Gamblertm ©2005, Conjelco LLC
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The Intelligent Gamblertm ©2005, ConJelCo LLC. All Rights Reserved Number 23, Spring/Summer 2005 wad of cash in his pocket. It would have It was pure, classic Stuey bravado. Seidel Publisher’s Corner been a real stretch to call him The Kid at laughed, thinking that even though Chuck Weinstock this point, though from a distance his Stuey had lost some of the spark he’d Beatle haircut and boyish frame still gave once had, there was a hopeful feeling Welcome to the Intelligent Gambler, Con- the impression of youth. Up close, he seeing him there that day. “Like maybe JelCo’s free newsletter which we attempt looked like what he was; a longtime drug he could give up the drugs. Like maybe to send twice a year to our customers and addict whose excesses were now written he really was back and this could be anyone else who would like a copy. The in his face. The ravaged nose was the another chance.” more time aware among you will have most disturbing feature, one side of it In the end, Seidel decided he didn’t want noticed that this edition is nearly a deflated like a bad flat tire. month late. We delayed it so that we to get up from the game he was in just could announce the brand new, third Still Stuey was excited to be making his yet. But as soon as he walked off, Stuey edition of Lee Jones’s Winning Low-Limit first foray into the Las Vegas’ newest and and sexton looked around and saw Mel- Hold’em (see page Page 5 for more infor- most spectacular hotel. It was a different issa Hayden, one of the strongest women mation.) world than the one he had arrived in poker players in the world at that time. Long time readers will recall that Nolan thirty years earlier, when the town was Sexton said, “You want to play a freeze- Dalla gave us a preview of his biography mostly run by the mob. But at the heart out?” and Hayden said, “Sure.” of Stu Unger in the 14th issue of the Intel- of it, no matter how it was dressed up or Sexton laughed and said to Stuey, “See, ligent Gambler published late in 2000. presented, no matter how corporate it you’ve been out of action so long you got We’re pleased to be carrying an excerpt might have become, or how much like a girls that want to play against you.” theme park, the blood that pulsed from the actual book (below), co- The cardroom manager found Stuey and authored by Peter Alson, which will through the veins of Vegas was still gam- bling blood. Hayden an empty table and set them up finally be available this Summer. with a dealer and chips. Melissa wanted One of the “holes” in poker literature has Stuey walked into the poker room, where to start off with a $2000 freezeout, but been books on small buy-in No-Limit he met up with Mike Sexton. The two of Stuey insisted it be $5000, and she finally Hold’em cash games. We’re happy to be them briefly discussed what game Stuey agreed. should play. Sexton knew how badly able to offer you Mastering No-Limit The sat down in the expensive swiveling Hold’em by Russell Fox and Scott T. Stuey needed to hang onto the money that Baxter had given him for a little upholstered seats and watched the dealer Harker. You can read material based fan a deck across the felt face up. Stuey upon the book beginning on page 2. while if he was going to have any chance of getting back on his feet. “Don’t blow it reveled in the moment: the nonstop We also have another installment in our all in one big game,” Sexton cautioned musical chatter of the chips being shuf- occasional series on the mathematics of him. “Start off playing $200-$400 limit.” fled, bet and dragged, was as soothing to poker by William Chen and Jerrod him as the sound of an ocean wave, a bur- Ankenman as well as a piece by gambling Even in the shape he was in, Stuey’s ego bling brook. He was back in action. prevented him from thinking that small. protection expert Steve Forte on marked The game started with $25 and $50 cards. He wanted to play in the biggest game around. blinds. Hayden, a tall, attractive red Finally ConJelCo is happy to announce head, who had been a professional pho- that it is working with Roy Cooke and his “What about no limit?” Sexton offered. tographer back in New York before mov- collaborator, John Bond, to produce the “That’s your strongest game. What if we ing to Las Vegas to