The Master Classics of Poker at Holland Casino in Amster dam has been my favourite event on the poker circuit since I first visited Amsterdam about six years ago. It is the one tournament where you can’t be that disappointed to have been knocked out of an event, because plenty of laughs are to be found at the bar, and Amsterdam has many other attractions to entice the poker player at a loose end. Whatever I am doing in life, I guarantee that I will be at the Master Classics, unless I am 6 feet under.
Having said all that, there were some complaints about this year’s event. Holland Casino chose not to follow the now general conventions of giving a maximum of one chip to each player in a chip race and mucking a player’s hand if he is not in his seat when the last card is dealt. While the first is only a minor annoyance, the non-mucking of hands is a terrible mistake. After a break in the big event, a guy moved in his short stack from middle position, thinking he had only me and one other player to beat, as none of the other players had taken their seats. I passed, but the button dwelt up. After the blinds retook their seats, the button passed and the big blind found K-K and called. The raiser had only 9-8 and was busted out. But he had raised while thinking he had only two players to beat. Also, in rushing back to their seats, the blinds easily could have caught a glimpse of another player’s cards as they walked behind them.
Here is another problem with Amsterdam. At one stage, I reraised a player. A friend happened to be standing behind me. After my opponent passed, …