My $61K Poker Payday

Ken Adams Explains How He Placed 2nd In A Field Of 1,245

(CBS) 
I was certain that Ylon would call with almost any two cards, hoping to eliminate Mike. The optimal play would have been for both of us to call, no matter what cards we held, and then to check until the end of the hand hoping that one of us would get lucky and eliminate Mike. The difference in prize money between fourth and third place was significant, so we both would gain by eliminating Mike and moving up a spot in the prize money. On the other hand, I had never played with Ylon before and could not count on his making the optimal play.

I decided I did not want to take the risk that if I called, he might raise and I would have to fold, wasting $42,000 chips. So I folded. As it turned out, I would have won the pot and eliminated Mike. Instead, Mike beat Ylon in that hand.

Later, immediately after I lost a big pot to Mike, I picked up ace-king. I raised before the flop and both of the short-stacked players (Ylon and Kyle) called. The flop came out ace-seven-three, all hearts. Since I had no hearts in my hand, I decided to take the pot right there and not take the chance that another heart would come out to give one of them a flush. So I moved all in, forcing each of them to a decision for all their chips if they wanted to try to outdraw my pair of aces. Both called!!

When they turned over their hands, Ylon had king-nine with the king of hearts and Kyle had king-queen with the queen of hearts. If no heart came, I would knock them both out at once, and would go heads up with Mike for the championship with a commanding chip lead. A crowd formed as the announcer explained the situation. My supporters (and I) were calling for black cards. Ylon’s supporters were pleading for a heart. (Kyle was packing up his stuff, as there was virtually no way he could win unless two queens were dealt on fourth and fifth streets.) Fourth street was the harmless 4 of clubs.

I was one card from glory. Then the dealer turned over the 10 of hearts, and Ylon tripled up. Kyle was eliminated, leaving three of us. As a result of my losing a big pot to Mike, and the last pot to Ylon, Mike was the chip leader, Ylon was in second place, and I had the fewest chips.

But later, fortunes shifted and I became the chip leader again with about $750,000, Mike was in second with $650,000, and Ylon was in last place. But before long, Mike eliminated Ylon and became the chip leader again.

On the first hand of heads up play I was dealt king-eight of clubs, a better than average hand in a two-handed game. I raised and Mike called. The flop came seven-four-three and the seven was a club. We both checked.

When the 9 of clubs came on fourth street I decided to make a move on the pot. I bet $200,000 hoping Mike would fold, but if I got called by a better hand I still had “outs” as any club would give me a flush, and I figured my king would also be good if another king came on the river.

I was not happy when he called. But since he did not raise, I figured he did not have much of a hand either. I decided that no matter what card came on the river, I was going to move all in. Having represented strength before the flop, on fourth street and again on the river, I didn’t think he would call me unless he had a big hand.

I was right. The only problem was that he did indeed have a big hand. He had flopped a straight with the six-five of spades! By “slow playing” the hand in an effort to get all my chips, he took the risk that I might outdraw him, as I would have if a club had come on the river. But Mike’s luck held up, as did his straight, and I was eliminated in second place. (Mike won about $149,000.)

While I am disappointed not to have won, it was a great experience. I can’t wait to do it again.