Loud and clear as a bell, Doyle calls 'Floor!' Doyle Brunson, 10-time WSOP bracelet winner and widely regarded as the best poker player in modern history has just lost a huge pot. He's left short-stacked with less than 3000 chips deep into level 3, with 50/100 blinds. A player bet, another raised all-in, Brunson went all-in, and the original raiser folded. Brunson had the original raiser covered, so he should have received a large portion of his chips back. Unfortunately, the last dealer miscalculated and shorted Brunson on his chips.
Doyle begins to explain the situation to the floorman. Despite his age, Doyle's mind is sharp; he recites numbers and bets like a calculator, with uncanny accuracy on each street. It takes his table-mates significantly longer to recollect, but they all eventually agree with Brunson's numbers. The floorperson explains, "Doyle, we already started the next deal, there's nothing we can do about it."
Doyle is upset, but he's not going to argue the decision. "Well, I don't agree with it," he says in his Texas drawl, "But what can I do?" He shakes his head, a frown on his face as he has yet another obstacle to overcome if he has a chance of getting back into the tournament. The mood of the table grows dark, as everyone in the room seems to side with Doyle on the issue.
The player who took Brunson's chips feels terrible; the scowls of every audience member on the rail are focused on his stack and the chips that don't belong. He begins to apologize to Doyle.
Suddenly, Doyle's mood lightens and the trademark smile pops back up. "Doesn't matter, son, don't worry about it. You made a good call. Besides, it's not your fault." The player breathes a relieved sigh, and refocuses on the table.
Doyle battles the short stack and lasts past the dinner break into level four before finally bowing out. He receives not one but two standing ovations upon exiting.
In a stark contrast, earlier in the day, Phil Hellmuth was eliminated from the ESPN feature table. After giving much of his trademark 'Hellmuthisms', including his favorite, "I can't believe I'm folding this hand," he is out on the same hand as last year, when his A-Q fails to improve against pocket 7's. The announcement comes that Phil Hellmuth has just been eliminated over the loudspeaker and the crowd roars its approval, with thunderous applause and laughter following.
In bracelet counts, they may be tied at 10, but in the eye of the poker community, it is clear that Doyle still has the edge, 2-1.
Ed note: Doyle plays at Doyle's Room
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