A moment in time with Negreanu and Nakano

The following is a guest post from Pokerstars.comcardroom manager, Lee Jones, who as many of you know is also an accomplished writer and a damned nice guy.

People sometimes ask what it is about poker that fascinates me and a few zillion other folks. We had a moment early on Flight Two’s first day that defined it perfectly for me. I happened to wander by a table and noticed that Yosh Nakano and Daniel Negreanu were involved in a huge pot. Daniel needs no introduction, and Yosh needs none for those that have been around the game awhile. He’s been a professional poker player since anybody can remember. Anyway, when I showed up, the board was showing a flop of T-6-6, turn queen, river 7.


Yosh on left, Daniel on right

Yosh checked, and Daniel bet 3500. It was not an overbet of the pot, and when you have 25 and 50 chip blinds, such a pot is a monster. Yosh stopped, put a chip on his cards…

And time stopped.

Ten players, including Daniel and Yosh, froze. The dealer didn’t move. The 4-5 of us standing around the table (including tour photographer Jodi Shapiro and another media person) were silent, still. Of course, Yosh’s brain was a whirlwind of activity, thinking over the hundreds (thousands?) of hands that he’s played against Daniel at one time or another. What would it be worth to him to call and win? What would it cost to call and lose? And no doubt Daniel was thinking “Call call call!” or “Fold fold fold!”

The rest of us were merely observers in a moment of pure poker – the game distilled to its essence. The cricket-chirp of the chips in the room and buzz of conversation was gone from our world. Just those five cards in the center of the table, and the two each held by two extraordinarily good poker players.

Finally, after approximately forever (probably more like 45-60 seconds), Yosh quietly flicked his cards toward the dealer.

The time-space continuum resumed.

Players moved, stacked, restacked, and riffled their chips. The dealer pushed the pot to Daniel, moved the button, collected the cards, and began to shuffle. Conversation resumed. Observers flowed around the room.

But that moment was etched in a dozen or so memories. It is such moments for which poker players live.