So far, Day 1 of the $2,000 no-limit preliminary event at the 2007 World Poker Finals at Foxwoods was a mini roller coaster ride. Time and time again, after winning a couple of hands, I would subsequently lose those chips back to my opponents. I just couldn't get on track. After 10 frustrating levels, I was sitting with only $23,200. With the average ($52,000) almost double my chips, I was once again short stacked. With only 62 players remaining (40 players would finish in the money), it would take all of my short stack ability to extend my cashing streak to four in a row. However, since I am so accustom to playing the short stack, I was almost in my personal comfortable zone.
Unfortunately, Levels 11 and 12 did allow me to leave "my comfort zone"; I couldn't see two cards that even resembled each other. After basically folding my way through these two levels (the only hands I played were 7s-7d and Ad-10c in late position, winning both blinds and antes unchallenged), the floor person informed us that our table was breaking. Looking up at the tournament clock, I noticed that there was about 30 minutes left in Level 12 with only 50 players remaining. Counting my chips, I moved only $18,700 to my new table, hoping that this change of scenery would help.
It definitely did and just in the nick of time! After not playing a hand for almost 15 minutes at this new table, my chip stack was bottoming out near $12,000. But suddenly, I started to get some hands: Ac-10c, Ah-Jh, 10s-10c, 8s-8h. I ended the level with $29,200, which was not great, but much better than a few minutes ago.
Entering Level 13 (blinds $1,500/$3,000, antes $400) with 46 player left, play became extremely tight as we neared the money bubble. At the bubble, I picked up Kd-Kc in mid position, but unfortunately, no one challenged me. Two hands later, I picked up As-Ks. After a player in early position raised to $10,000, I declared, "I'm all-in," putting my tournament life on the line. After everyone folded to the original raiser, he went into the think tank.
He kept repeating, "Either I'm completely dominated or we are racing," which led me to believe that he had an ace with a decent, but weaker kicker. After much deliberation, he finally called, revealing what I had hoped for: Ah-10d. When the board (7c-5h-4d-3d-Qc) provided no help to my opponent, I collected a huge pot worth close to $80,000, allowing me to finally leave "my comfort zone." Shortly thereafter, the bubble burst and the celebration began for the remaining 40 players, who were all guaranteed $2,563.
During the next couple of levels, I steadily increased my stack size. After picking up a few blinds and antes (holding 6d-6c, Ah-Qh and 4s-4h), I won more than $12,000 when my Ah-10h held up versus the short stacked small blind's Ad-8c. I ended the day with $92,000; only 26 players would return the following day to play for the title.
I went to bed very pleased to make it into the money for the fourth consecutive outing. After a fairly restful sleep (about six hours), I would be returning in 20th place with the average stack about $125,000. For this tournament, however, I was not satisfied with just cashing -- this time, I wanted to get fairly deep with the final table as my initial goal for the day.
A friendly face, Alfonso Cammarota was sitting directly to my right, but we would clash early on Day Two. Our first encounter occurred immediately on the second hand of the day. During Level 15 (blinds $3,000/$6,000, antes $500), I was sitting under the gun and saw Jh-Jd. After I raised to $18,500, everyone folded around to Cammarota in the big blind. Initially, I thought I would take the pot down uncontested. Unfortunately, he would not allow it and raised all-in. UGH! A major decision right out of the gate. I have played with Cammarota numerous times. He knew that if I raised from under the gun, I would have a hand, yet he still pushed all-in. Based on this analysis, I firmly believed I was dominated. After a few minutes, I finally folded. Cammarota promptly confirmed my read by flashing K-K. Whew!
Clash No. 2 occurred midway through Level 16 (blinds $4,000/$8,000, antes $1,000), I looked down to see 10s-10h, while sitting in mid position. Before I could act, Cammarota announced a raise to $25,000. This time, I decided to put Cammarota to the test.
"I'm all-in," I declared, putting Cammarota's tournament life at stake. After all of the remaining players folded, Cammarota quickly made the call, showing Ah-Kd. The race was on!
The dealer turned over an agonizing flop: Jh-6h-3h. The 50:50 odds remained in effect as Cammarota picked up the nut flush draw, along with two overcards. When the dealer turned over the 4d, my odds improved to 70:30. But, with so many outs, I was not out of the woods yet. Thankfully, the river brought the 9s, allowing my pocket tens to hold up. Winning this close race allowed me to collect a pot of more than $270,000, while catapulting me among the chip leaders. Shortly thereafter, I ended Level 16 with $262,500 with only 16 players remaining.
