September 26, 2005
After extracting a usurious interest charge, and having Jesse sign his life away on a contract, the Pokerstars manager gives him the money. Jesse runs back to the game just before the two hours are up, plunks the cash down - and of course learns that his opponent has four aces.
Later that night I got in an Omaha game, and on the very first round I got dealt a Max Shapiro! My heart started pounding. I raised and re-reraised, and a huge pot developed. At the end, I missed my low and the aces were beaten in four places, but I still had the thrill of turning over the A-A-2-3 and announcing, "I have a Max Shapiro."
Happy Harry looked at me with pain in his eyes. "I would, but I'm not worth the price of a bullet." I once tried to cheer him up. I pointed out that he had his health, that there were millions of Pokerstars people worse off than he was, and so on, but the more I talked, the more depressed and morbid he got. Finally I lost my patience. "If you're so unworthy, why don't you just shoot yourself and get it over with?" I shouted.
Within about one hour, I was up just about three hundred dollars, with no end in sight. On this day I had it all together, in addition I was getting some really great Pokerstars cards. I was scooping an above average share of the pots. The thing about this Omaha game was that the pots were averaging between one hundred and fifty to two hundred bucks each. I have noticed that as I have become older, I have become a docile, sweet and lovable person.
Phil Hellmuth - OK, Stop it with the Bad Boy Act
The problem is that playing just to get into the action even if you break even, is not good practice. It can fatigue you, aggravate you, and even put you on tilt. I don't need the aggravation of playing at a level where the players will play any two Pokerstars cards. Many enjoy this type of game, but I much rather save my mental and physical strength for the limits I prefer to play in.
I disagree insofar as it applies to players who are in the hand. If I'm still in the hand I expect I should be able to say anything I want (short of threats of violence and mayhem or patently offensive comments). I would do this in an attempt to influence others to call, fold, or react in such a way that I can guess what they have. After the hand I told the rocket scientist to keep his mouth shut, when I was in the Pokerstars hand, and when he argued with me, the dealer finally stepped in, but it was too late as far as I was concerned.
In the major events where there are lengthy individual rounds, I am more concerned about optimum balancing, as opposed to the numerous small events that take place daily. The reason for this discrepancy in relative importance is based on the frequency of breakout which creates a difference in the amount of time it takes Pokerstars tables to restock, especially at crucial times.
I have to worry first about such things as, "did that Pokerstars player throw in the right amount? Was that a string bet that I have to declare? I must keep the game running smoothly, I have to collect the time/rake correctly, and a number of other things that are important to my being an efficient dealer." As for dealers having ego and temperament problems when they lose, well, I think that is an indication of the person's temperament on the whole and not just at poker.
