Everyone knows that luck plays a huge role in tournament poker, with races and the like often determining the distribution of huge sums of money. But the role of luck neither starts nor ends with the deck of cards. One of the more significant elements of chance is determined by the Rio’s computers when they give out seat assignments.
Take, for instance, the 2k Limit Hold ‘em event that started yesterday. Many of the pros thought there would be a mouth-watering overlay, as so many of the entrants rarely if ever play limit games.
As I walked through the starting field of the event, I went from table to table without seeing a familiar face. Then, at table 145, I saw the following lineup: Rafe Furst, Jeff Lisando, Clonie Gowen, and Joe Sebok.
“This is no fun,” said Rafe.
In today’s starting event, the $5,000 short-handed no–limit, you’d expect to see some tough tables. With a $900,000 prize expected for first place, you could expect all the pros to be out for this one. And the high buy-in would keep away most of the kitchen table crowd.
Erick Lindgren had Nick Schulman as the button to his big blind. And the Devilfish, who quickly accumulated a big stack, had Howard Lederer, with a stack of almost equal size, immediately to his left.
As I surveyed the room, I came to think that no one in the room regretted her draw more than Jennifer Harman. Harman was in the 1 seat of table 37. Seat 2, Phil Laak. Seat 3, Hoyt Corkins.
Laak seemed to be playing well and he was gathering chips. But what really bothered Harman was the table banter.
In a hand during the 100-200 blind level, it was folded to Harman, who completed from the small blind. Laak checked his option. The flop came Js-Qs-9h, and Harman bet 200. Laak called. The turn was the 4c. Harman bet 700; Laak called. The river brought the Tc and both players checked.
Harman turned over Qd-3d, for top pair. Laak waited a few moments before declaring, “Slow-roll a chop!” He showed Q-2. The pot was split.
Harman turned to Laak and said, “I bet you’re really fun at a bar, but not at a poker table.”
As much as I enjoy no-limit, I have to admit that it’s really not a game that involves a whole lot of subtlety. Many of the game’s best players come to the table with a single tool—a sledgehammer. They bash and pound their opponents, forcing strings of bad folds and the occasional disastrous call. Watch David Williams or John Pham play a no-limit tournament some time. It’s impressive, but it ain’t pretty. 
The rest of Friday morning dissolves into a blur of images, of people and places not seen for far too long. We may be a bunch of captured escapees greeting each other in the exercise yard, but it sure seemed good to see everyone and everything - even if some of the memories were bittersweet.
