This was in March 2004, when the poker boom caused by Chris Moneymaker was just beginning. I had signed up for the 1000$ no-limit hold-em tournament at the Reno Hilton casino, along with 250 other players, all of us eager for first place and the 80000$ prize there. I played pretty well and with a bit of luck I managed to make it to the final two tables. However, after moving to a new table, the game got a lot tougher as my table was David Pham.
I'd never come across David before, but I quickly understood how this two-time WSOP bracelet winner got the nickname "Dragon". Hiding behind his dark glasses and small beard, he took complete control of the table. The only word David seemed to know was "Raise". If someone dared to knock over the Dragon, he would simply return the knock and play his opponent after the flop. It was spectacular.
As David was sitting just to my right, his aggressive style was causing me a lot of damage. He made three consecutive rallies from the button and SB while I was in the blinds. I folded all times, patiently waiting for the cards to play. While I waited, I watched my chip stack dwindle, moving slightly to the right.
David continued to successfully increase his chip stack as the button travelled around the table. When I became BB again, everyone folded to David's SB and he raised without a moment's hesitation. I laughed and asked him: "do you always have a good hand?".
David said nothing.
I have decided that it is time to start defending my blinds. My plan was to beat him no matter what two cards I saw. I looked at David, who had almost twice as many chips as me. I looked at my cards. A-10 of one suit. Mathematical calculations about pot odds and things like that were going through my head when I looked at David again. I will not be pushed. I stopped counting, waited a few moments and pushed All-in.
For the first time, I saw David worried. He was thinking, and thinking, and thinking. He would have to risk half of his chips to answer. Finally, he folded.
But the defeat of one bank has not stopped the squeezing machine completely. The next round, he tried the same move again from SB. This time, I decided not to look at my cards and immediately pushed all-in. David folded again. Power!
Another orbit passed, and again everyone drifted down to David's SB. I prepared for another raise from David, but to my surprise he just stuck it in. What? That was very suspicious. A super aggressive player just stuck it in instead of a great opportunity to call.
I looked at my cards, A♦ - Q♥ , should I push all-in again?
No, I didn't trust his limp. I raised the stakes. He called again.
I have decided that no matter what happens, I will play very carefully. I will definitely not fall into his trap.
The flop was K♠ - 4♥- 3♣ . We both busted. The turn was the 9♦ . We both busted again. The river was the 3♠ . We both busted again.
David showed 2♦ - 2♥. He won. I laughed as I showed him my cards.
I have learned that the only way to fight aggression at the table is with more aggression. And more importantly, I've learned that the only way to beat David Pham at the table is to line up all-in against him. Yes, he's that good a player.
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