Baldwin’s Champion Bluff
I admire seeing heart throbbing poker games between the best players around the world. I have witnessed many games live at the WSOP, as I also played some good hands there. It’s a fun experience to watch the games in which bluff played a bigger role. Often played feel to this trap made by the opponent and take a wrong decision. It creates an illusion in the eyes of the opponent who fail to guess the pack of card in the hand’s of the bluffer and make a clanger.
Baldwin played such a magical hand in the World Series of Poker in 1978. Addington was the favourite in the world tournament and possessed $275,000 chips in hand. Baldwin was a tuff contender with $145,000 worth chips. Baldwin called a bet of $30,000, which apparently made the start of the bluff. Addington, on the other hand, called for a bigger hand to raise the pot value and showing his card strength. The turn ended in an ace of diamonds, creating the possibility of an obvious flush. Baldwin added an amount of $95,000 to the point, which was a huge bet. Addington was in dilemma as he could not decide on what to play. He was feeling afraid of loosing the bet and loose his place in the tournament. He thought of folding as that would keep in his hand enough chips to continue at the WSOP and took a hasty decision to fold.
Baldwin revealed his card a there were just a combination of 10 and 9. He had cleverly bluffed the game and won a pot value of $92,000.
Allen Cunningham
I was amused to read that this American poker player dropped out of school to turn professional at poker. He has been given the nickname of “Clever Piggy” and was voted the best all around player under 35 by fellow players. He has a remarkable five WSOP titles to his name and 41 money finishes. He has none WPT titles and two final tables and 12 money finishes.
His first WSOP title came at the 2001 $5,000 Seven-card stud game and followed it up with a $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw in 2002. In 2005 he won the $1,500 No Limit Hold’em and followed it up the next year with the $1,000 No Limit Hold’em/w Rebuys win. His latest WSOP win came at the $5,000 Pot Limit Hold’em in 2007. He has joined the elite club of people who have won three tournaments back to back. His live earnings cross $10 Million in poker earnings. This makes him seventh in the all time winnings. More than half his earnings come from his WSOP cashes.
He loves to play tournaments but can also be found playing high-stakes cash games including Pot-Limit Omaha and HORSE. He is one of the youngest members of Full Tilt team and plays exclusively for their poker rooms. Allen resides in Las Vegas with his girlfriend.
