1997 WSOP
 

I watched the 4 hours of Poker on ESPN yesterday afternoon, it was interesting, especially the 1997 WSOP, won by Stuey.

But I was surprised by some of the action:

1. The 2nd place finisher, Strzemp, who was introduced as an amateur, and who was Pres of the Treasure Island Casino, they seemed to imply that he was playing his own version of the "System" strategy which David put into his Tournie book. Is this the case?

2. Stuey seemed to miss a really obvious tell on one of the very few hands they showed. To make a long sequence short, it seemed to me that when Strzemp got his runner runner flush with K [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] T [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] he visibly grimaced in a way
thay many low limit players do, showing for sure that his flush had made it. Why didn't Stuey see this? I was kind of surprised. Anyone else see this, or am I dreaming....???

3. On the last hand, Stuey put Strzemp all in, but was a dog until the river 2 gave him a str8 for the win. Why did he risk a huge stack when he was so much better than this guy according to the announcers and his A4o was not exactly a monster, especially against A8? I am not kicking poor stuey when he cannot answer, I was blown away by his excellent play for the most part, I just didn't get this one.

Mark

Re: 1997 WSOP
 

Good observations... I agree w/ pretty much everything you say. As far as Stu not noticing the made flush. . . I think that may be blamed on the 4 days of long playing, and fatigue setting in. I think same goes for Seidel calling the last hand in the 2002 WPO. There was a brief discussion about this a while back on one of these forums as well. It's probably a lot easier for us viewers to see with their different camera angles in front of a TV than for a player to see across the table after 4 days of playing almost all day.

As far as the last hand of the 1997 WSOP... I was pretty surprised as to what Stu said after. He was pretty darn arrogant.. saying that he knew he'd beat anyone as long as he got them heads up... yet he was a complete dog on the last hand when all of his chips were in the middle. If Strzemp (who I believe was around a 5-1 fave at the time of the all in) wins that hand, he has about 10 times as many chips as Stu... and it's a long uphill battle. I've never understood poker players and arrogance after they are basically outplayed and win anyway (not to say Ungar isn't the dawg... he's one heck of a player). . . but just my thoughts.

Re: 1997 WSOP
 

Joey,

You're right, 4 days is tough.

I felt the same way about Seidel when I saw that hand. Here is this other guy dancing and singing, making it clear that he not only has the best hand, BUT also that he expects Seidel to call. Seidel was not down by that much at the time, I have no idea why he didn't just fold it. But then 4 days of action probably makes it hard to do.

Mark

Re: 1997 WSOP
 

I watched most of the 4 hours and you do have some good points about the 97 WS. I can't remember what tourney it was but the best move that I saw was when one guy moved all-in and then asked to go to the bathroom(I guess he had to check his nuts.)

P.S. I hope everyone had a Merry Chrismas! I spent most of mine without power but it was great.

Re: 1997 WSOP
 

Nepa,

I don't remember what tourney it was cause I say it on ESPN before I played anything but home games.

All I remember is that they said the pee'er was an new amateur face, and I think the winner was Scotty Nguyen.

Can anyone fill in all the details?

Craig

Re: 1997 WSOP
 

Yes it was Kevin McBride at the 98 WSOP. An amateur who supposedly just started playing in January. I am guessing he has played longer than that. He made some very strange plays in my opinion. He had to have some knowledge above what was evident in the show, otherwise, he should not have lasted 4 days.

Re: 1997 WSOP
 

Well I've got a move in my book now. When I have utter crap, and need to bluff at a pot, I shake my head and grimace like I hate that river card they just put out. Then I make my bet. And of course the other player, namely you, thinks I got a monster and folds. Ahahahhahaa, sucker.

Re: 1997 WSOP
 

I agree 4 days of action is a lot but Seidel's call in that situation was amateurish at best. You fold and live another day....he still had a healthy stack left.

Re: 1997 WSOP
 

He hit a runner runner flush and stuey was probably concentrating on the cards cause at that point most likely he's not going to believe any tells he says. I rarely fold when someone hits his runner runner cause i'm not expecting someone to stay in for a runner runner draw.

Re: 1997 WSOP
 

It was the 98 WSOP, it was Scotty Nguyen vs. Kevin McBride (the bathroom guy). Scotty suckered him at the end with the "you call its over" comment.