It’s tough when you spend time around major poker tournament regularly to not get emotionally involved with the ups and downs of the players. Day 10 of the 2008 World Series of Poker was one of those days where maintaining objectivity was difficult.
It was the heads-up portion of event #11 - $5,000 no-limit hold’em shootout. The event was down to its final two players. Phil Tom had taken the lead on Greg “FBT” Mueller, one of the most universally liked players on tour and still searching for his first bracelet.
Tom was an amateur playing over his head. “Three days ago, I didn’t know this was my specialty” he said in a post-game interview. Mueller, whose nickname is an abbreviation for ‘Full Blown Tilt’ had gotten within a couple of cards of winning his first bracelet a year earlier. Now, more relaxed, more composed, he seemed to be in better shape than ever to take a WSOP title.
In the end, Mueller couldn’t stem the tide. The final hand saw Mueller limp and Tom check to see the flop come 9d-Jh-3c. Both players checked and the turn came 5h. Tom bet 150,000 and Mueller re-raised to 350,000. Tom re-raised for enough to put FBT all-in and Mueller called, turning over Js-8d only to see he’d been outkicked by Ad-Jc. The river was Kd and Tom was the champion.
Gary Wise
gary@wisehandpoker.com
