WSOP hands from Phil Gordon....

[The B]

hands played by (and written by) Phil Gordon from 07' WSOP...

#1 - I made it deep in the first tournament, the $5,000 mixed no-limit/limit event. We were down to about 65 people and nearly in the money when I picked up 5-6 offsuit in the big blind. Tony Ma limped in under the gun and everyone folded to me. Of course, I checked, and saw the flop: 5-5-A with two spades. My first thought was, "I'm not going broke if he limped in with A-A." My second thought was, "I don't see how I'm not going to go broke if he limped in with A-A."
I had an above-average stack and Tony did as well. I checked to him and he bet about half the pot. I raised, but intentionally didn't pot-commit myself. He called. The turn was a spade and I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I didn't raise enough to get him off a flush draw. In this precarious spot, I decided I had to bet in case he had a hand like A-K with the king of spades. I bet about two thirds of the pot and he immediately moved me all-in. Reluctantly, I called and he turned over 10-7 of spades. Brilliant. A great way to end my first tournament at the WSOP. It's two months later and I still don't know how to play this hand.


#2 - Here's another gem from the $1,000 no-limit hold 'em with rebuys event. I drew a tough table, with noted pro Daniel Alaei on my left and Antonio Esfandiari across the table. Alaei and a Frenchman at my table were going nuts with the rebuys and were in at least $25,000 combined. I had managed to work my stack up to about $17,000 with only a single rebuy. I was in second place in chips in the tournament after the break and rebuys concluded, only behind Alaei, who had about $18,000.

Play tightened up considerably. With the blinds at $100-$200, a good player with $6,000 raised under the gun to $600. I was in the cutoff with K-K and reraised to $1,800. Alaei went into the tank for about two minutes before re-reraising to $3,900. The under-the-gun guy folded and it was decision time. Can I get away from K-K here? Is it that obvious that he has A-A? Think about that bet size for just an extra minute or two.

Why $3,900? He's raised me exactly $2,100 and he's given the under-the-gun guy a chance to re-re-reraise to $6,000 and trap me in the middle. Alaei is an excellent, top-rate player. Would he make that play with Q-Q? A-K? If he's trying to isolate me with a sub-premium hand, why give the first raiser a chance to get involved? I'd love to say I laid this hand down. But I didn't. My pre-all-in-move logic consisted of, "I have K-K, I'm only in the tournament for two grand, I'm all-in." He, of course, had A-A, and I had a hand that taught me something about the game. An expensive lesson, yes, but one that I'm happy I learned. As I left the table, I said to Esfandiari, "I'm not good enough to lay that hand down." He said, "I am, and you are too, Phil." In retrospect, I think it's an easy laydown, or preflop call and postflop fold if I don't flop a set.