"I'm all in" The words every poker player wants to hear when you got the nut flush ("Nuts" is the poker term for meaning the best possible hand). I'm not a "professional" poker player but during the winter I scratch out a living when I'm off from my job during the summer as a security supervisor. This being ironic since it was 15 security guards who threw me out of Origins, but anyway. Back to my story, the game is No-Limit Texas Hold-em (just like you see on T.V.), the guy goes all in for about $400 and of course I call. This guy is a real fish (poker term for a bad player) so I'm already counting the money in my head. With one card left to come he turns his hand over, 4-6 of clubs. He's got a weak flush; I look at the board (the community cards on the table that players make their hand from plus the two in their hand) and say, "I got the lock." But then another player points out that there is the 5 and the 8 of clubs on the board. Everyone at the table, almost in unison says, "He can get the 7." Now the chances of this happening are under 2% so nobody was serious. But as they said this my stomach just dropped, and then the dealer turned the last card over... seven of clubs. Of course the table went crazy, people came from all over to see what the fuss was about. What do you think I did? I said nice hand, sat down and waited for the next hand. Why? Because I wouldn't have player it any differently.
"You got to be fucking kidding me"
That's what I said when Matthew Frid showed me Chula: Pick One to Save Two on my last attempt at the World Championship last year. If you haven't heard the story yet, it's round four, I believe, and I'm about to win my game against this Minnesota guy I've never heard of before. I'm on my last mission, he's drawing only two dilemmas and I got an away team of all Honor klingons. I have three Relentless's and three interrupts in my hand, I have "the nuts." Nobody can get stopped, no walls can get me, and I'm counting the money in my head already. Then he picks a card and my stomach dropped, and then I turned the card over... Chula. Now the chances of him drawing this were over 2%, but still. What do you think I did? I said nice game, shook his hand, and waited for the next round. Why? Because I wouldn't have played it any differently.
Now what do both these stories have in common? Well, in the poker room I left up $60 and at Worlds I left in 3rd Place (Tied for 2nd really) and up $500. Both times I left a winner: in the poker room I didn't go on tilt (poker term for when a player starts playing differently and starts losing money) and at Worlds kept on playing my game. Bad beats and unlucky draws are just a part of the games we play. That's what makes both games great in my opinion (O.K. 2E isn't great yet but I'm giving it some more time, if DeFruiter doesn't fuck it up). But the mark of a great player is being able to handle any situation. The great poker players, when they lose, they lose small, and when they win, they win big. In poker when I lose I might drop $100 maybe $200 and when I win it's anywhere from $500 up. In Trek when I lose it's a 3rd place or Runner-up trophy and when I do win well... we'll just see.
The first step on this years Championship circuit is coming later this month with the New Jersey Territorial. To tell you guys the truth, not that I'm making excuses, I've been slacking this year. With my poker "job", two girlfriends, and my 18-month-old daughter it's been my Trek that's been taking the hit. The last tournament, on my birthday no less, I only won one game. Two losses and a tie, that's not "THE GAME" now is it? But with a new expansion coming out and some "real" tournaments coming I feel the motivation brewing inside me again. And when something is brewing inside me it's usually dangerous, things like fog machines and strobe lights start floating around my brain. Next month look for the run down of how the Territorial went, who had the balls from outside Jersey to come, and how many times I knock off the nerd beads from the table when Len and Mike play LotR. Not that anyone cares, except the guys on this list, here's the current standing in the New Jersey Premier Series:
1. Len Neidorf 42 Pts.
2. John Corbett 28 Pts.
3. James Bottomly 26 Pts.
4. Michael Keller 24 Pts.
5. Nikolai Fomich 22 Pts.
6. Steve Fitchett 14 Pts.
7. Rob Tapt 8 Pts.
8. Cliff Lentz 8 Pts.
With eight events to go including two majors (worth double points) I still have plenty of time to catch Len's punk ass and fend off Michael "The Lawyer" Kellerman. And who knows, the new Cruiserweight Champion Steve Fitchett might be for real. At the beginning of 2003 since most us Jersey players are wrestling fans we came up with a belt, this going to the best player at the time. Some of you clowns might have seen the belt at Origins or GenCon. And about six months ago we started the Cruiserweight Belt going to the best player who's rated 1750 or lower. We're innovators here in Jersey, we love to make it a show. We know most people don't get it but we don't care. And maybe at Origins I'll make it a show again, who knows? I feel something brewing, that's all I can say. See you clowns around.
John Corbett- "For the Win!"
P.S. any questions, stories, hate mail please feel free to send to johncorbettjr2 at comcast dot net
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