concentrate on poker, definitive book of poker rules. Cooke’s got a no-limit game going?” recalled that “Everyone who knew Stuey Rules of Real Poker will be available shortly Stuey agreed that made sense. was concerned about him. There was a after you receive this issue of the Intelli- “This was before no-limit was played feeling of wanting to protect him.” gent Gambler. As a part of this arrange- widely in cash games the way it is today,” ment we’ll be revising and reissuing That noble sentiment didn’t stop Hay- Sexton recalled. “It was still unusual to den from trying to beat Stuey’s brains in. Roy’s book Real Poker II later this Sum- get a no-limit cash game going. Plus, as mer. In fact, forty-five minutes after they Stuey pointed out, who was going to want began, Hayden had won every chip on I hope you enjoy the diversity of this to play no-limit with him?” the table. Someone from the high-limit issue. Erik Seidel, the former stockbroker table next to them, said, “Aw, Stuey, let- turned poker pro and the runner-up to ting a girl beat you.” The Last Game Johnny Chan in the 1998 WSOP, was sit- “When the guy said that,” Hayden Nolan Dalla and Peter Alson ting across the room, playing in what he recalled, “Stuey leaned over and whis- termed a “very good Omaha game.” He Copyright © 2005. Printed by permission. pered to me, ‘Don’t let them get to you. got up and walked over to say hello to Don’t ever let them get to you. That guy’s Excerpted from the forthcoming book, ONE Stuey. In the course of talking, Stuey a piece of shit.’ and he was. He was a guy OF A KIND by Nolan Dalla and Peter Alson mentioned that he was interested in play- who was known to have beaten up his to be published by Atria Books, an imprint of ing no-limit, and Seidel said he’d con- girlfriend. I mean, you had to know Stuey Simon & Schuster, Inc. See the catalog to sider playing a $5,000 head’s-up to really appreciate what a gentleman he pre-order this book. freezeout. On November 11, 1998, 45-year-old Stuey “There’s nobody in the world I wouldn’t The Intelligent Gambler is published Ungar, five-foot-five and barely a hun- play head’s-up against,” Stuey said “But occasionally by ConJelCo LLC, 1460 dred pounds, charged across the shining your one of the few that would give me a Bennington Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15217. 800- marble floor of the Bellagio’s grand tough time. I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you 492-9210, 412-621-6040. Fax: 412-621-6214. entrance with a bounce to his step and a a hundred bucks to play me.” www.conjelco.com, [email protected] ♠ Intelligent Gambler 1 was, and how much he loved women. He Having been taught pot odds, you deter- Unless your opponents are all horrible was extremely gallant in his way.” mine your odds. There’s $102 in the pot, players, you’re unlikely to be up against By this time, a couple of other players and it will cost $6. The pot is laying you any premium hands (AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK, had wandered over, and a non-freezeout 17 to 1. You reason that even this trash or AQ) because there was no raise. Addi- no-limit game began at the table with the hand (and KJ72 is a trash hand, for those tionally, the chances of all of your oppo- same $25-$50 blinds. Erik Seidel got up who don’t play Omaha) must be worth a nents holding true “random” hands such from his Omaha game and joined in. call. Later, you run a PokerProbe simula- as Q3, K4, 83, etc. is minimal. Except for tion (you specify the raiser’s hand, the big blind, your opponents voluntarily The painful truth was that Stuey was the ♦ ♣ ♦ ♣ “live one” in the game. “Yeah, that game A K 4 2 ) and determine that your put chips into the pot. You’re likely up was pretty much built around him,” odds of winning were 14.55 to 1. Thus, against connectors (possibly suited), Seidel said. your pre-flop call of the raise was correct. “big” card hands (i.e. KJ, QT, KT, etc.), and some small to medium pairs. The members of the poker fraternity Have you spotted the fallacy in this line of reasoning? Let’s rerun the simulation and specify might’ve been rooting for Stuey to get his ♦ ♣ Think about what flops you want to see. your opponents cards as follows: K J , life back on track, but the sympathy 8♥8♠, 7♣6♦, 5♦4♦, Q♥T♥, and one stopped as soon as the cards were dealt.