Moneymaker explains his play

[Kurn]

I agree 100%. People have made judgments on the quality of play of these guys after watching about 2% of the hands they played. Yeah, Moneymaker got luck against Brenes, but he had a bigger stack. Did it ever occur that he must have played reasonably competent prior to that point to even have that big a stack?

Last year there was a huge debate on 2+2 about Moneymaker calling Ivey's all-in with 10 left, with a bunch of know-it-alls saying it was a stupid call. The problem was, it wasn't a stupid call, it was a good call. Anybody who says they'd lay down top trips/top kicker to a player as aggressive as Ivey doesn't deserve to even make the comment. Even if you compltely discount Ivey making that play with JJ or TT, the range of hands is 99 (3), 66(3), KQ(4), AQ(3), QJ(4) and QTs (1). Add in pure bluff (10%), and even assuming that Ivey is twice as likely to make the move while ahead, Moneymaker is ahead better than half the time *and* has 7 outs when he's behind. Now consider that a) he's still alive if he loses and b) he already stands to make more than 200% his annual salary if he busts out 10th.

Ridiculously easy call.

To win a 800+ player tournament you have to both play well and get lucky. One of the two won't cut it (which is why with these size fields, Hellmuth is a huge dog to ever win again).

[Aequitas58]

I completely forget this hand... can you possibly give details? Chip stacks, cards, suits, who made what move, etc etc?

[Zybomb]

10 players left, one more elimination until the final table....Moneymaker was the chip leader at this point, I dont recall Iveys chip position but it wasnt in the top 3. Ivey had pocket 9s, Moneymaker had AQ. Another player had 10,10. Moneymaker opened the pot preflop and the two players called. The flop landed QQx. Moneymaker bet 70,000, Phil Ivey called with 9s, and the player with 10s folded. The turn came a 9, giving Ivey a full house. Moneymaker lead out and bet again, Ivey pushed in, Moneymaker instantly called. He became disgusted once Ivey showed his hand, and then on the river an Ace came giving Moneymaker the bigger fullhouse

[Aequitas58]

That's it. Thanks for the refresher.

[Kurn]

To fill in the blanks, Jason Lester was the player with TT, I believe, and the flop was Q-Q-6, and on the turn, Chris again bet $70,000.

[Talking Poker]

I remember seeing this hand. I don't remember what Ivey's stack size was compared to Chris', but the call sounds perfectly reasonable to me. You have to think Ivey could make they play with a lot of hands worse than Chris'. Realistically, only 99, 66, anf Q9 beat him. He's ahead of everything else.

[Zybomb]

With Moneymakers chip stack and facing a player as aggressive as Ivey , I make this call 100% of the time

[JDMcNugent7]

I understand that there are certain times criticism is necessary, but do u realized how easy it is to criticize this amazinly players when we can see EVERYONES hole cards and they can't. Also, we see probably 2% of the hands and of course they show all the big suckouts- I hate when ppl critisize their play so much because then i feel if i would ever win the big tourny, I would just have to deal with tons of critisism soon after.