. Wins the game of poker, the player holding the highest hand, that the best combination of 5 cards among the seven cards available to him (5 discoveries and 2 blankets).

The tour ends and the button that indicates the dealer next player (clockwise). It can thus begin a new game of poker.

The Rules of Poker Game

At a poker game can take part from 2 to 10 players. The aim of each player is to win the pot, ie the total of the bets made by players during the game. To win the pot, there are two ways: having the best hand or bluffing, in other words to convince the opponents have the best hand, causing them to abandon the hand. A player who has the combination of higher value cards or with the best poker hands rank, win the pot.

*Order value card poker: Poker is played with a deck of 52 French cards. The cards have the classical values. Poker in the cards are ordered from lowest to highest, as follows:
 

                  2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, Ace
 

The value of the order of combinations is the same for all variants of poker. From highest to lowest, the value of combinations of cards Poker is as follows:

Royal Flush (4 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.000154%)

 Straight Flush (36 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.00139%)

Four of a Kind (624 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.0240%) is the preflop betting round. Like most games of poker, players can call, raise, or fold.

 Full House (3744 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.144%)

 Flush (5108 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.197%)

 Straight (10,200 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 0.392%)

 Three of a Kind (54912 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 2.11%)

Two Pair (123,552 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 4.75%)

 Pair (1,098,240 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 42.26%)









 High Card (1,302,540 possible hands in 2,598,960. Chance to get one: 50.12%)

James Bord Wins WSOP Europe Championship!

James Bord, from Stanmore, U.K., won 2010 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event title at the Empire Casino in London. Bord is the first British WSOP Europe Main Event champion and third British player to win a gold bracelet in London.

"I never thought I would win a bracelet," said Bord. "Being so close, you just never know when it's going to come again. And it's even more special to win it in my hometown. It's just something very special."

Bord was behind in chips during most of the final day until he was heads-up against Italian-born Monte Carlo resident Fabrizio Baldassari. Bord won a huge pot late to take a slight chip advantage and closed out his dramatic victory a short time later when his pocket tens defeated Baldassari's pocket fives.

The turning point in the matchwas when Bord snap-called the all-in move by Baldassari who held a meager, but live, Q8s; Bord held AK. The flop brought more drama to the hand when Baldassari picked up 4 more outs to a gut-shot straight, but Bord’s AK held-up, and the two players virtually switched chip-stacks. With the wind out of his sails, and Bord’s cheering section growing louder by the minute, Baldassari seemed resigned to his runner-up fate.

Prior to playing for a living, Bord worked for international banking giant Citigroup. He decided to leave his conventional job to focus instead on playing poker for a living. Until this victory, Bord had been far better known among his peers as a cash-game player. When in Las Vegas, he routinely plays $300-600 and $400-800 stakes in the biggest poker rooms in the city.

Bord collected £830,401 for first place, equal to about $1,316,550. He was also presented with his first WSOP gold bracelet.
Eight of the nine final table players were poker pros. Here is a look at the complete final table standings for the 2010 WSOPE:

1.    James Bord  — £830,401
2.    Fabrizio Baldassari  — £513,049
3.    Ronald Lee  — £376,829
4.    Roland De Wolfe  — £278,945
5.    Nicolas Levi   — £208,119
6.    Daniel Steinberg   — £156,530
7.    Dan Fleyshman   — £118,643
8.    Brian Powell   — £90,617
9.    Marc Inizan   — £69,754

2010 WSOP -  UK TOURNAMENT HEADLINES

Event #5
Main Event Championship
Buy-In:  £10,000
Number of Entries:  346
Total Net Prize Pool:  £3,460,000
Number of Places Paid:  36
First Place Prize:  £830,401
September 23-28, 2010
The King James Version:  Bord Wins
James Bord Wins WSOP Europe Championship!
British Poker Pro Becomes First WSOP Europe Main Event Champion
Italian Pro Fabrizio Baldassari Falls Just Short in First WSOP Appearance
2010 Edition of WSOP Europe in London the Biggest Yet

Odd Names in Poker

Good evening, today we will spend a fun entry to some commonly used names to describe some interesting moves in Poker. Almost all possible combination have been baptized in one way or another, as known as 86 Hiroshima (the date of the first bombing of the city) or J10 Cloutier named because it featured famous poker player in the late 90's and early 2000 is these initials: James Thomas (JT - Joker Ten). Let's focus on the best of them:

AA - American Airlines
KK: King Kong
JJ: The hooks / hooks
99: Barbara Feldon (super 99 in a TV series)
88: The snowmen
22: Ducks
33: Larry Bird
K9: the dog
AK: Kournikova because it looks pretty but never wins.
KJ: Kojak

On this point we draw attention to a curious hand story: Dead Man's hand. Sometimes film, this expression comes from the deepest of the origins of poker, it seems that history dates back to 1876 in the Far West.

