Rick
09-19-2004, 10:15 AM
From the Colorado Daily (http://www.coloradodaily.com)
Boulder's poker scene: from amateur to pro
By JOSEPH THOMAS Colorado Daily Staff
The psychology of a professional poker player can be strange, counter-intuitive, and even unfathomable to the average card-bender.
"In the back of my mind I didn't want to get dealt any good hands," said Chris Faulhaber, speaking about his thoughts as he reached the ranks of those who would win money while playing in the finals of the Internet-based College Poker Championships last year.
Most amateurs desperately pray for good hands, but this situation Faulhaber had an alternative plan. He was currently in the top 10 in terms of chip stacks, and didn't need to make a move any time soon. With 31 players remaining and the top 30 receiving a payday, Faulhaber could easily sit back and enjoy the view. People with smaller chip stacks could play against each other, incurring all the risk.
Electing to take the easy road, Faulhaber chose sit by and watch this happen as he worked his way up the money ladder.
As if Murphy's Law was dealing the cards, right before the 31st person went out of the tournament he got the hand he was dreading.
Not only did Faulhaber get dealt a good hand, he got dealt a hand that he had to play. His Hewlett Packard computer screen showed that he had pocket jacks (two jacks dealt face down to him), the fourth-best starting hand possible in Texas Hold'em.
This sent his plan into a tailspin. He couldn't sit back and watch anymore.
Suddenly at the final table of the largest college poker tournament in the world, Faulhaber was at the crossroads of his poker career. Should he take it safe and fold the hand in which he is guaranteed money, or should he play aggressively and go for the win?
Who is this guy?
Chris Faulhaber is a master's candidate in applied mathematics at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
"I started playing poker about four years ago when I was a sophomore in college. I started playing before the television shows made Texas Hold'em poker," said Faulhaber.
He has humble beginnings in the game, as many amateur players in the digital age do. Faulhaber started playing on free Internet Web sites where he could use fake money to play.
Spending a couple hours a week playing on the Internet, Faulhaber quickly learned to play better. Faulhaber also read some books on poker as his skills progressed.
Even though he taught himself what he knows about poker, some of his talent may be innate. His grandfather on his mother's side of the family was a card player, and his mom grew up around cards. Maybe it's in his blood?
Faulhaber plays semi-professionally after his amazing finish in the College Poker Championships.
"I had the best summer ever," said Faulhaber this past summer. "I played poker as a job."
Under the screen name Fauley - a nickname given to him by some of his long-time friends - Faulhaber played poker for money on the Internet as his job.
He confessed to playing mostly low-limit games this summer, in spite of his enormous success as a no-limit player.
Faulhaber wants to continue with school after he completes his master's degree, and is "interested in getting a PhD."
In the long term he is interested in atmospheric research, and possible working at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
As for right now, he says: "I love being a student. You can set your own hours, and take an afternoon or a day off if you want."
Back to the game
He ended up raising the pot.
"When I saw those cards I just wanted to buy the pot, and forget about the hand," he said.
He raised the pot about $2,000. His opponent called his bet.
Both players wanted to see the flop, and find out how their hands would pan out.
The flop destroyed any idea that Faulhaber had left that he could merely just fold the hand.
As he stared at his 1-inch computer monitor he saw the jack of spades, the seven of spades and the three of clubs as the flop.
Faulhaber had three jacks. He had the best possible hand at this point, or what is called in poker as the "nuts."
This situation grew more and tenser as he slowly realized that his tournament life might be on the line.
"I didn't even want to give myself the opportunity to go out," recounts Faulhaber.
Nevertheless, Faulhaber again played the hand aggressively, and once again raised the pot another $5,000.
This time his opponent re-raised him, trying to bully him out of the hand. Faulhaber had the smaller chip stack, and was under pressure to fold the hand.
Unbeknownst to Faulhaber at the time, his opponent had a flush draw. His opponent held the ace of spades and the six of spades, and a spade in the turn or the river (fourth or fifth cards in the collective hand on the table) would give the hand to his opponent.
Faulhaber made the move of the tournament for him - he went all in. He clicked his cold plastic mouse, and risked all the money he had on the last two cards to come. His opponent called Faulhaber's bet.
"I didn't know it at the time, but I was a three-to-one favorite in the hand," says Faulhaber with a sly grin on his face as he remembers the hand.
A spade never showed up in the next two cards, and Faulhaber won the hand.
He doubled his money, and took over the chip lead at that point.
Faulhaber finished the tournament in an amazing third place finish out of over 10,000 people, and netted $5,000 for his efforts.
When asked about his decision to risk everything he had, he said:
"I am glad about the choice I made. That is when I started playing to win the tournament, not just stay alive."
Just as an aside, we have picked up the domain BoulderPoker.com :) (which puts us up to something like 950 domains names :( ) and have it redirected here.
If there is enough interest we can add Boulder specific forums or even a new Boulder 'only' rip of this site.
