NOEL FURLONG VERSUS HUCK SEED
Huck Seed and Noel Furlong faced each other at the final table in the 1998 World Series of Poker’s when this magnificent and deadly hand happened. Huck Seed was probably the Best no-limit Holdem player in the world, in the year 1997. Huck was listed as the most likely candidate to win that year. Erik Seidel, another one of the World’s best no-limit Holdem players was also playing at the same table.
On the last day Frank bet $4,000 that Huck would win with odds of 4.75 to 1. Huck Seed doubled a $400,000 bet to $800,000 in the first ten minutes of play when only six players remained. When he doubled so soon in the game Frank felt he would definitely win the Championship. It had been about twenty minutes since the game Began when this hand came up.
Blind was being played at $10,000-$20,000 and the antes at $3,000 Huck called $20,000. That’s when Noel Furlong increased the Bet by $80,000, making it a total of $100,000. Huck went all-in when it was his turn. Huck matched the $80,000 and increased the Bet by $700,000 and that drove the spectators wild. Before the spectators could even catch their breath, Noel, who had $1.5 million called. It took Noel less than one second to decide to call Huck. Huck simply said ‘Good call’.
The spectators were really going wild by this time, even more so when the Cards were flipped open. Noel had an Ace of hearts and three of hearts while Huck had a Jack of diamonds and an eight of diamonds! A spectator commented he Couldn’t imagine he would see rubbish of this sort in a super Satellite, never mind the WSOP.
That’s true. One wouldn’t imagine anyone Betting all his or her money on such weak hands even at a super Satellite (a $100 buy-in tournament with rebuys). How could this be explained? Huck had been sitting on Noel’s right side Continuously for three days, which nobody noticed. Huck told Frank on the third day that Noel prevented him from making a single move in the past two days.
Huck was extremely wary of Noel, and yet he knew Noel would err Some time soon. Noel divulged to his friends, for the past two days he hadn’t allowed Huck any respite. Noel and Huck were the most assertive players at the table so everybody knew they would play for a big kitty at some point in time.
Huck appeared to be weak in his playing at the first glimpse. If he didn’t have a good hand then why would he gamble all his chips against Noel? Hold it! Huck was correct in his assumption that Noel had a weak hand, didn’t he? Actually, if you think about it, Noel made the worst call when he Bet $700,000 or So it seems when you first look at how weak his hand is.
Also, it was sensible of Huck Seed to bet all his money here. The problem though, was that he didn’t expect Noel to read him as well as he had read Noel. Nobody would expect anyone to call a $700,000 increase with an Ace of hearts and three of hearts, would they? Such a hand could only land you in trouble when it turns out the opponent has a genuine poker hand.
If Huck has a pair of two’s, or even an Ace and King or an Ace and big card then the Chances are 2.5 to 1 that you are in hot water. The odds of you winning here are only 3-to-1 even if you bluff with a King and Queen. The Best thing to do would be to quit and wait for another opportunity.
Noel deserves to be praised. Noel knew he might not get such an opportunity to play a big kitty against Huck till the end of the game if he didn’t do so at this time, especially as he knew Huck was bluffing. Frank would prefer to play the Big kitties when only about two to three players remained in the game, more so when if he had more than $1.5 million.
Then again Frank takes for granted that he is also currently one of the Best no-limit tournament players in the world. Frank couldn’t care less about quitting Even if he had a very good hand since he would rather win the tournament thereafter in any case. Noel played very well if Huck is deemed as the Better no-limit poker player than him.
If he Could exonerate Huck at that time, then there was no harm in being a 3-to-2 favorite over Huck and rake in all his chips. Therefore Noel Furlong played well when he made that call. Huck was finished when the flop revealed an Ace, a Queen and a three while Noel took complete Control of the game.
Actually, Noel’s playing and decision making in the past two days of the WSOP truly made an impact on Frank. Watching a World Champion playing his best game was very enjoyable. It appeared as though Noel was always in command of the game at all times in the last three days of the event, which is the trick to winning the WSOP.