As good as the last level was, Level 17 (blinds $5,000/$10,000, antes $1,000) was even better. The poker gods seemed to make up for all my previous levels of mediocrity by dealing me hand after hand. First, holding 7s-7c, I flopped a set (As-7d-5c), winning almost $95,000. Next, I picked up Kd-Kc in late position and raised to $32,500. Surprisingly, the button reraised to $87,500. After the blinds folded, I paused for a moment and pushed all-in. Caught with his hand in the cookie jar, the button quickly folded. Finally, after winning two blinds and antes (coincidentally Ks-Js both times), I decided to limp with Ah-Jh from the button. Both blinds were fairly aggressive, somewhat short stacked and could easily try to make a move. As if on cue, the small blind pushed all-in. After the big blind folded, I quickly called believing I had set up my opponent perfectly. I found myself a huge favorite versus my opponent's Ac-9s. The flop (Kd-Kc-Js) all but ended his day, while the turn (4c) and river (4s) eliminated him in 11th place. A few hands later, the final table was set. Amazingly, I would be entering the final table as the chip leader (that's right, this is not a typo) with $626,000 and never relinquished the lead.
During the first level of the final table (Level 18 with blinds $6,000/$12,000, antes $1,500), we quickly eliminated three players. Although I did not play many hands, I decided to complete the small blind holding Jd-4d after a late position player limped. Once the big blind (Bill Spadea, 13th place from the 2007 WSOP Main Event) checked his option, we went to a rare three-handed flop: Jc-9s-8d.
Top pair! Weak kicker. Thinking someone would try to steal the pot, I decided to check-raise. Spadea pushed out a $30,000 bet. After the limper folded, I executed my plan by raising to $80,000. However, Spadea called. When the dealer turned the Kc, I continued applying pressure by betting $90,000 and Spadea quickly reversed the tables by pushing all-in.
Now, it was my turn to go into the think tank. And for several minutes, I stayed there. Why did he push all-in? Did he really have a king? Did he trap me postflop? I had played with Spadea for a considerable time and knew that he liked to call bets holding mid pair. Was this one of these times or was I in real trouble? After some thought, I believed that if he caught a king, he would have just called and let me continue the betting on the river. Thus, I put him 10-9 or 10-8. After one last look at Spadea, I finally decided to make the call.
"You got me," Spadea said, shaking his head while flipping over Ad-9c. Once the dealer revealed the 5d on the river, I had eliminated the affable Spadea in eighth place. I felt this was one of the best calls in my career and clearly the biggest call at the final table. With this pot, I now had a commanding chip lead with almost $900,000.
After this level, the final table play was excruciating. Repeatedly, the short stack came from behind to survive. It took more than four levels just to eliminate two more players. During these levels, I won some key pots to maintain my chip-leader status.
During Level 20, I eliminated the seventh place finisher when I called with Ad-Qd from the big blind after the small blind decided to make a stand with J-9. Fortunately, the dealer did not create any drama after showing an A-7-3-A-4 board.
Next, during Level 21 (blinds $12,000/$24,000, antes $3,000), the player second in chips raised to $70,000. Holding Js-Jc, I decided just to call and see a flop. After the flop came down 10c-8s-7d, I fired out $115,000, forcing my opponent to muck after he flashed A-K. During Level 23 (blinds $20,000/$40,000, antes $4,000), I raised twice holding K-Q suited and both times I was raised all-in by Ken Justin (who had been my nemesis the entire final table winning numerous blind versus blind battles). Mucking my hand both times, I was losing extremely valuable chips.
Trying not to become frustrated, I decided to wait for a monster to play back at Justin. Shortly thereafter, he raised to $125,000. After seeing Ac-Kd, I decided to put him to the all-in test. However, he quickly mucked his cards (later telling me he had 2-2). At the end of this level, we agonizingly still had five players remaining, but I remained the chip leader with more than $1.2 million.
Having played seven hard fought levels, this final table had clearly become the longest of the 2007 World Poker Finals to date. After much discussion and debate, the final five players came to mutually beneficial agreement that ended the tournament. Sitting with over $1.2 million, I was clearly the chip leader, which resulted in me taking home my second title in as many years. Despite the fact that I would have very much enjoyed the challenge of playing this tournament out, the players conceded that exhaustion and not wanting the tournament to become an all-in fest made the agreement a practical and ultimately logical decision. As professional players know, agreements such as this occur at tournaments from time to time, and this one was no exception. After two successful finishes over the last two years, I'm already looking forward to 2008 World Poker Finals.
Bernard Lee represented PokerStars during the 2007 WSOP. He is the weekly poker columnist for the Boston Herald and hosts Boston's only poker radio show, "The Bernard Lee Poker Show," on Tuesday at 6-7 p.m., Thursday 9-10 p.m. and Saturday 10-11 p.m. on 1510 AM "The Zone." For questions or comments, e-mail him at BernardLeePoker@hotmail.com.