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 he Guardian Poker Column |
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| Victoria
Coren |
| Tue 8 Jun 2010 |
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Brits storm World Series of
Poker
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Bracelets and medals galore for British players in Las
Vegas
The British contingent is storming this year's World Series of
Poker in Las Vegas. Just a week in, and already Praz Bansi has won his second
bracelet (this year in the $1,500 No Limit Holdem). There was also a bracelet
in the $1,500 Pot Limit Holdem for James Dempsey (who, despite his redoubtable
poker skills, has never previously won a live tournament outside Brighton), and
a silver medal in the $5,000 Holdem Shootout for Neil Channing, popular MD of
new poker website BlackBeltPoker.com. |
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Here's a hand I enjoyed from Praz Bansi's
heads-up battle with Canadian opponent Vincent Jacques. Following online
coverage, you can never be 100% sure the bet sizes are correct, but the story
is clear.
With Bansi as significant chip leader, both players saw an
unraised flop of 10d 6c Qc. First to speak, Bansi bet out 150,000 (with blinds
at 50k-100k, this was three-quarters of the pot). Jacques called. The turn was
Ad and Bansi checked. Jacques bet 300,000 and Bansi called. The river came 7c:
bingo. Bansi bet out 1m in chips, and Jacques folded.
Because this was
not a televised event, and did not go to a showdown, we don't know the hands.
But that's exactly what I like about it. With his big blind unraised, chip
leader Bansi can bet the flop with anything at all. On the turn, there are two
flush draws and several straight draws: this turn is perfect for "floating", ie
calling with nothing to bluff any of the danger cards that are likely to come
on the river. When the river brings one of the flushes and one of the
straights, Bansi is certainly good enough to make his chunky bet with or
without.
The nuts or nothing? If you just don't know, then the man
deserves a bracelet.
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