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Here is a hand that came up against Phil Ivey on the very first hand Phil Played in the WSOP 2008 - Event 12 - 1500 Limit Holdem event.

Here is the setup. Phil is over an hour late to the tournament and we are about 15 minutes into the 2nd round. He arrives on the button and is seated two seats to my left which isn't where I'd prefer to have him sit.

What I know about Phil Ivey: Phil Likes to play ultra-aggressive, 3 bet the crap out of hands, play his position strong and use his image/reputation to manhandle the games and then start steamrolling pots and accumulating chips.

What Phil Ivey knows about Good Karma Kid: Absolutely nothing, I'm just another unknown tournament donkey as far as he knows.

Without giving it much thought, I instinctively knew what my strategy would be against Phil:

Because I was seated in front of him, I would need to pick up my aggression factor and start raising a few more pots, and even 3 betting some hands that I would sometimes just flat call with. I need to shut him out of gambling and getting involved in the pots I played because I would be out of position with him nearly every hand we played together.

As it turned out, on the very first hand I was dealt Ace-10 off, two hands off the button and everyone folded to me. This is a pretty automatic raise in limit hold'em from late position when nobody has yet entered the pot.

Phil Ivey made it 3 bets (not a big surprise), and I called. I know Phil has a huge range of hands here and is most likely trying to just establish his table image and dominance. I put him on a hand ranging from about what I had (ace-10 off to a smallish pair or possibly even AIR)

Flop comes bad for me: Jack, Seven, Deuce rainbow.

I bet, Ivey raises, I flat call

What I think Ivey is thinking: Pretty standard raise after 3 betting preflop, most good/aggressive players who 3 bet preflop, will also raise the flop if someone leads into them to try and reestablish control of the pot. Trying to establish control of the pot by using position and raising.

What Good Karma Kid is thinking: I don't really think he has much, and I actually feel like I still probably have the best hand. 3 betting in this spot doesn't make much sense because players of Phil's caliber can see through this simple aggression and will likely 4 bet you with the same mentality mentioned above trying to take control of the pot. I plan on leading at the turn regardless of what hits, this keeps the pot smaller, and will tend to confuse better players imo.

Turn is a Queen giving me a gutshot, I lead at the pot as previously planed and Phil calls fairly quickly.

At this point I have defined Phils range of hands a little better. I think he has a hand like 8-9 or 9-10 suited,or possibly a smallish pair like 5's or 6's.

A lot of players will still call in this spot with smallish pairs, either a.) hoping for a free showdown on the river, or b.) getting lucky and hitting their hand. It's also likely that if Phil held 8-9 or 9-10 he may feel that one of his pairs are good also so it increases his likelihood of calling on the river.

River is another Queen and I fire out another bet. Phil mucks fairly quickly and I drag an ok pot. The real win in this spot was keeping Phil from gettting to aggressive and steamrolling the table in future hands and establishing a positive table image.

By the way, I should point out, that I didn't really play this hand against Phil any differently than I would have against most other poker players in a limit hold'em event.

Anyone have any questions about my thought process or any other Phil Ivey questions?

Jason

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I'm Not Lucky, I Have Good Karma !

Good job hope you play some more events and keep up the aggression. With the short starting stacks i feel it is pretty important to double up early in these 1500$ events.

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Kickboyswoop

keep in mind kick that at the WSOP now you get a double stack so $1500 buy in = T3000 chips.

Also Karma I like it however I might c/r the flop. You obviously know Ivey is betting, I don't want to draw against him here, jsut take it down. Still a good play. nh.

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"You will succeed far more by capitalizing on your opponents mistakes than you will by the greatness of your own play." --- I am not sure who said this but it is a great quote and piece of advice.


Colorado Players Click Here

But then he will likely 3 bet it and you still don't have the information your looking for and the pot gets bigger and he may try harder to win the pot or even raise the turn if I lead out. Against really good and aggressive players you have to think a little unconventionally in my opinion.

Jason

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I'm Not Lucky, I Have Good Karma !

Understandable.

I mean you are talking about arguably the best player in the world here, definetly top 3. I just don't see Ivey having so little of a hand that he can't call a river bet there. Nice bet, I don't know if I could do it.

__________________
"You will succeed far more by capitalizing on your opponents mistakes than you will by the greatness of your own play." --- I am not sure who said this but it is a great quote and piece of advice.


Colorado Players Click Here

There may have been a chance here you were not bluffing, that ace high was probably good.

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Kickboyswoop

This is definitely a possibility.

__________________
"You will succeed far more by capitalizing on your opponents mistakes than you will by the greatness of your own play." --- I am not sure who said this but it is a great quote and piece of advice.


Colorado Players Click Here