4.15.2008

The Montel

Montel Williams, yes that Montel Williams, from time to time will host $1K SNGs at the Nugget. They're called "The Montel." Really. There's a poster and everything posted outside the poker room. The poker room floors stand outside the room trying to get people to play Montel. "You know who Montel Williams is? He's here. Wanna play poker with him? Yes that Montel Williams."

I met Scott Fischman at noon for the first one of the day. We had 9 players, you start with 10K in chips with 30 min levels 1st and 2nd place pay. Not to shabby for a SNG at the Nugget.

It didn't take long for me to get into an interesting hand with Mr. Williams, with the blinds at 50/100 he limped under the gun. It was called by 3 other players, including myself with the big bad AT off, until the button, a younger kid who we later found out bought in with his whole bank roll, raised to 350. Everyone called. This is gonna be a good table. The flop came down A 2 T. Ding! Montel bet out 400, the music mogul, not really one but but he looked and talked like one, to my right called and I reraised to 1100. Montel announces raise and throws a few more $1000 chips into the pot. Huh? The mogul folds and I have to contemplate this a for a moment. I guess he could have Aces. But from what Scott told me about him he's fairly aggressive so I figure he's gonna raise under the gun with either AA,TT, AK, or AQ. He could have 22 easily or even the same hand as me. Wow. I put him on 22. I tell him that I go broke on this hand 99% of the time and I fold my hand face up.

WTF? Was pretty much the whole reaction of the table. Including Montel who's brows furrowed just the slightest before he asked if I want to see his hand. He flipped up his 22 before I had a chance to respond. Game on!

The rest of the table said that they would have all gone busto if they were me in that hand. That Montel was a very loose aggressive player. Everything he did just told me that he had a set. It all added up. I was also able to make the lay down because I still had 8500 in chips behind me. Good structure and starting chips begets good play from JDN. Too bad I didn't win.

I busted in 4th after being card dead for the remainder of my time at that SNG. Then next one will start around 4pm so I have some time to kill. Video poker! Heineken!


I made a big call in the second SNG to bust Montel. I had raised in late position with A4 off and was reraised by Mr Chilliams in the big blind. The flop rolled out A 6 J and Montel pushed in. I thought about it again for a minute. He seemed bored. Ready to double up or bust. So I called. He turn over a KQ and my A4 held up to bust his shizzle. Scott Fischman and I got 3 handed with the asian girl, we wondered if she was John Phan's sister because she definitely had the symptoms of SAG, who had satellited in the previous night. I figured there was no way one of us wasn't winning that one. Don't you worry. I got 3rd and Scott cashed 2nd. Rigged.

After being joined by Gavin, Bobo, and Jeremiah, we played a few more. Jeremiah and I chopped the one where we let Gavin rebuy and between SNG's Gavin and I played $25 a point Chinese poker. Royalty on the first hand! TYVM! I also joined Bobo at the 2/5 table for one hand where I got $300 in the pot with a 5 high flush draw to random asian guys queens. No love for me.

I had one interesting in the final SNG took place between myself and Jeremiah. I was about a 7 on the Heineken Factor* scale. Jeremiah was near an 8 on the bad play scale. In late position Heremiah raised a standard 3x raise. (Blinds and chips stacks are irrelevant when you're past 5 on the Heineken Scale. As is playing in turn, betting/calling/raising the right amount, and staying in your chair.) Knowing that Heremiah's game is full of shit, I reraise him with the 'ole 52 off. He thinks a moment before pushing all in. Well I have to call now. I think its possible that I'm priced in but math is something I'm not capable of at the moment. I call. He flips over 6T off. I told him, "I knew you had shit! Thats second level thinking!" I got two live cards! Too bad he hits a 6 on the flop. I could have been drawing live but the turn and river were blurry. He took most of my chips and I was left with 1 yellow, 1 pink and 3 grays.

Gavin's reaction was, "That's two level of suck."
Scott said, "You two are horrible."
Random hot girl on the rail, "Idiots."

I played 5 SNG's and broke even, except for losing $300 at 2/5 and $100 at video poker. I got some free food, met Montel, busted Montel, and made my friend Jeremiah look like a fool. Good times.

JDN

* The Heineken Factor: This scale is based on the number of Heinekens consumed, multiplied by 2.5 divided by the number of brain cells left. Really. No not really. Basically it's math/poker comprehension scale based on the total number of Heineken's orally consumed. 1 point of the scale roughly translates to 2.5 bottles of Heineken.

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