The PokerListings Daily 3-Bet is an extended power nap, a drowsy amble to the reg desk and all the -EV needed to win your next afternoon poker news bracelet.
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Today in the 3-Bet we find the Go0se gutting Phil Hellmuth's game, Kristen Bicknell checks in from Brazil and Miikka Anttonen puts it all on the line.
1) White Magic What?
There are few more polarizing poker players than Phil Hellmuth - especially if you're talking about whether he's actually any "good" at poker.
Phil and fans point to his 14 WSOP bracelets as all the evidence needed; Phil's detractors say it's smoke and mirrors and his actual technical skills, at least as far as No-Limit Hold'em go, are abysmal.
Put Steffen 'Go0se.core!' Sontheimer among the latter. We pointed you to his full interview with Joe Ingram on the Poker Life Podcast on Monday but this amazing clip of him dismantling Phil's technical prowess is hitting the rounds today:
I asked @RunGo0seRun his thoughts on Hellmuth on our podcast yesterday and... well.... I learned about reducing negative edges #BangBang— gN PapiGTO (@Joeingram1) October 3, 2017
Tell us how you really feel, Go0se. Props to him, though, because if you call someone out you better be ready to put your money where your month is and Sontheimer is very keen on that:
"I'm ready to play him. Over and over and over again."
Phil's response?
Sigh...The haters told me I “couldn’t win” in the 1980’s, I was “done” in the 1990’s, the game “passed me by” in the 2000’s, and now— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) October 4, 2017
Something tells us this is all going to come to a head on Poker Night in America somehow and we can't wait to see it.
2) Kristen Bicknell: Brazil is Fun, for Ev-ery-one
Two-time WSOP bracelet winner and partypoker Ambassador Kristen Bicknell narrowly missed the final nominee list for both our Most Inspiring Player and Rising Star awards this year and for good reason.
She's a total boss at the poker table and a good spirit on and off the felt. partypoker obviously felt the same way and scooped her up for a new pro contract this summer during the WSOP.
The new gig has afforded her some opportunities to hit the road and experience the poker circuit in far-flung places and she's taken advantage with a stop at this week's WSOPC event in Brazil.
She's even made the final table of the main event, to boot.
Codigo Poker caught up with her for a short interview where she talked about her experience, where she's headed next and just how you might characterize the playing style of her South American tablemates.
Check a short clip below; click through to see the full 3-minute interview.
Check out @krissyb24poker from #partypoker answering questions @WSOP Brazil! Thanks to @CodigoPoker— partypoker (@partypoker) October 4, 2017
3) Turn €500 into €10,000 in 100 Days or Leave Poker Forever
How confident are you that you could win at this game when you really had to?
Famed grinder/TwoPlusTwo poster Miikka 'ChuckBass' Anttonen is about to find out for himself with an inspired prop bet challenge that really puts all he's ever learned in poker to the test.
The craziest prop bet of my life is about to begin. If I lose I will pretty much have to quit poker forever. Wish me luck ! @UpswingPoker— Miikka Anttonen (@chuckbasspoker) September 30, 2017
Anttonen puts himself at about 50% to do it although acknowledges he has, umm, a few obstacles to overcome (as posted on 2+2):
"As for background, I've played poker for ~10 years, but I've shared my time 50-50 between writing and poker in the last 2 years or so. I've made less than 10k in this entire year playing poker, and over the last two months I've booked like 95% losing sessions making 30 deposits without a withdrawal.
"I'm feeling washed up as ****, I haven't studied in forever and when asked what the correct unexploitable 10BB BTN pushing range is I'm pretty sure I'd miss by 5-10%. I haven't really won anything remotely respectable at poker in about 2 years (although I haven't really devoted myself to it either). I'm 30, I can't physically take massive grinds anymore, and honestly don't have a whole lot going for myself poker-wise."
Wow. He'll be streaming 16 days of it live for a Finnish poker website; we'll have our PL.fi editor keep an eye on it.
