On Sunday (here in Canada), I saw the WPT Championship, still with 6 players left. One guy is all in (can't remember names right now - only one coffee in me), another guy just calls, and Ivey goes over the top, forcing the caller to fold. Now, I know that the money doesn't mean much to a guy like Ivey, but I think it was a silly play, due to his cards being not that great (ace jack offsuit), and that the all-in guy would have been out had the other guy stayed in. I know that Ivey wants all the chips, and figured his best chance to get them that hand was to get it heads up, but it seems like he was potentially risking a lot of his chips there needlessly. The caller could have had his hand dominated very easily.

Seemed silly to me, regardless of the results (I busted out of 2 protege tourneys this weekend prior to that airing with ace jack, so maybe I am biased...lol). :?

well the first all-in was on a very short stack, and had gotten busted down the very last hand. he would've moved all-in there with a wide variety of hands, almost all of which ivey was either ahead of, or dominating.
the call was by the chip leader, who likely would've raised with a hand stronger than AJ.
so ivey was likely to have the best hand, and would prefer it heads-up with habib's dead money in the pot.
more importantly, ivey was pretty shortstacked as well.

$0.02

u suck

very insightful...go back to general 8)

Ivey read the caller as weak, simpl because he was the chip leader caling the shortstacks all in, so he could have a wide variety of hands that Ivey could beat with AJ (because he didnt reraise). He went with his read, which allowed him to increase his equity on the hand, with three hands AJ's chances of winning are usually lower than heads up.

But seriously, I'm surprised your healthy enough to make this post, I heard if Ivey hears people talking smack about him he beats them to death. Thats why everyone worships him so much, its not like he's good or anything...

I may be overweight, but I am pretty sure I can take that stringbean...lol 8)

really? you look pretty good in your avatar picture...

That wasn't the only time I've seen him make that play. He did it in the WPT Borgata Open with DN, David Williams and Arieh.

Some scrub raised with A-7, Arieh called with 3-3, and Ivey moved in with :::gasp::: A-Q


Scrub folded, Arieh called.. you can guess what happens next.

Guys like him (financially secure) can make that play all the time, as they don't care really care about knocking someone out, they are more interested in winning than moving up the prize pool. I don't like the play myself, but I'm far from financial security... 8)

To understand Ivey's play is to understand the situation.

The all-in player was short-stacked. He would move in with any Ace (Phil will dominate all, but AK and AQ), will beat any big K or Q, and racing against any small or medium pair.

Hasan Habib was the big chipleader at this point and took his time to ponder and decided to call with KQ. Ivey read Habib correctly as weak putting him on something like his actual hand or medium pair, possibly even something like A10.

Ivey moved in probably thinking about three things: 1) He has Hollink, the all-in player beat. 2) He either has Hasan beaten or he does not have a good enough of a hand to call the big bet. 3) There was a lot of money in the pot already and it would be a great situation to get some chips.

Unfortuantely for Phil Hollink had queens and tripled. The only flaw I find in Phil's play is if Tuan Le or John Phan wakes up with a big hand he would be out.

Well, that is the whole point of my post, as I believe he took a large risk there, with IMO little upside. I think having one less opponent (had he opted to do a cooperation play and check it down) would be more beneficial than possibly having those chips in the pot OR lose to the all-in player. That's just me though, the guy who is not financially secure... 8)