The London EPT proved to be an unlucky event for poker celebrity Michael Greco after his Aces were cracked by Nines
Let’s get one thing straight before we get into the meat of this month’s column – you’ll never win a major tournament waiting around for Aces. Fact! But – and this is a humongous BUT – when they do arrive you hope to get paid off with them.
I’ve never been accused of being a card rack – I’m a grinder and a grafter and will play a whole array of hands in order to make the final table. But when I do get a big hand, I hope to get paid off handsomely.
And I couldn’t have asked for a better spot at the recent London EPT. I was desperate to make the final table in my hometown and casino, and felt really positive about my game. I arrived on the first day and took my seat between two very experienced British players, Barny Boatman and the lovely Vicky Coren.
As soon as I sat down I felt good. I’d slept well the night before, got up early in the morning and had a great session in the gym. I was mentally and physically fit, and raring to go.
Bullet time
This positivity that I brought to the table was instrumental in my play as I rarely lost a pot and played some good aggressive poker. And then I picked up the Aces. Mark Vos, a player who’s renowned for being very aggressive and a great chip-getter, decided to raise under the gun – a pretty strong move no matter who you are. The next person moved all his chips into the middle. The very next person looked down at his cards and moved all his chips into the middle. Then it was my turn.
I looked down at my cards and saw not one, but two bullets! Two people all-in before me and I had the nuts! Without hesitation I moved all my chips into the middle to join the party.
At this point I had above average chips and had the other two covered. Mark Vos folded showing K-Q. Player one showed Queens and player two Nines. My shot at the pot was worth 70% and just as I’d processed that… a third Nine hit the flop. The pot was worth 40k, which was twice the average stack, and understandably I was gutted. I asked the guy with the Nines that, after a raise under the gun and an all-in before him, how he thought his Nines could be good?
This – and take heed all poker strategy junkies – was his reply: ‘I am tayered and zees iz zee best hand I have seen all ze day. I want to go to ze bed.’
I probably haven’t quite captured his languid French accent in all its glory, but there you go. I went out of the London EPT earlier than expected, and all because some bloke from over the channel was tired. It’s a funny old game…
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