| After ESPN televised the final table of the World | | | | only about a 12 percent probability that an opponent will |
| Series of Poker (WSOP) main event, many poker | | | | be holding a higher pair. However, when Saout makes |
| players started to post negative opinions about the | | | | a re-raise, Cada should have slowed down. Saout had |
| way Joe Cada played the game. The nicest of these | | | | been playing a solid game. |
| opinions was that Joe was lucky and the most critical | | | | I think a fold would have been a smarter play than |
| called him a donkey. In poker, calling a player a donkey | | | | moving all-in here. But, in a poker tournament, you do |
| is a sign of disrespect as it is reserved for only the | | | | have to get lucky. |
| worst of poker players. | | | | If Cada had called the re-raise, Saout would have lost |
| Lets analyze the three key hands at the final table | | | | the same amount of chips given the nine, seven, two |
| where Cada has been called a 'donk.' | | | | flop. |
| Hand No. 1 | | | | Hand No. 3: |
| Situation: It is down to the final five players. Shulman | | | | Situation: It is still the final three players. Blinds are |
| and Joe Cada are the low stacks. Shulman has $18 | | | | $500,000- $1 million. Cada has A-K and raises to $2.5 |
| million. Cada has $11 million. The blinds are | | | | million. Saout with pocket eights goes all-in for his final |
| $300,000-$600,000. Shulman raises to almost $2 million | | | | $47 million. Cada would risk half his stack with a call. |
| with pocket Jacks. | | | | Cada calls. It's a $95 million pot. Saout is a 54 percent |
| Cada goes all-in with pocket threes. If Shulman calls, he | | | | favorite. The flop is five of hearts, four of spades, five |
| will be risking almost all of his chips. He calls. Shulman is | | | | of clubs. The turn is 10 diamonds. If Cada misses the |
| an 80 percent favorite. On the flop Cada hits the set | | | | river, Saout would be back in the lead. But, the river is |
| and wins the pot. | | | | the King! Saout is knocked out. |
| Analysis: Cada has about six percent of the total chips | | | | Analysis: This is really a typical all-in, heads-up situation |
| in play. Shulman has been playing very tight poker and | | | | in poker tournaments; an A-K heads-up versus a |
| his pre-flop raise should signal a big hand. However, | | | | pocket pair. After Saout took a bad beat in the |
| Cada has also seen Shulman fold to a re-raise earlier | | | | previous hand, it was even possible that he had a hand |
| in the game. | | | | worse than pocket eights. |
| Cada can't fold a pocket pair being low in chips. A call | | | | Conclusion: |
| is a bad play-he would be risking almost 20 percent of | | | | Overall, if you haven't been in a WSOP tournament, |
| his stack in the hope of hitting a set on the flop. If he | | | | you don't realize how difficult it is to get to a final table. |
| moves all-in, he is putting the pressure back on | | | | You not only have to be a skillful player, but you also |
| Shulman (if he has a hand like A-J, or K-Q he would | | | | have to get lucky to win. |
| probably fold) and even if he gets called, he has a | | | | There were over 6,400 players in the 2009 WSOP |
| better chance of getting a set by seeing all five cards. | | | | main event. There is no question that every player at |
| One final point: If Cada had just made the call, Shulman | | | | the final table got lucky at some point during the eight |
| would have lost the same amount of chips given the | | | | days of play, and put a bad beat on an opponent. |
| eight, four, three flop. | | | | Joe Cada is far from a donkey. |
| Hand No. 2 | | | | He is an accomplished online poker player and he won |
| Situation: It is down to the final three players. Blinds are | | | | the most prestigious title in poker. While he got lucky at |
| at $500,000-$1 million. Cada is the low stack with $39 | | | | the end of the event, the fact is that anyone who |
| million. He finds pocket twos and raises to $2.5 million. | | | | criticizes his play doesn't truly understand tournament |
| Antonine Saout is in the big blind with QQ and he | | | | poker. |
| re-raises over $5 million. | | | | Tournament poker is about winning all of the chips in |
| Cada moves all-in, risking his entire chips stack. Saout | | | | play. This often results in risking all of your chips and |
| calls, risking half his chips. The pot is almost $80 million. | | | | putting your opponent to the test for all of his chips. |
| Saout is an 80 percent favorite. On the flop Cada hits | | | | Sometimes you lose. But by getting lucky and winning |
| the set and wins the pot! | | | | one major event, you can win millions of dollars. |
| Analysis: When Cada is dealt pocket twos, there is | | | | |