Gus-Three-Time Champion

My hat is off to Gus Hansen! Gus has won an unbelievable three World Poker Tournament events, and has a third-place finish as well. Considering there were only 22 WPT events total, this result is nothing short of phenomenal. On a cruise in January 2004, Gus won his third WPT event 2003.

In the late stages of this tournament, with the blinds at $1,000-$2,000 and a $500-a-man ante, the tournament was down to two tables; playing seven-handed at both tables, a tight French player named Eli raised in early position, making it $7,000 to go. Gus said, “Everyone folded to the small blind, where I suddenly woke up with two aces. I had about poker $140,000, and let’s not forget about Mike Augustine in the big blind with $83,000. It’s not every day that you wake up with two aces, and thus I was trying to extract the most gaming money that I could with this hand.”

Gus goes on, “Having played with Augustine the last couple of days, I was aware that with any decent holdings, he was capable holdings, he was capable of coming over the top. So I decided to smooth-call limit stud.” Which works well for Gus anyway, because he does like to call a lot of raises before the flop, and people think he is weak all the time. “Unfortunately, Mike decided to just call the $7,000 bet,” said Gus game of cards.

The flop came down K-7-3, all off suit. Gus continued, “As I started out playing this hand a little bit backward, I decided to continue the trend and bet. I bet out a small but not insignificant bet of $15,000 into the $25,000 pot limit holdem. Almost before the chips left my hand, augustine raised it up to $45,000 to go.

I actually started to get a little scared when I realized that Eli was considering calling, or get a little scared when I realized that Eli was considering calling, or raising the $45,000 bet. I decided that if Eli called the bet, then I was beat; but if he moved all-in, then I was going to have to go with the hand. I felt like if he had a set he would just call, but with A-K or K-Q he would move all-in,“But after a minute of contemplating, Eli folded the hand, leaving me heads-up with Mike. I didn’t feel like I had any special read on his holding, but as in a lot of tournament situations, it always make me feel comfortable knowing that I have my opponent covered. Also, I felt like if he had three seven card stud or three threes, then he probably wouldn’t have raised me here on the flop. So I decided to go with it, and reraise him all-in.

“I was one hundred percent sure I would get called, and see the next two cards. And here’s a little thing worth pointing out: in the late stages of a tournament, people in general just want to last, and the strength of the all-in bet is magnified. With $38,000 left for Mike, he could scrounge around and try to move up, but to me perhaps the best move with a holding of, say, 7-8 or K-Q would be to make a stand because of the pot odds advanced stud poker.

Then he will have either $174,000 or be out. My point here is that the all-in raise makes my opponents fold a lot of hands in situations where they should be trying to win the tournament instead of moving from fourteenth to thirteenth. To my surprise, and my liking, he folded his hand. I was happy to have him fold his five-outer, and put the chips safely into my stack.”

Gus Hansen has taken the poker event world by storm these last two years, and he has recently inducted into the Commerce Casino’s Walk of Fame. Gus is a charter member no less, along with Doyle Brunson and James Garner (of maverick fame). Continued good luck and good health to you, Gus!