Having the majority of the UK’s finest under one roof is always going to produce some scintillating poker and that’s exactly what happened at the recent GUKPT Walsall.
While many sublime plays may have graced the felt, there was one hand, more so than the rest, which stood out from the crowd.
GUKPT Leg 2
G Casino, Walsall
February 25-28, 2010
James Mitchell – Jd Jh
Karl Mahrenholz – 6s 2d
Whenever James Mitchell is at the table there’s bound to be action, so when he and Ash Hussain began their own personal vendetta on day 2 of the Main Event, the rest of the table could wait patiently for one of them to slip up.
Well, most of the table that is. After watching the umpteenth raise and re-raise from Hussain and Mitchell it was time for Karl Marhrenholz to try a little aggression of his own and re-raise Mitchell’s 8,000 bet to 24,000. The value of Karl’s hand was largely irrelevant at this point as he was clearly making a play based on the frequent aggression of the two players. The action swiftly folded back around to Mitchell who, much to the table–and Karl’s–surprise, moved in the rest of his 40,000 chips. Now faced with investing 40,000 to win 90K it was time for Karl to sheepishly re-check his hand and muster the courage to make the mathematically correct decision, but face having to expose a lowly 6-2. Mitchell quickly tabled his pocket jacks showing that, for once, he wasn’t at it and that Karl was going to need a miracle to win the hand. The board brought no help for Karl and despite his best efforts James finished the day as chip leader with 160,000.
While many people reading this will probably wonder how a seemingly intelligent poker player like Karl can call an all-in with 6-2, it is actually a perfectly logical move given two very big factors. Firstly, James Mitchell is a known lunatic and had been making moves throughout the day, thus his range is likely to be extremely wide in this spot. Naturally this means he will have to fold a lot of his hands to Karl’s re-raise. Secondly, given the potential range of hands James could have and the pot odds on offer, the call is technically correct. Indeed, a quick glance at Pokerstove tells us that against James’ potential range (for instance 35% of hands), Karl’s 6-2 has 30% equity, meaning that the 2.5/1 pot odds were enough to warrant a call.
Karl’s take on the hand:
“It was just a gamble really, seeing as his hand range included lots of high card hands that I was getting a good price against, especially given the dynamic that we had established button v big blind. I still had 25 big blinds back if I lost and a monster stack if I won. I managed to build back up after this hand and eventually lost a race against Ali Mallu to go out in 14th”
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NO FOUR FOR POOR MARTIN
LEVEL 3: BLINDS 75/150
ANTHONY MARTIN: 4s 4h
GHASSAN ELHOSS: Ks Qd
BOARD: 7s Qh 3h 10d 9c
What do you get when you cross pocket fours, a flop of 7-Q-3 and a bet for all your chips? A disaster waiting to happen, that’s what.
Deciding to put your faith in a low pocket pair on this board is hardly ever going to work out well, something Anthony Martin found out to his peril. After leading out for 1,500 he was promptly raised by Ghassan Elhoss holding K-Q. With a head full of dreams he committed the remainder of his 6,000 chips and desperately began to call for a four under his breath. Before the cards were exposed Elhoss obviously thought he was in trouble as he politely asked the dealer for a king to make two pair. Much to his relief he only needed to swerve one of the two remaining fours which he nimbly did on the turn and river elevating his stack and eliminate Martin in the process.
SAVED BY…THE GUY ON THE OTHER TABLE
LEVEL 17: BLINDS 4,000/8,000 ante 500
PAWEL ZIELONY: Qs Jd
ALLI MALLU: Ah Qd
BOARD: Jh 2s 3c Ad 8s
The poker gods work in mysterious ways and sometimes they can give you a helping hand even when they aren’t actively working in your favour.
With every player in the room desperately eyeing the final table nobody wanted to make a wrong move. However, after watching Tom McDonald raise and eventually moving all-in against his 3-bet, Karl Limbert was faced with not only the prospect of losing all his chips but being eliminated one place short of the final table.
While he was in the tank though another all-in coup was taking place on the other table as Pawel Zielony found all his chips in the middle with Q-J against Alli Mallu’s A-Q. While Karl deliberated his call, with one eye on the other table, a jack on the flop gave Pawel some hope but a swift ace on the turn all but ended the hand, setting the final table in the process. Keen for a chance to come back the next day and revel in the final table frivolities Karl opted to fold his hand and preserve his remaining chips for one final foray in Walsall.
FINAL THROWS
LEVEL 23: BLINDS 15,000/30,000 ante 3,000
COLIN MACTAGGART Ah Kc
ANTHONY CROTTY Kd Qc
BOARD: Jd 8d 10h Qd 10s
Tension was the operative word as Colin MacTaggart and Anthony Crotty battled heads-up for a prestigious GUKPT title and over £57,000.
The edgy atmosphere continued right up until the final hand when a paired board gave MacTaggart a far from clear cut decision for the majority of his chips. The agony began as Colin limp-called a 65K raise from the button with AK. The flop came: Jd 8d 10h and Crotty led out for 100K, a bet which was quickly raised to 250K by MacTaggart with two over cards and gutshot straight draw. Crotty called and the Qd on the turn proved the decisive card as Crotty check called MacTaggart’s bet of 150K before shipping in the rest of his stack when the 10s fell on the river.
The presence of the second ten obviously gave MacTaggart cause for concern as he counted out his stack before trying desperately to get a read on Crotty. Eventually he reasoned his straight was good and it was unlikely the Crotty had made a full house and called. Crotty showed K-Q for two pair and a visibly relieved MacTaggart raked in the pot as well as the GUKPT Walsall title. |
