TV Premier of The Nation Heads-up Championship and More

The National Heads-up Championship

The unique HU Championships made its return yesterday and featured non other than last year's champ and my hero Phil Hellmuth. Thanks (or no thanks to CP for spoiling the event even though I love them), I already knew the outcome of this bad-boy. Phil got the unlucky draw of matching up in Round 1 of the Club Bracket against the ever dangerous high-stakes cash-game specialish Chip Reese. Although edited, you know Chip was on his "A" game. Chip usually isn't known for needling his opponents and the cameras didn't air any table talk so Chip was definitely on. Phil, however, had one crippling hand where he flopped top pair when the flop came Q-J-9 (or something close to that) while Reese flopped the nut straight. The Poker Brat couldn't get away from the hand and when a 3rd Queen hit on the river, you knew Mt. Hellmuth was going to erupt!!

Phil had a chance to get back into the match when this doozy of a hand occurred. Phil gets the K-9o versus Chip's K5o when the flop came King high and 3 spades where Hellmuth had the 9 of spades and Reese the 5 of spades. Phil bets out and Chip recaps all-in... The 9-time WSOP bracelet winner takes his time and folds even showing Reese his hand and surprising, Chip tells Hellmuth his hand which probably puts more madness into our hero's head.

The Poker Brat ends up losing to Reese w/a Q-8 after a raise from Chip who had pocket 10s. Hellmuth said that he thought Chip was bluffing and put it all in. Reese already had over 5K in the pot and it would only cost less than 5K to call so he obviously did and hit a set and the defending champ was sent to the rail not before giving Chip his props.

Great episode but without Phil's antics, who's gonna put some good antics and entertainment for me?!

DamnRiver

No, not my screen name. This is what happend the past 2 nights at Titan Poker. 5 bad beats on the river; 2 holding A-A and others with other big pocket pair. These 2 in particular where absolutely donkalicious:

6 seated at a $2-4 FL table; I am UTG w/A-A. I raise to $4 and the next guy next to me calls who has been pretty lose. BB also calls who is pretty lose. Flop is 8-4-5 with 2 spades. BB checks; I bet and the lose guy raises. BB calls and I call. Turn pairs the 5. BB and I check, he bets, BB calls, and now I figure some1 mite have a full boat possibly or 3 of a kind but with the way both of the players have been playing, I don't believe and call. River is a red 3 so the board is 8-4-5-5-3. BB and I check, then bet and then raised by BB... I'm thinking I'm beat but make a cry call (terrible mistake) and then the initial bettor calls. BB flips over 3-3 hitting a boat on the river!! Are you kidding me?! 3-3 and stayed for that?! Does it get any donkalicious than that?? (BTW, other guy had K-8 of spades; had top pair and flush draw on flop)

Next hand: 6 seated at a $2-4 FL table; on the button with Q-Q (my new least favorite hand. It's raised in 2nd position by a fairly tight player and I recap. BB also calls who's a donk. 3 to the flop that comes 9-4-3 rainbow. 1st position bets; I raise and BB flat calls and 1st position calls. Turn is an 8 (no flush draw possible). Goes check-check and I bet and is called by all. River is a King. BB bets now and I'm thinking motherfucker... do I pay this off again. It's limit and the pot is already huge. 1st position and I call. 1st position had pocket 10s and the BB has a K-3 hitting 2 pair on the river (though the King was enough).

Rough day; went down over $100 but got it back to only to a lose of $30 in about 2+ hours, but I probably also need a new mouse!!