Wild Bill Hickok, the protagonist of our story, sheriff, gunslinger and it seems that driver caution proceedings was known for playing their games forever with the wall behind him to avoid bandits who could end his life. The fact that one fateful night, Jack "Crooked Nose" McCall in Deadwood, South Dakota, Hickok surprised while playing a game, giving him a shot that ended his life.

The funny thing is that history to fall, Wild Bill was holding one of his hands on two aces and two eights (Some people went further saying that was completed with the queen of hearts and the other four letters were black) that is play from that point is known as Dead Man's Hand.

Interesting Stories About Poker

Stephen ‘Stevie444′ Chidwick is an online poker player that decided to try and win a WSOP Main Event package in the 2008 series. He did a little better than that, winning exactly 101 main event packages. What was interesting about the fact he won all of these packages was that he was under 21 and could therefore not play in the World Series! 

Former American President “Tricky Dicky” Richard Nixon reportedly financed his first political campaign with money he won playing poker in the U.S. Navy during World War II. The winnings helped pay for his successful U.S. Congress run in 1946. He decided poker was not good for Public Relations and gave up playing poker in 1952. 

Poker is responsible for one of the most common foods in the world, the sandwich. In the 1700’s the Earl of Sandwich, John Montague, was so keen not to leave a card game to eat he ordered a servant to bring him a piece of meat in between two slices of bread so he could eat one handed, and play cards with the other hand.

Three times WSOP Main Event champion Stu Ungar was an amazing card player, but had a long history of drugs and sports betting addictions. He is said to have been broke, become a millionaire, and gone broke again around 20 times during his poker career, before his passing in 1998. Ungar was regarded as the best Gin Rummy player of all time, beating out the best player of the time when he was only 11 years old. ( I already post an article about this great poker player )

A poker player at the World Series was involved in a hand early in the main event a few years ago and was talking to his friend about a hand he had played in a local game, excitedly going through the action. He shouted to his friend, “I decided to just shove and said, All In!” Unfortunately for him it was his turn to act and he had not looked at his cards. As verbal bets are binding, he immediately looked terrified and fell silent to see if anyone called his bet. Fortunately for him everyone folded the hand. He mucked his hand without ever seeing what he held during this unwitting shove, which could have seen him eliminated and his $10,000 buy-in wasted.

Poker pro Howard Lederer started out as a semi professional chess player, moving to New York to focus on his chess game. At the infamous Mayfair club he started to learn poker after taking an interest in the game. He did not immediately crush the games. On his own website he comments that 9 out of 10 nights he used to go home completely broke and only kept a poker bankroll by running errands for more successful poker players. His hard work paid off later and he is now one of the most respected poker players in the world.

TexasLimitlKing is a well-known online poker name from around two to three years ago. The player crushed the online games causing many players to accuse him of cheating. What is unique about TLK is that when he was up by around 2 million dollars he simply walked away from the game and stopped playing. This fuelled the rumours about him. He has been recently seen playing $10 tournaments but never revisited the high stakes games where he had so much success. It is rumoured he is a young Swedish player who invested in a factory after giving up poker; his name still conjuring mass debate on the poker forums.

Some poker celebrities naked in the new ESPN magazine

The first edition of the magazine Body Issue of ESPN: The Magazine has been distributed across the United States last Friday. The concept behind the project is the presentation of profiles of athletes and their bodies. The inaugural edition includes photos of Jennifer Harman, Phil Hellmuth, Scotty Nguyen and Daniel Negreanu playing poker ... naked!
Other than poker magazine discuss sports such as boxing, golf, baseball, auto racing, basketball, hockey, football, soccer, swimming, tennis, MMA and more yet.
A journalist Poker News Daily spoke with the editor of Sarah Turcotte. Here is a translation of the interview:

