Quad Fours for T.J.

While searching my mind for a hand for this column, I gave up and called poker legend T.J. Cloutier. T.J. and I have been playing no-limit hold'em tournaments together since 1988. During that time, we have played many memorable hands together. I remember the ones I won, and he remembers the ones he won. I guess this is called having a selective memory!

In any case, we have played at countless no-limit hold'em final tables together over the last 17 years – and both of us consider no-limit hold'em to be our best game. The hand that T.J. remembered follows:

T.J. Cloutier

We were playing together at The Bicycle Casino in 1995 in the main event, which is now known as the World Poker Tour's Legends of Poker championship event ($5,000 buy-in). By the way, I won the main event there in 1988, and T.J. won it three years in a row, 1990-1992.

When T.J. related this hand to me, I suddenly remembered everything about it. T.J. raised with 4-4, and I called with A-7. After a flop of 10-8-4, he bet out and I called. The turn was another 4, and T.J. bet out again with his four of a kind. I called. On the end, a 3 came, and T.J. bet again. This time, he sensed my weakness and made a smaller bet to make it easier for me to call.

I remember telling myself, "This smaller bet disturbs me, as T.J. usually bets big when he is bluffing. However, my read tells me that he's weak, so I'll go with that read and call him down; even if I'm wrong, I'll show the table that I'm willing to call them down with merely ace high." Finally, I called, saying (according to T.J., and I believe him), "T.J., I know you have nothing this hand; I call."

T.J. then said, "I have the nuts, four fours." After wiping the egg off my face, I managed to squeak out, "Nice hand." There was no reason for me to be mad at anyone but myself for making a bad read. There was no reason to throw a tantrum – not that there ever is! I do remember that it really riled me up on the inside, and I told myself, "Go ahead and win this thing, and show them who you are!"

Alas, my memory also tells me that I didn't last too long that day. Thanks for bringing up this hand, T.J.!

Chat or play poker with Phil at UltimateBet.com. To learn more about him, or his books and DVDs, go to PhilHellmuth.com; for Phil's cellphone game, check out HellmuthHoldem.com.