Poker After Dark Week 3 Recap

by Dennis Oehring

Champions Week on Poker After Dark proved to be a highly dramatic event, just as was envisioned by the producers and NBC. The $120,000 first place prize money wasn't nearly as important to the players as being able to say that they sat down at the same table with five other World Champions and defeated them. Pride was at stake in this match far more than the money.

What also made this match compelling to watch was that it really gave viewers a chance to get inside of the heads of these champions and ask themselves what they would have done in the same situation. Table talk was minimal, allowing the viewers to concentrate on the action and compare their own decisions to the ones made by those who have made millions from theirs.

It's highly doubtful that any of the players expected to go all in on the first hand, but that's exactly what happened. Carlos Mortensen and Chris Ferguson tangled right off the bat when Carlos held pocket queens in the big blind and Chris had A J on the button. After some preflop raising, an ace on the flop prompted Ferguson to raise an "in the dark" bet made by Carlos, and eventually go all in when Carlos came over the top of him, causing Carlos to fold and find himself severely crippled right out of the gate. Carlos would end up being the first to be eliminated. More details on this hand can be found in Dan Gati's Hand of the Week column by clicking here.

Next to be eliminated was the reigning World Champion, Jamie Gold. This was one of the first opportunities to see Gold in action since his WSOP victory last year, and many probably tuned in for just this reason. But even his bowl of blueberries couldn't help him catch a card he needed to complete an open-ended straight draw against Chris Ferguson's two pair, and he was sent to the rail in 5th place.

Doyle Brunson flopped a pair of aces and got all of his chips in with the best hand against Johnny Chan, who had flopped a pair of queens. But Johnny also held two spades, and with one already on the board, two more came on the turn and river to give him a flush and put Doyle on the short stack. Even the best suck out from time to time. Chan would then go on to eliminate Brunson in 4th place soon after.

With the blinds at $1000/$2000, Chan moved all in preflop with A 8 offsuit from the small blind. Ferguson, on the short stack and in the big blind, deliberated and eventually called with K 5 offsuit. Johnny had Chris covered, and an ace on the flop all but sealed Ferguson's fate. Another ace on the turn did, and Chris was out in 3rd place.

So it was Chris Moneymaker and Johnny Chan to heads-up play, with Johnny holding a slight chip advantage. Attending the taping of this show, I was struck by how often Chris would let out heavy sighs once play got to this point, indicative of the pressure he was experiencing and how badly he wanted to win this match.

The final hand found Johnny going all in after the flop with middle pair, leaving Chris to ponder whether to call with an open-ended straight draw. Chris finally decided to gamble and made the call, and both players stood up and started pacing around the room, another indication of how much each wanted to win this match. But like Jamie Gold before him, the cards Chris needed to complete his straight eluded him on the turn and the river, and Johnny Chan emerged victorious.