Reporter: Tell us behind the scenes of the Body Issue of ESPN magazine.
Turcotte: This is the first time we try the experiment and we will clearly repeat. My boss was trying to find a way to profile an athlete's body. You see them in the locker room, but you never know really what enters! Not only do we have players of poker and soccer, we also include sumo wrestlers and triathletes. It is a great mix. There are over 80 and 40 athletes involved in different stages of undress. Poker is a great sport. The players work hard, earn lots of money and have a mental toughness yours. We believe it is a legitimate sport.
Reporter: What was the reaction so far?
Turcotte: We are surprised how the reaction is positive, although there have been some negative comments with some of the sports most conservative. For example, fans of the LPGA have heard about our project and have an opinion-based. [...] This is not the playboy magazine and it is a celebration of a natural athlete. Until now, I'm surprised by the positive reception. I think I could never conceive how the idea would be popular.
Reporter: Tell me pictures showing Harman, Nguyen, Hellmuth and Negreanu.
Turcotte: It was an amazing picture to. Hats off to each of them. This was our only photo sex because usually cross in other sports, it does not compete against athletes of the opposite sex. The experience was fantastic.
Reporter: What can you tell us the photo shoot?
Turcotte: The shooting was great for poker. We had two hours and have made Las Vegas. Anyone who is surrounded by Negreanu and Nguyen tombebait in love with them. Their interaction was great and I started calling everyone "baby" myself for days. Jen has such a big heart. I was pleasantly surprised by the great respect that the guys had for her. Reporter:What do you think readers get from this magazine from ESPN?
Turcotte: My position as editor in chief is to be present and play the lawyer for the athletes. We have created a collaborative process and I wish that athletes are proud. With regard to the readers, I think what's best is that it is great to see someone like Serena Williams is so beautiful, but people familiar with the athlete. By cons, not everyone who knows Scotty Nguyen and Jennifer Harman, so we hope they give them respect.
Reporter: Can we nominate other athletes that readers can expect to see in this edition?
Turcotte: Adrian Paterson Minnesota Vikings, the tennis star Serena Williams, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers, Sarah Reinertsen (the only female amputee participating in Ironman), Andrew Cogliano Oilers' Edmonton, Christina Kim of the LPGA and six guys from the soccer team DC United.

Phil Laak played poker for 115 hours - Guinness Record !!

The poker pro Phil Laak has done its best to secure a place in the Guinness Book of Records and he has indeed succeeded. Laak has set the record for "the poker game the longest, which was officially in the hands of Larry Olmsted. The official time of it is 72 hours and 22 minutes, record set in 2004 at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. The unofficial record was held by Paul Zimbler, who has played poker non-stop for 78 hours and 25 minutes.

Phil Laak was not content to simply ahead of its nearest competitor, and decided to completely annihilate the previous record. In a Herculean effort that probably will not be matched by a severe insomniac, it has led to play for 115 hours ...!

This corresponds to less than 5 days 5 hours and even Jack Bauer, the fictional hero of the hit television show "24" will be astonished at this feat. Since January, Phil Laak follows a strict diet, low in fat and no sugar. All this, for this attempt. His nutritionist was on hand to provide meals every 5 hours to keep his mind alert and maintain good health as possible.

His choice of setting was $ 10 / $ 20 and he finished the race with a profit of $ 6.766. These gains will be donated to a charity for children with life threatening diseases, so Phil Laak shows he also has a big heart.

For a guy who has won during his career more than $ 2,500,000, the stakes are very small. But it turned out really good because if he had chosen to play his usual stakes, it would most likely bankrupt.

For the record is recognized, everything has been recorded on videotape and witnesses were present to ensure it has not had a nap or a malfunctioning device had left a few minutes away mysteriously. Representatives of the Guinness Book of Records will still check all the evidence and the videotape, which means that the record will be certified in a few months.

Great poker players

They are many and we can not list them all, but here is a small list with some biographical information on players well known professional poker circuit. These are not necessarily the best known (Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim is not in the list) or older, but it seemed interesting to say a few words.

 

Chris Ferguso

Chris Ferguson Chris
He was given the nickname "Jesus" because of his looks a bit peculiar. He was enrolled at the University of Los Angeles for 18 years! Five as an undergraduate, and thirteen as a student in secondary school. After a moment he was forced to leave, but not before being finally awarded a diploma (PhD) in Computer Science.

Eric Seidel
Eric Seidel has always been a big fan of games. He used to play backgammon with a group of people, including Howard Lederer, when he discovered poker. Eric has also been a stockbroker on Wall Street, but it has definitely turned to poker after the 1987 crash.

 

Howard Lederer
Howard is known as "professor" of poker. It is also the world champion of chess. He is not alone in his family to have become a professional poker player. His sister, Annie Duke is also a professional player.

  

Jennifer Harman
Known particularly for its holdings for table stakes poker, Jennifer Harman is one of the few female poker players to have gone professional. In the book of Doyle Brunson's Super System 2 ", it has a separate section devoted to Limit Texas Hold'em.

 

 Phil Gordon
Phil Gordon has become a famous poker player after finishing fourth at the worlds of poker (WSOP) 2001, earning $ 400,000. He was an expert in analysis of poker hands at Binion's Horseshoe and has written several books.

 

Ivey
After royally ignored the warnings of his grandfather about the dangers of playing poker and gambling in general, Phil Ivey became the youngest poker player to acquire professional status. Phil already has several WSOP bracelets, and his career is far from over.

Hellmuth

Highly respected professional players in the world of poker is also a businessman who has a financial interest in a virtual poker room. He won his first WSOP bracelet at the age of 24 years and has thrived since.

Links between poker machines and crime… true or falls !!

