DaMatrix v Doyle Brunson: Report

Arrived at the London venue where the Doyle Brunson "Big Deal" match (to be shown on The Poker Channel) would take place and immediately wished the poker legend a happy birthday. He was born on the 10th August 1933.

Mike Tindall didn't make the filming, his replacement was Matthew Norman, a journalist who writes for 4 newspapers including the Sunday Telegraph. To be honest with you, the only player I thought might not show up was Doyle so fair play to the legend for spending most of his birthday having a friendly game of poker with us.

The draw for the seats led to the following table composition:

1. noodleboy
2. DaMatrix
3. Doyle Brunson
4. The Sicilian
5. Matthew
6. Sheperd

Despite the bad draw for me, I felt that I had a good chance of getting it to heads-up between Doyle and I - that's why I have been billing this as DaMatrix v Doyle Brunson since I qualified! I won the first pot when I flopped 2 pair from the SB with K2. Doyle tells me it's bad luck to win the first pot - wished he'd told me before we started!

We each started with 50k chips and 20 minute levels commencing from 1/2k blinds. We we allowed 2 rebuys maximum during the first 3 levels. The Sicilian and I were the only ones to use up all our rebuys. As a bonus to the players who didn't rebuy, they received add-ons of 50k at the end of level 3.

Some interesting hands during the first 3 levels, included The Sicilian doubling through Doyle when his QJ flopped 2 pair on a KQJ board and Doyle called his all-in with KT. I tried to build a stack by going all in with Q6s 3-way. Unfortunately The Sicilian had JJ and Sheperd had KK, a Q on the flop but no further help and Sheperd was the chip leader. Rebuy!

Sheperd

In Level 3 just before the end of the rebuy period, I found AT in the CO and went all in again trying to double up. Doyle called with AK and I was busted again. Rebuy!

Now I had to revert to my level 1 strategy and tighten up a little as I was playing like a maniac. One more busting and I would be out first. Made it to the break intact with about 50k out of the 700k in play. Loads of paparazzi came in and took photos of Doyle.

DaMatrix with Doyle Brunson

Soon after the break, I found AKs UTG+1 and pushed all-in, The Sicilian, thinking I was making a move before the blinds gobbled me up, called off his short stack all-in with A3s. When the board double paired, I thought we had split with our ace kicker - hadn't noticed I'd actually made a flush!

The Sicilian - the only player not busted by Doyle

Matthew was next out when he went all in UTG with A7s and Doyle gambled from the BB with 62. Sixes and deuces had been hitting the flop frequently during the game and Doyle's gamble paid off when he hit trip sixes.

4 handed, I found A2 and pushed all in. Doyle called one again, with A8s, but luckily I hit a deuce to survive.

noodleboy

Noodleboy was out third when he tried to steal Doyle Big Blind with Q7s. I thought he must have had a big hand to attempt such a foolish thing but Doyle read his man right and put him all in with A8. Even though a Q hit the flop, Doyle made a straight on the river.

I was really looking forward to a heads-up between Doyle and I. Three handed, when Sheperd went all in UTG (AJo), I had him covered by 5k. In the SB I found T2s. I just had to call his underaise with the Brunson! Doyle though, raised my last 5k all-in with 82 to try and knock both of us out. His 82 flopped 2 pair and Doyle won the tourney.

Incidently, if Doyle hadn't called I would have been heads-up with him with a 3-1 chip disadvantage which would have been interesting - maybe I should have asked Doyle not to call so that one of us could have a heads-up with him... but I found though that Doyle is a ruthless poker player and takes almost every opportunity to try to bust someone out with any hand.

It was really fitting for Doyle to win, especially on his birthday. He kindly donated the prize money to a cancer charity to cap off a brilliant day. I was pretty happy with my second place and played as well as I could considering I didn't get dealt a single pair all day.

Final Results:

1. Doyle Brunson
2. DaMatrix
3. Sheperd
4. noodleboy
5. Matthew Norman
6. The Sicilian

Each of the losers received a signed hard back copy of Doyle Brunson's Super System 2. My message said, "May the flop be with you!".