Player's Stories

WSOP - Seniors Event 2002

By JohnnyD

Last year, 2001, was the first time Johnny Hale had the Seniors Event at the World Series of Poker. I was able to play, and along with everyone else was surprised with its success. We had 340 players that first year. I finished 35th, but they only paid 30 spots. I got no money, but couldn't wait for 2002's Senior Event.

This year, 2002, we exceeded last year's number and had 396 players.

I had a game plan going in to the tournament, and part of that plan was to not get involved early with most of my chips unless I was pretty sure I had the best of it. Well so much for a plan. In the second level I have AJo. A couple of players limp in and from the big blind I also limp. The flop is AAT. A monster for me, I'm thinking!

I check hoping to get some action on my big hand. Nobody bets. The turn is a 5. I make a small bet just so I could get something out of my big hand. The next to act went all in. It's folded to me and I have a decision to make. He has me covered in chips. I conclude that he either has a smaller ace than me or maybe a set. I talk myself into believing he has a smaller ace than me so I call.

It turns out has pocket fives and made fives full of aces on the turn. But to his horror, a Jack came on the river and gave me a bigger full house. Now I'm the chip leader at my table and can play my best game.

We're down to about 150 players and I've continued to grow my chip count. I'm at a new table and am the table chip leader. One player has almost as many as me and he limps under the gun. I say to myself "he has a big hand". A few other limpers and I look down to see pocket sevens, so I also limp. Six of us see the flop which is 7-5-2 rainbow.

I've flopped top set! One of the blinds puts in a small bet. The original under the gun limper raises it to 1,000, which is a good size bet at that stage of the tournament. It confirms what I had originally thought that he had a big hand. All fold to me. I'm thinking that if I just call his bet, he'll get suspicious that I've got something big.

I decide to re-raise all in and make him wonder. He thinks for a long time and then calls. My set holds up and I've eliminated the second biggest stack at my table and now have an overwhelming table chip lead. Maybe the leader in the tournament at this point.

We're now down to 4 tables and I have not had a hand where I've lost a big percentage of my chip. Well, all things change. I'm on the big blind with J4s and nobody raises preflop. The flop comes Queen high and two to my suit.

First to act makes a standard size bet. I raise all in knowing that even if he calls, he only has about 25% of my chips. He calls with QT, top pair and bad kicker. I don't make my flush and he wins. I'm still in good shape, but didn't like my play. I also thought his call, which could have eliminated him from the tournament, was not very good either.

Now we're down to three tables. A player with about half my stack goes all in. I look down and see pocket Kings, so it's an easy call. My Kings hold up and I'm in real good shape now. I get more on this hand than I lost on my flush draw hand.

We're down to two tables and very close to making the final table. I had a lot of chips and could have gone to the final table in very competitive position. But I was due for a big bonehead play. All fold to the button who makes a very small raise. I'm in the big blind and put him on a steal. I've got nothing (K4o) but think if I make a big re-raise, he will fold. Turns out he had pocket Queens and takes about 90% of my chips.

I go all in four times in the next six hands winning with A5 and AT and twice without a call. That's enough to get me to the final table in 9th place in the chip count.

At the final table, another player goes out in 10th place and I'm still next to last in chip count. The low chip count person pushes all in. I've got AQo and think that since he is low chip he might not be that strong. So I call. The flop is Queen high with all spades. My Ace is a spade. So I've got top pair, top kicker and the nut flush draw. No spades come and he gets a Ten on the river for a straight. I'm now down to almost nothing and get busted in the big blind.

Finishing on the Final Table of a WSOP event was a big thrill. I was disappointed that the finish wasn't higher, but looking back, to finish 9th of 396 players of that ability was an accomplishment that I'm very proud of...and, there's always next year.