Report reveals links between poker machines and crime. A study commissioned by the state govt. concluded that there is a significant relationship between spending time on poker machines and crime in Victoria.

Researchers say that they have found a solid evidence of a link between spending on pokies and the incidence of ''income-generating'' crimes such as theft, robbery, fraud and handling stolen goods. These findings were posted on the Department of Justice website.

The researchers sought to segregate the ''poker-machine effect'' from other influences on crimes using complex statistical methods to evaluate police data from different geographic zones. They concluded that only drug offences had a stronger link to crime than poker machines and it also suggests gaming expenditure is causing changes in crime rates, and not the other way round.

Researchers from the University of South Australia studied figures from 1996, 2001 and 2006 and found evidence of a positive link between gaming expenditure and crime

The report's lead author, Sarah Wheeler said that the link between pokies and crime was a causal one and this report adds to anecdotal evidence from criminal cases on the impact of poker machines.

Charles Livingstone of the Health Social Science Department at Monash University said the findings of the researchers were unflattering and it is clear that providing lots of poker machines adds to numerous social problems.

The findings of Alfred hospital emergency department in April reveal that almost one in five suicidal patients seen is a problem gambler.

In 2006, a County Court judge condemned the widespread availability of poker machines when jailing Kate Jamieson, a mother of two who stole more than $3.5 million from her bank employer to fund her addiction to poker machines.

Judge Roland Williams put forth his view as to how a civilized society allows the mindless operation of poker machines to stupid members of the public under the euphemism of gaming and entertainment

Rebecca Harrison, spokeswoman for Gaming Minister Tony Robinson, said the new report indicating the relationship between crime and gambling was complex and the report details a range of significant influences on crime.

Interesting Poker Facts - you will surprise to know !!

Age of youngest player to win the World Series of Poker main event: 24
Age of oldest player to win a World Series of Poker bracelet:  80
Dollar amount of first place finish from the 2005 WSOP main event: $7.500,000
Estimated dollar amount for 2006:  $10,000,000
Total number of possible poker hands in a 52-card deck: 2,598,960
Total number of possible royal flush hands in a a 52-card deck: 4
Odds of making a royal flush:  649,740 to 1
Odds given to Phil Ivey at BetUS to win the 2006 World Series of Poker: 150 to 1
Number of players to win back-to-back World Series of Poker main events: 3
Number of players to win back-to-back World Series of Poker main events with the same hand:1
Number of events at the 1970 World Series of Poker: 42
Number of events at the 2005 World Series of Poker: 34
Approximate number of Americans who regularly play poker: 80 million
Number of online poker rooms in 1998: 1
Number of online poker rooms in 2006: 128
Number of Las Vegas casinos legally obligated to pay off their gambling debts: 0
Number of possible 2 card combinations a player can start with from a standard 52-card deck:1326

Showman of Poker Game: Stu Ungar

In December 2009 poker celebrated the tenth anniversary of the death of Stu Ungar - still arguably the greatest poker player in history (even if not for some the best poker player, he was undoubtedly the best player as gin rummy is known). 


Though he was an extremely troubled life, his talent at all card games were all simple men staggering, and some anecdotes about him are legendary: his participation in tournaments to thirty 10 000 USD on which it won ten, including three Main Event of the WSOP (two wins in a row); up to $ 30 000 paid on the river with a single height 10; almost telepathic qualities that enabled him to achieve this status in its own player.


Despite extraordinary skills, Ungar experienced major setbacks. He was a compulsive gambler and a drug addict, who was regularly losing millions of dollars in horse racing and drug use. Ungar is probably the greatest example of problem gamblers have evolved among the best in the world. It was certainly the most gifted who ever existed, but when we enumerate the factors necessary for success at the tables, such as money management, emotional control and discipline, he was terrible.

 Ungar compare to another such legend Chip Reese, who despite great discretion throughout his career (mainly because of its limited participation in tournaments due to its better performance in cash games), had earned - and kept - millions dollars while being able to remain perpetually calm and serene.

Who is the best of both? He is able to display your cards, then losing millions on tilt or fall into bad habits? Or is it that you largely dominates, does not tilt, always playing with a monetary security and raising millions of dollars to anyone sitting at his table? In my opinion this is Chip Reese, although Ungar was one of the biggest in the game, it was far to appear in the best professionals - it takes more than just skills.

If it obscures his faults, Ungar was one of the most real poker. His generosity and heart were legendary, and his death was a huge loss. To put his character in perspective, I leave you with a history of Doyle Brunson, speaking of this generosity. So they both walked in the street a man came up to ask if Ungar could lend him some money. Ungar immediately released $ 100 and gave the tip. Then they continued walking Brunson asked his friend how he knew this man. Ungar replied "How do I know? If I knew I would have give $ 200.