JOPKE JOKE JOPKE JOKE
Having heard about the great 2-7 game on UB forever but being unwilling to post any of my own money there, I finally borrowed someone else's account to give it a look. Wasn't long before hellmuth showed up and the game got even better. After about the fourth time he went broke he threatened to leave but the other players (not me) were begging him to rebuy. I was enjoying being anonymous and did not participate in any needling.

Here are a couple screenshots that capture the stimulating debate phil likes to engage in at the completion of a well-contested hand. I should point out that it's not like I sat around waiting for him to act like this. It's the first time I've ever played with him on UB and I in no way induced this behavior. This is just how he is.

As a bonus, here is one of the most entertaining 2-7 pots I've ever not played. I'm in the big blind but right after I post my $80 the connection begins flailing and I am disconnected. UltimateBet must have some "all-in protection" but it's not worth much in THIS game. In holdem if you end up all-in with any two cards preflop you have a fair chance of ending up the winner. In triple draw, what are the chances that your random five cards will be better than those of a guy who had three draws to improve!?

And it's not like I'm up against the other blind here. The hand I have to beat was raised under the gun in a full game, and it's held by the most skilled poker player the world has ever known. I reconnected before the hand was over but it wouldn't let me jump back in and draw.

No problem.

(Most identifiable elements in hand history changed, but phil is his inimitable self.)

Hand #XXX at 2-7 Table ($80/$160 Triple Draw 2-7)
Powered by UltimateBet
Started at 26/Apr/05

     player posts the small blind of $40.
     paulp posts the big blind of $80.

First Round:

     player has disconnected, is dropped.
     paulp has disconnected, is dropped.
          PhilHellmuth raises to $160.   player folds.
          player folds.   player folds.   player folds.
          paulp goes all-in (disconnected).   PhilHellmuth is
          returned $80 (uncalled).

          PhilHellmuth takes 1 card.

     player has reconnected.

Second Round:

        (no action in this round)

     paulp has reconnected.
          PhilHellmuth takes 1 card.

Third Round:

        (no action in this round)

          PhilHellmuth stands pat.

Final Round:

        (no action in this round)

Showdown:

     PhilHellmuth shows Jd 9h 8s 5h 2s.
     PhilHellmuth has J 9 8 5 2.
     paulp shows Jc 9s 7s 6d 4d.
     paulp has J 9 7 6 4.

     $1 is raked from a pot of $200.
     paulp wins $199 with J 9 7 6 4.

And that, folks, is why the books will tell you not to go for those rough J9's in 2-7 triple-draw. Some JOPKER will always pop up with a REAL hand: the pat semi-smooth J9.