[Closed] WSOP final table hands #1

Jerry Yang is a luckbox

Cant win WSOP without luck on your side

He is big stack, and the only lucky hand really is the third one. Both others he is favourite preflop.

I think I'll never understand how people can push 40+BB stacks with cr*p hands like that when there's over 8 million dollars on the line -_-' it's even more of a donkfest than the WPT...

Well, it's short handed, heads up, final table action. A looonng way to go, baby!

u really think that the 2nd hand is played well by yang. he dominates him, though he should be nearly always a huge underdog vs his pushing range.

Originally posted by ulf
though he should be nearly always a huge underdog vs his pushing range.

Well, these things I don't understand too well. I think it was more the psychology on Yangs part. He looks at the guy, susses that he is trying his luck, figures that he really rips it apart if he takes this down, and goes for it. Plus, as previously mentioned, he is a luckbox.

imho it was just a bad lucky play.

He was lucky, but imo he played all these 3 hands well. Last hand: you can never know if SB wanted to steal with 43 or Ax. So there is a lot fold equity in his push. If I had also big stack, I would also pushed just to eliminate another player and to avoid steals in the future.

I'm with Kaitz here. To make a final table out of more than 8000 starters is already lucky. To be big stack here, well, there's a saying that goes, Use it or lose it. I think that can be applied here. He used it well, and rode his luck. The last hand particularly, that was a no brainer. If he loses, he is still big stack, and the winner will still be a small stack who can annoy the other small stacks.

yeah thats all true for pushing your opponent all in but not CALLING an all in for 35BB or sth.

Hi guys!

What do you think about part 2 of the WSOP final table hands? Is Jerry Yang still a luckbox?

Best regards,
Puschkin81

IMHO the first hand was played well by JY. The second and the third ones he was obviosly pushing his luck but taking in account big chip advantage in the 2nd one and huge in a 3rd one his hands could be played.

What about looking at Phillip Hilm's play in the first hand?

This particular hand has been discussed ALOT in Denmark (Hilm was the first dane ever to be on the wsop me final table, and he even came there as the chipleader, but in less than 2 orbits he was out as the first player).. Feel free to come with some inputs I will post my thought later

Hi Mugge!

That's what I was thinking, too. But when I watched the final table coverage I recognized why he was out so early. Jerry Yang was playing very aggressive at the beginning of the final table and building up his chipstack. Hilm tried to play him back twice before his final hand but had to lay it down.
I think that Hilm thought in that parrticular hand that Yang could not have a hand every time he played and decided to take a step with a semi-bluff and play him back. Unfortunately Yang was so reckless and called with TPTK and Hilm was out of the tournament.

Other thoughts?

Good luck at the tables!
Puschkin81

Well, i can come with a few things to note, and let some other in here get a little time to think it over:

1: How was Hilm/Yangs view on each other? On the other players?

2: Why would Hilm risk his tournament life with such a hand (buttom pair + flush draw)?

3: Look at Hilm's line in the hand, what is he trying to represent - how does Yang respond (well, we now he called, but why)?

4: How had Hilm/Yang been playing prior to the final table?

5: Hilm's last hand: Good or bad play in you oppinion?

I know some likely answers to the first 4 questions, some from Hilm himself (he is a user on a danish poker forum) and some from analysis from different poker players - both some random no names but also some of the - at least in denmark - well known poker pros.

That was all for now, there is a little for you to think about When you get most of the answers you will find out why he left the final table as fast as he did - and most likely you will find out how the game quite possibly would have continued if Hilm had won that hand.

Best regards,
Mugge

And goodnight

well, not much feedback here, dunno if anyone really cares

but here comes the answers (note that some answers are more a less an estimation based on my point of view and my knowledge and not exact result)

1: How was Hilm/Yangs view on each other? On the other players?
Already before the final table it was quite clear that one of these two guys would win this year - Not that any of the other players were bad, but they just didn't have that aggression level which makes them great players. Both Hilm and Yand was aware of this fact before they sat down at the table the last night.

2: Why would Hilm risk his tournament life with such a hand (buttom pair + flush draw)?
As I said in q1, Hilm knew that the opponent he would get much trouble with at the final table would be Yang, since he had the highest aggression level and played the trickiest. Since he only played to win the tour he wanted to eliminate yang early or bust himself, so he put maximal presure on yang right from the start and as you know, it just didn't work out this time.

3: Look at Hilm's line in the hand, what is he trying to represent - how does Yang respond (well, we now he called, but why)?
Defending his sb is pretty standard, but calling yangs 80% pot bet on a two flush board is very unlike Hilms standard play (most of the time he would raise with a medicore hand or a draw and fold trash ofc). Hilm is aware of this fact and most people watching him believes he flopped a monster too. On the turn he moves AI on a blank which should alert Yang that he flopped a monster (such as a set, top two pair etc). Yang on the other hand takes quite some time to consider his action now but in the end he sees through what he believes is Hilm's bluff and makes the great call.

4: How had Hilm/Yang been playing prior to the final table?
This question is more or lesses answered in q1, since I already told you that Yang and Hilm were the best of the remaining players, playing the most aggressivly and tricky (both of them were very LAG players and played the strategy more or less perfectly)

5: Hilm's last hand: Good or bad play in you oppinion?
I will leave this one open for you if it has any interest

Thanks Mugge88!

Nice analysis. And about point 5: I think it's a good play. Many opponents would have folded their AK here. What's your opinion?

Good luck at the tables!
Puschkin81

Well at first I was furious with the rest of Denmark - How can he blow that chance in a matter of 15 hands! And even with a crappy hand as 85s.. But looking deeper into the play and the players history I came to the same conclusion as you - Great play.. Just a sad day to have the luck against you!