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Texas Holdem No-Limit WSOP 1985
- $10,000 Main Event: Putting too much faith in the ace
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T.J. Cloutier
 
VS
Bill Smith
 
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| Best hand percentage | Pre-Flop | The Flop | The Turn | The River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T.J. Cloutier | 33.4% | 30.8% | 29.5% | |
| Bill Smith | 66.6% | 69.2% | 70.5% | |
Action:
When Smith and Cloutier got down to playing heads-up, Cloutier had the most chips. Then Cloutier lost a big pot with pocket 9's against Smith's pocket K's and that pot made Smith a big chip leader. Cloutier chipped away at Smith, who was an alcoholic and was drunk at that point which made it easy for Cloutier to get his chips. Cloutier got back to about a quarter of the total amount in chips. According to Cloutier, Smith was the tightest player in the world when sober, maybe the best player in the world when he was half-drunk and a horrible player when drunk. Smith raised the pot with pocket 3's, Cloutier moved-all in with an A-3 and Smith called. The flop came down 4-5-10, giving Cloutier seven outs to win (any ace or deuce). No help came on the turn or river and Smith won the title.
Analysis:
According to Cloutier, he didn't even look at his kicker before he moved in his whole stack. His reasoning was that he probably had the best hand anyway or two overcards if Smith had a pair. This must be considered a mistake by Cloutier. What makes the play even worse is the fact that Cloutier was the better player of the two and Smith was drunk which, in Cloutier's own words, meant that he played horrible. When a player feels he can outplay his opponent in the long run, there is no reason for playing weak hands all-in pre-flop.
Texas Holdem No-Limit WSOP 1981
- $10,000 Main Event: Set over set
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Bobby Baldwin
 
VS
Perry Green
 
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| Best hand percentage | Pre-Flop | The Flop | The Turn | The River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobby Baldwin | 18.8% | 91.4% | 95.5% | |
| Perry Green | 81.2% | 8.6% | 4.5% | |
Action:
When the final table was down to seven players the following hand came up. Baldwin held the 9
-9
and Green had the Q-Q
. The flop came 9
-4-3, giving Green an overpair to the board and Baldwin top set. Baldwin checked and Green bet $40,000. Baldwin, who had the most chips of the two, then raised $86,000 and putting Green all-in if he calls. Green thought for a while but decided to call. The hands were flipped face up on the table and Green realized that he only had two outs to hit or he would be out of the tournament. The turn came with the J and the river brought the miracle Q. This pot gave Green enough chips to last until playing heads up with Stu Ungar for the title.
Analysis:
This hand shows how much the luck factor can mean in one specific hand. Green's 8.5% chance of winning the hand on the turn or river meant either elimination or a chance to win the tournament and a huge difference in prize money. If Baldwin, who was one of the greatest players at the table had won the pot he would have been a big favorite to win the title instead he went out soon after this hand was played.
Texas Holdem No-Limit WSOP 1981
- $10,000 Main Event: Draw against draw
|
Stu Ungar
 
VS
Perry Green
 
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| Best hand percentage | Pre-Flop | The Flop | The Turn | The River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stu Ungar | 65.3% | 71.6% | 77.3% | |
| Perry Green | 34.6% | 28.4% | 22.7% | |
Action:
When the final hand of the tournament was played, Stu Ungar raised with the A-Q and Perry Green called holding the T-9. The flop came 8-7-4, giving Ungar two overcards and the nut flush draw. Perry flopped the nut straight draw and had two overcards to the board. Green , who was first to act, decided to move all-in on a semi-bluff and Ungar called. Green needed a J, T, 9 or 6 that was not a heart, thus giving him 12 outs in total. The turn brought the 4, which was of no assistance to Green. The Q fell on the river and won the title for Ungar. It was Ungar's second victorious tournament in a row and it awarded him $375,000 in prize money.
Analysis:
Both gentlemen played well in this hand.
Texas Holdem No-Limit WSOP 1980
- $10,000 Main Event: Betting small on the flop
|
Stu Ungar
VS
Doyle Brunson
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| Best hand percentage | Pre-Flop | The Flop | The Turn | The River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stu Ungar | 39.0% | 17.8% | 90.9% | |
| Doyle Brunson | 61.0% | 82.2% | 9.1% | |
Action:
When the final hand of the tournament was played between Stu Ungar and Doyle Brunson, they were almost even in chips. Brunson raised with the A-7 and Ungar called with the 5-4. The pot was at approximately $17,000 when the flop came A-7-2, giving Brunson top two-pair and Ungar a gut-shot straight draw. Ungar checked, Brunson made a pot-sized bet of roughly $17,000 and then Ungar called. The turn brought the 3, giving Ungar a 5-high straight and the nut hand. At this point, Ungar bet out about $30,000 and Brunson decided to move all-in. The river brought the 2 and, thus, proved useless to Brunson. Ungar won his first main event title along with $375,000 in prize money.
Analysis:
Brunson was of the opinion that he bet too small on the flop. Generally, in this situation, he would have bet big in order to throw his opponent off. However, this time he decided to trap Ungar though he believes it was a mistake to move all-in on the turn. Brunson felt that had he just flat-called, Ungar would have shut down on the river when the board was paired and made both a flush and a full house possible.
