Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2004 10:30:29 -0800 (PST) From: Michael Keohan Subject: [ba-poker] Thats why I Play Poker! Hello! The following is a summary of my WPT/LA Poker Classic tournament. Please be advised chip counts and blinds are estimated, redrawing has been added for dramatic effect... If one person reads this and is inspired I'll be satisfied... --- Michael Keohan wrote: > > After starting slow on Day 1,2...and playing against > guys the likes of Brunson, Forest, etc I arrived at > a > table with Phil Hellmuth, Dan Harrington, Mel Judah, > and Sasha (the Thorasic Surgeon)...After several > hours of play Hellmuth, Harrington and Judah were > gone > and we were re-drawing for seats...Down to four > tables, with the coaching help of former Horseshoe > World Champion Michael "Mickey Mouse" Mills I became > this fearless, aggressive player I once was in my > younger years... Raising all-in, several times while > never being called...After surviving to 2 tables the > hand of the tournament was played....Casey Castle > raised in the cutoff position $16k (4xbig blind > blinds > $2k-$4k). I push all-in $180K with QQ (covering > Casey > $120K). After 5mins JC Tran decides to call all-in > for $80K. After much thought, casey says "well one > of > you must have Aces" and lays down KK face-up. In my > mind, while he thought I was thinking "I know he's > gonna lay down the best hand here." And in fact he > did. JC Tran, flipped over QQ, as well. He did have > the Q of Hearts. When the flop came 2 hearts and > the > turn came a heart, I was in for a lot of sweating on > the river. Lucky for me, no heart came on the river > and we split the pot. > > Thereafter, I was lucky enough to win the two > biggest > races of my life w/AQ and 99 and survived to the > final > 6 of the WPT/LAPC. > > We came back the next day, were interviewed by a > gazilion people, had makeup put on us and were > treated > like royalty. Anyway, I decided to wear the same > shirt as I wore the prior day, just 'cause I'm > superstitious. Once on the WPT stage, I continued > my > aggressive play; pushing all-in frequently. On the > 4th try I was called by David KJ I showed him > Q9clubs > and proceeded to suck out on him on the river by > hitting a nine. This was undoubtly, the most > exciting > moment of my poker career. I was standing waiting > to > leave the stage when my miracle card hit. I clinched > my fist and said "That's why I play poker!" > > Mike "kazoo" Keohan > > Stay tuned Travel Channel Apr 28 6/9 PST, May 1 3pm