Or should I write a piece solely on AT-LARGE and stay off this angle. I'm
open to all suggestions.
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Tales From the Felt
Mad Dogs and Drunken Englishmen
by Nolan Dalla
Several years ago, the old southpaw Oakland Raider's quarterback,
Kenny Stabler, was preparing for a big game against his arch-rivals in Kansas
City. Stabler's "preparation" consisted mainly of hitting every bar between
Independence and the Kansas state line. No question about it, Stabler liked
to party. The next day, the fun-loving all-pro had all the makings of a
classic hangover....a throbbing headache, dizzyness, and severe nausea.
Nevertheless, the Raiders routed the Chiefs. Stabler threw four touchdown
passes.
Let's take poker's version of Kenny Stabler. His name is Peter
Secor. Most readers probably don't know Peter, nor should they. He plays
primarily low and middle limit hold'em on the East Coast. Prior to the
AT-LARGE (poker computer network) convention in Atlantic City recently, which
included a no-limit hold'em tournament, Peter did everything contrary to
sound poker advice. He played the entire night before without taking a
break. He drank like a Caribbean tourist. He shot his bankroll away on pit
games. Peter didn't even show up for the start of the tournament. He was
thirty minutes late. The tournament had begun, and Peter's stack had already
dwindled.
My friends, you know what's coming. Lightning must have struck
Peter between the eyes, or else he had a prayer that was answered tenfold.
Peter went on a herculean run. His stack of chips rose up from the felt
toward the heavens. Four hours into the tourney, Peter was like a new man.
Gone were the signs of fatigue and drunkeness. He was now playing like a
real pro. At the final stage, he was heads-up against a rock-solid,
top-notch opponent. Then, Peter's mental decisions seemed to reach a new
height. He folded marginal hands which most novices would have played and
ran a couple of supurb, well-timed bluffs. He won the tournament, the cash,
and a trophy -- all of which was a smashing blow to anyone who had seen him
in his earlier condition.
Stabler and Secor, how do they do it? Do they possess a special
gift the rest of us mere mortal do not have? Clearly, their destructive
pre-contest actions were legitimate and would cause grave concern to anyone
backing them.
xxxxxxxx continuing WC-370
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