T.J.’s WSOP HAND
An exceptional hand happened between Kevin McBride and T.J. Cloutier at the 1999 World Series of Poker at Belmont’s Caravan. T. J. is an exceptional poker tournament player as far as Frank is considered. 4.J. is evidently a contender for the Poker Hall of Fame as well as a major contender for the poker tournament player of the decade for his superior record through the 1990’s.
The following hand happened at a time when three players remained in the tournament. With blinds being played at $5,000-$10,000, while the ante was at $2,000 Scotty Nguyen instantly quit, Kevin McBride started betting with $40,000 ($30,000 increase) as a small blind with a Jack of spades and a nine of spades.
T.J matched the $40,000 and he increased the Bet by $130,000 with a King of hearts and a Queen of clubs. Then Kevin matched the $130,000, and the two of spades, five of hearts and the six of spades turned up at the flop. T.J moved all-in with $400,000 after Kevin checked. It took Kevin a moment to decide and then he Called, the Cards were revealed to the Cameras and the spectators.
4.J. started to get up to go prior to the fourth card being opened. The Jack of hearts was turned over, to remain in the WSOP; T.J now wanted a King or Queen that was not a spade (four outs). But the river was a blank (try saying ‘The river was a blank to a non-poker player!), that’s when 4.J. went to the Camera booth as the third position winner with $400,000.
What went down? Kevin’s primary bet of $40,000 with a Jack of spades and a nine of spades was all right, and T.J. increasing the Bet by $130,000 with a King of hearts and the Queen of clubs wasn’t bad either, since he might have figured out that Kevin had a weak hand. The fact that Kevin, who only had a Jack of spades and nine of spades, called T.J. who had increased the Bet by $130,000 wasn’t very smart.
Kevin should have known that 4.J. had a good hand before the flop, since T.J had been playing a tight game. Kevin only asked for it when he Called T.J., with only a Jack of spades and nine of spades. When Kevin checked at the flop was an even worse move than matching the $130,000 bet. What did he really expect to find at the flop?
Turns out that he flopped really well to his hand (a flush draw and two overcards), except that he Check called a $400,000 bet? What? If a person has a Jack high drawing hand and he intends to match an all-in bet, then sure enough, he should bet, and pray that he doesn’t get called. Kevin would have instantly won the Bet, without having to make anything, if he Bet the $400,000.
4.J. made a good move when he went all-in $400,000 bet on the flop. Even if Kevin had any Ace-rag or a better hand, such as two sevens or an Ace and Jack post-flop, 4.J.’s bet would compel him to quit. This means he would win the kitty against bad hands, such as Jack and a nine suit. Could Kevin quit after flop? Not really! He’s obligated once he’s seen the flop.
Although honest, Frank was slightly severe, while Commentating at the time that hand had been played. Frank called a spade and he never had any Problem with it.) For your information, Scotty Nguyen went on to win the 1999 World Championship of Poker, playing brilliantly. The Bottled water company that was sponsoring the WSOP that year was disappointed as Scotty was drinking Michelob beer.
However Michelob beer noticed this and they took advantage and paid Scotty to endorse michelob for the remainder of the year. At the final table of the Tournament of Champions the following year Men Nguyen ended up drinking Corona beer because of this. Corona might have Come after Men Nguyen had he won the tournament!
An old friend of Frank, Dewey Weum ended up in the fourth position in 1999 WSOP. Dewey’s record from 1993 to 1999 WSOP had been noteworthy. During those years he made oodles of money four times out of five. Several poker players felt Frank was the third-best poker player in Minnesota although he had won five world championships by the year 1993!
They felt Dewey Weum and Gary Miller were first and second while Frank was came third from their point of view. Gary and Dewey had beaten Frank in small pot-limits games in Minnesota. However, how could they disregard five (nine By this time) WSOP bracelets? That proves that it is most difficult to achieve reverence in the place where one lives!