In big buy-in tournament poker, when the money bubble approaches, the field plays hand-for-hand. Each table plays a hand and has to wait for all other tables to complete the same hand before moving onto the next hand. This is done for two principal reasons: to prevent stalling and to ensure that it’s known exactly where the demarcating line is between eliminated players who receive a cash prize and those who receive nothing.
When a player is all in and called during hand-for-hand play, he is not permitted to table his cards immediately. Instead he is required to keep his hand closed and wait until every other table has completed the hand. This is to prevent other players from gaining an advantage by knowing that the short stack has been eliminated and the bubble has burst.
I’ve always thought that the waiting period must be excruciating for the short stack. It can stretch to several agonizing minutes as players at other table tank in the face of big bets and raises. Today, Gustavo Jimenez was the man to feel that torture.
Jimenez moved all in from the button for 13,200 after Mayu Roca opened to 4,000. Roca called when the action came back to him. Jimenez wanted to open his hand right away but was told by LAPT staff that he must wait. And wait he did, first seated, then standing and leaning over the table, his face a mask of impatience. Roca remained seated with a tight-lipped half-smile on his face. It seemed to say, “I feel your pain, brother.”
Finally, the signal came to show down the cards. Jimenez carefully spread two black kings face-up on the table. Roca, still seated, showed down A♥ 7♦ , the dreaded overcard ace.
Jimenez leaned in to get a good look at Roca’s cards, then slapped the table a few times for luck. The first card in the window was the 10♣ , but it was followed by the 9♦ and the A♣ . Jimenez made a noise of disgust, but didn’t give up hope. His eyes pleaded with the board for some good news on the turn. He got the J♥ , which gave him a few more outs to a straight. Yet it was Roca who connected with the 7♣ river.
Jimenez smiled that smile that says, “Oh well, I guess it wasn’t meant to be.” He shook hands with Roca as the rest of the field broke into applause. They had undergone a form of waiting themselves – waiting to see how the hand would play out and whether the bubble would burst. They’d been waiting for 12 levels for this moment, a paltry thing compared to the few minutes that Jimenez stood over the table with his hand closed.
I’m betting that those few minutes were a lot longer for Jimenez than the 12 levels were for the rest of the field.
Dave Behr is a freelance contributor to the PokerStars Blog.
¿Busca Ud. la transmisión en vivo de LAPT6 Colombia en español? Haz click aquÃ.
Back to Top