Just let me know.
Boulder's poker scene: from amateur to pro
By JOSEPH THOMAS Colorado Daily Staff
The psychology of a professional poker player can be strange, counter-intuitive, and even unfathomable to the average card-bender.
"In the back of my mind I didn't want to get dealt any good hands," said Chris Faulhaber, speaking about his thoughts as he reached the ranks of those who would win money while playing in the finals of the Internet-based College Poker Championships last year.
Most amateurs desperately pray for good hands, but this situation Faulhaber had an alternative plan. He was currently in the top 10 in terms of chip stacks, and didn't need to make a move any time soon. With 31 players remaining and the top 30 receiving a payday, Faulhaber could easily sit back and enjoy the view. People with smaller chip stacks could play against each other, incurring all the risk.
Electing to take the easy road, Faulhaber chose sit by and watch this happen as he worked his way up the money ladder.
As if Murphy's Law was dealing the cards, right before the 31st person went out of the tournament he got the hand he was dreading.
Not only did Faulhaber get dealt a good hand, he got dealt a hand that he had to play. His Hewlett Packard computer screen showed that he had pocket jacks (two jacks dealt face down to him), the fourth-best starting hand possible in Texas Hold'em.
This sent his plan into a tailspin. He couldn't sit back and watch anymore.
Suddenly at the final table of the largest college poker tournament in the world, Faulhaber was at the crossroads of his poker career. Should he take it safe and fold the hand in which he is guaranteed money, or should he play aggressively and go for the win?
Who is this guy?
Chris Faulhaber is a master's candidate in applied mathematics at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
"I started playing poker about four years ago when I was a sophomore in college. I started playing before the television shows made Texas Hold'em poker," said Faulhaber.
He has humble beginnings in the game, as many amateur players in the digital age do. Faulhaber started playing on free Internet Web sites where he could use fake money to play.
Spending a couple hours a week playing on the Internet, Faulhaber quickly learned to play better. Faulhaber also read some books on poker as his skills progressed.
Even though he taught himself what he knows about poker, some of his talent may be innate. His grandfather on his mother's side of the family was a card player, and his mom grew up around cards. Maybe it's in his blood?
Faulhaber plays semi-professionally after his amazing finish in the College Poker Championships.
"I had the best summer ever," said Faulhaber this past summer. "I played poker as a job."
Under the screen name Fauley - a nickname given to him by some of his long-time friends - Faulhaber played poker for money on the Internet as his job.
He confessed to playing mostly low-limit games this summer, in spite of his enormous success as a no-limit player.
Faulhaber wants to continue with school after he completes his master's degree, and is "interested in getting a PhD."
In the long term he is interested in atmospheric research, and possible working at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
As for right now, he says: "I love being a student. You can set your own hours, and take an afternoon or a day off if you want."
Back to the game
He ended up raising the pot.
"When I saw those cards I just wanted to buy the pot, and forget about the hand," he said.
He raised the pot about $2,000. His opponent called his bet.
Both players wanted to see the flop, and find out how their hands would pan out.
The flop destroyed any idea that Faulhaber had left that he could merely just fold the hand.
As he stared at his 1-inch computer monitor he saw the jack of spades, the seven of spades and the three of clubs as the flop.
Faulhaber had three jacks. He had the best possible hand at this point, or what is called in poker as the "nuts."
This situation grew more and tenser as he slowly realized that his tournament life might be on the line.
"I didn't even want to give myself the opportunity to go out," recounts Faulhaber.
Nevertheless, Faulhaber again played the hand aggressively, and once again raised the pot another $5,000.
This time his opponent re-raised him, trying to bully him out of the hand. Faulhaber had the smaller chip stack, and was under pressure to fold the hand.
Unbeknownst to Faulhaber at the time, his opponent had a flush draw. His opponent held the ace of spades and the six of spades, and a spade in the turn or the river (fourth or fifth cards in the collective hand on the table) would give the hand to his opponent.
Faulhaber made the move of the tournament for him - he went all in. He clicked his cold plastic mouse, and risked all the money he had on the last two cards to come. His opponent called Faulhaber's bet.
"I didn't know it at the time, but I was a three-to-one favorite in the hand," says Faulhaber with a sly grin on his face as he remembers the hand.
A spade never showed up in the next two cards, and Faulhaber won the hand.
He doubled his money, and took over the chip lead at that point.
Faulhaber finished the tournament in an amazing third place finish out of over 10,000 people, and netted $5,000 for his efforts.
When asked about his decision to risk everything he had, he said:
"I am glad about the choice I made. That is when I started playing to win the tournament, not just stay alive."
Just as an aside, we have picked up the domain BoulderPoker.com :) (which puts us up to something like 950 domains names :( ) and have it redirected here.
If there is enough interest we can add Boulder specific forums or even a new Boulder 'only' rip of this site.
Just let me know.