Money Doesn't Buy Class - Poker

Many people say that it is a good thing that they love poker, because if they didn't love it, they would hate it.  

Those of us who love it understand and just of us all that play the game have played at a table with a poker God.  I once sat a table with Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler at Caesar's in Las Vegas.  I know that isn't poker royalty but still a story I like to tell.  As far as poker royalty goes, well, I know the Dude Sonny D.  And, every time I play poker, I sit at a table filled with self-called poker Gods.  Many of them, God's gift to poker.  

But, there are several celebrities in money.   Canadians Daniel Negreaunu and Mike McDonald come to mind.  Of course, the legendary Doyle Brunson.  Sadly, some of the great poker players also seem to be involved in legal battles unrelated to poker.  It gives points to my family members who don't like me playing poker.  It makes it seem like poker is shady and if you play long enough, you become shady.  It kind of spoils Molly's game.  I used to think that veteran poker players had some onus to act responsibly and help grow the game.  Maybe I still think that.  

One of the "stars" of the poker world is Phil Hellmuth.  Now, he doesn't have any onus to help grow the game, as he already has.  Young men and women all over the world desire to be him.  He has over $12 M in live earnings and was the first player to crack the $10 M threshold.  Plus, he is the self-professed "bad boy" of poker.  However, you would think with all that money, you would have picked up a little class.  

Not so.  The Main Event of the WSOP is happening now.  Day 2 television showed a hand between him and an amateur.  It was heads up pre-flop.  Phil had 3/5 suited.  The amateur had K/9 off.  The flop came down 10, 9, and 6.  Phil bet and the amateur called.  7/8 was certainly within Phil's range but the amateur likely assumed that his 9 was good.  The turn was a 6.  Both checked.  The river was a 7.  An 8 would make the straight, J/8 would make the nut straight plus there was a full house out there.  Phil forced the amateur all in.  The guy snap-called so obviously his read was that it was a bluff and his 9 was good.  And, it was.  Hellmuth lost about 70% of his stack.  

Here is what a classy person would have done.  They might have said an expletive and then they would have congratulated the guy and say, "nice hand."  

Here is what Phil did.  He had a temper tantrum complaining that this was a stupid call by an amateur, why were they even allowed into this game, this was making a joke of the main event.  He went on and on not addressing the guy directly.  Dehumanizing him essentially.  Talking about him but not too him.  It was making the other players uncomfortable and one urged him to move on.  Phil did not take that well either.  The telecast should not have continued to cover it, but, we all like drama.  And, watching a spoiled middle aged man having a melt-down is entertaining.  

Just not very classy.  But, it happens.  And, not only at WSOP Main Event.  It happens every day all over the world.  The people who are regulars at their particular game use that status to demean other players when things don't go their way.  They get away with it because no one holds them accountable.  

And, doing some soul searching, I realize I do it, too.  There is a $10 poker game in my City.  I think I am better than many of the players and I have not displayed class when I have tried to bluff and have gotten caught.  

I'm going to do better.  I will display the class and grace that I was raised with.