2007 World Series: When You Don't Want to Go Home with Richard Fong

by Craig Cunningham

PokerStars qualifier Richard Fong started the day with 79k in chips, comfortable for the start of Day 2A. Down to 47k after one faulty hand, he suddenly was faced with a decision for all his chips.

"I made a bad play against the 7s," he said. "I was in the big blind, and he was in the small blind. I had a flush draw on the turn, and I came over the top of his bet. He called me with a straight, and that got me down a good bit."

Richard has to stay calm and make many quick decisions each night managing one of the top steakhouses in Toronto. The blinds were at 600/1200 with a 200 ante at the nine-handed table, and there was no need to panic. Yet many shorter stacks were digressing into shovebot poker, feeling the need to move all-in at any time. Richard was confronted by the same thing, and his opponent had him covered."

"I picked up A-Q and the flop came A-7-3, and it went check/check. I was slowplaying it. Some other card came on the turn, I'm not sure, but I bet it and he called. A 9d came on the river, and I bet again. He pushed all-in, and it took awhile for me to figure out what to do. I finally called." It was a very tough decision, suddenly with a hand that looks pretty bad with a pair of aces and the second best kicker. The opponent showed A-10, and Richard excitedly pulled in the chips.



We've all experienced these decisions that go both ways, but it can be difficult to keep the emotion at the WSOP Main Event under wraps. He won another pot and was stacking the new chips quickly, still excited by his good read and good run. "I don't know how many chips I have," he said. A quick count gets him up to 130k or so. Players are at a break now, and Richard can catch a good breather before heading back to the table flush with chips.