FULL TILT POKER BLOG

Day 2, Level 1 with Paul Wolfe

Posted by jgreenspan | Filed under Uncategorized

Many poker players cultivate an icy image at the table. They want to appear formidable and intimidating. Not Paul Wolfe. Paul is always affable and chatty. Even though he started the day very short, with just over 15k in chips, he talked with his tablemates, with me, and the railbirds.

When I started sweating Paul, I stood on one side of the table, while behind him, the busty Milwaukee’s Best Light Girls watched the action. He asked if we’d change spots, so that the girls would be in his direct line of vision. I offered to unbutton my shirt a little, but he shook his head, saying “that would be disgusting.” I didn’t argue.

A few hands later, Wolfe folded as the big stack to his right re-raised his open-raise. Paul showed 9s and said, “now you owe me a show.”

The big stack, an obese man wearing a flowered shirt and a pink sun hat, then did a little funky dance in his chair. Paul again shook his head. “Not that. That’s gross.”

A couple of times, Paul raised and took the blinds and antes. He showed his tablemates Jacks and Ace-King. He was trying to cultivate a tight image – one that would allow him to steal pots.

But some chips got away from Paul a short while later. Denny Crumb, the former head basketball coach of Louisville, sat across the table from Paul, folding hand after hand. Once, in late position, Paul raised Crumb’s big blind. Crumb called and Wolfe opined, “You haven’t moved a chip in hours, and now your moving them against me.”

The flop came Ace-high; Crumb checked, Paul bet, and Crumb called. They checked the turn, then Crumb bet the river and Paul folded.

Paul lost another pot when he raised under-the-gun and was re-raised by a young man in late position. Paul called. The flop was Ace-high, and both players checked. Paul checked the turn and his opponent bet 6,000. Paul thought, then folded. He told me he had 8s, and was considering trying to take the kid off his hand, which he thought was Jacks. But the kid had shown a propensity to call and Paul didn’t want to risk it.

Paul was down to 8,000. Just before the level break, it was folded to him on the button. At the time, the player who would have had the big blind was away from the table, so Paul only had the small blind to beat. He moved in, and the big blind called instantly. Paul sheepishly turned over J-3. The small blind showed A-5.

The flop was a horror for Wolfe: A-T-T. The turn, a King, gave Wolfe hope, And the river completed his Ace-high straight. He got his money in very bad, hit a terrible flop, then caught a huge suckout on the river.

Paul could be in good position. If he manages to pick up chips, he’s at the perfect table to build his stack. Crumb is extremely tight and passive. One of the players let it be known that he had over-called a raise and re-raise with A-3, suited. He has the big stack to his left. One more double-up and he could be set for a big run.

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