BIG, BIG Game in Vegas Right Now...

[Crosby87]

Texas billionaire Andy Beal is currently playing "the Corporation" in heads up Limit Hold'em at ultra high stakes right now at the Wynn in Las Vegas. Blinds are at $100,000-200,000.

"The Corporation" is a collection of poker professionals who pooled their money together to gain a big enough bankroll to play Beal a couple of years ago - the likes of Phil Ivey, Jennifer Harman, Ted Forrest, Gus Hansen, Doyle and Todd Brunson, Minh Ly, Johnny Chan and Chau Giang, just to name a few.

Beal is a billionare businessman who joined the "big game" in Vegas years back (where the blinds are a measly 2k-4k or 4k-8k) and wanted to play higher stakes. Apparently, He entered the big game a novice and was regularly beaten, but studied the game intensely to become a very good player in a mere six months.

Daniel Negreanu announced that Beal would be back in Vegas to play the pros a few days back, and a thread in his forums is detailing the match at the Wynn. Not to sure exactly who has pooled their money together, but I know David Grey, Jen Harman and Ted Forrest have all had turns playing Beal thus far, with pots exceeding $1 Million regularly.


Just thought I'd post to give an insight into the big cash games the real pros play, as most people only know the TV poker side of things. I'll try and post more on the game as I find updates.

 

[Daytripper]

Texas billionaire Andy Beal is currently playing "the Corporation" in heads up Limit Hold'em at ultra high stakes right now at the Wynn in Las Vegas. Blinds are at $100,000-200,000.

"The Corporation" is a collection of poker professionals who pooled their money together to gain a big enough bankroll to play Beal a couple of years ago - the likes of Phil Ivey, Jennifer Harman, Ted Forrest, Gus Hansen, Doyle and Todd Brunson, Minh Ly, Johnny Chan and Chau Giang, just to name a few.

Beal is a billionare businessman who joined the "big game" in Vegas years back (where the blinds are a measly 2k-4k or 4k-8k) and wanted to play higher stakes. Apparently, He entered the big game a novice and was regularly beaten, but studied the game intensely to become a very good player in a mere six months.

Daniel Negreanu announced that Beal would be back in Vegas to play the pros a few days back, and a thread in his forums is detailing the match at the Wynn. Not to sure exactly who has pooled their money together, but I know David Grey, Jen Harman and Ted Forrest have all had turns playing Beal thus far, with pots exceeding $1 Million regularly.


Just thought I'd post to give an insight into the big cash games the real pros play, as most people only know the TV poker side of things. I'll try and post more on the game as I find updates.

I heard Beal got about 1 million up early on but Ted Forrest has won about 3-4 million back.

 

[Former]

"The Corporation" - pfft.

Americans and their bloody faux-important titles.

What's the bet Phil Helmuth names his son Philip and he calls himself Philip Helmuth III. It's all a lame attempt at setting up an aristocracy

 

[DoubleA]

Also heard about this, its like a story that was on Tilt, any billionaire that comes into town they want to take on the best at gambling, seems that this guy wasnt content with continually losing, the odd choice of limit hold'em as well.

Well if you're a billionaire, why the hell not? $1m pots I'm sure is nothing for him. Daniel Neg. actually said he would never joint "the corporation" as he doesnt trust others with his money, and I 100% agree, if I want to beat some billionaire I'd do it by myself.

 

[Crosby87]

if I want to beat some billionaire I'd do it by myself.

I'm sure most of the pros would, but the problem is, none of them have the bankroll to play him individually at the limits he wants to play, which is 100,000-200,000.

 

[Daytripper]

Update

comment from someone in the poker room on day one...


"I just got home from playing at the Wynn all day. I was in a great 5/10 Pot Limit Dealer's choice game on table 5.

The Beal/Brunson game was on Table 2. so I was kitty corner to the game. They were using 25,000 dollar chips. Each rack is worth 2.5 million and each stack is worth 500,000.

This is NOT a private game. the Nevada Gaming Commission does not allow private games. ANYONE can sit down as long as they have the minimum buy in.

Oh the minimum buy in for this 25,000/50,000 blind Limit HOld em game is 10 MILLION.

I personally saw Beal with over 12.5 million in front of him. Todd Brunson is the first to play Beal. They started around 1pm to 2pm. Others that I saw hanging around was Jennifer and Marco Traniello, Johnny Chan, Ted Forrest, Ming Ly and of course the author Michael Craig.

I'm not sure what other questions some of you had but I've been up for over 24 hours an dplayed in that mixed game for 18 hours straight.

The rumor is is that they will be playing for the next 5 days. They do not play in a private room but it is roped off and their is security. but pretty much anyone can see froma distance. You won't be seeing their cards specifically just the tons of freakin money passing back and forth.

 

[Daytripper]

And more........

"okay...in the room. Tired, and worn down. Like i last said. Ted Forrest did play the entire session today, and the corporation is no longer stuck...they are anywhere from 2.2 to 2.3 million in the plus range. That said, Ted Forrest had one hell of a session. If my math is correct Ted about a 4 million dollar session. PLay will continue tomorrow, however i have no details. Ill get there probably around the same time i did today. I am curious as to who will be playing...

To answer some of Band Aid's questions...David Grey played yesterday, because Ted wasnt bck from dinner to my knowledge. There is no recording of the macth. No one is certain of any details regarding players, and members of the group. I think we will see a fresh face tomorrow. Just not sure who. Very few rail birds today pro wise...I only saw Ming Li, Jennifer, and David Oppenheim.

I read most of the discussion regarding who people are rooting for and such....I am pretty impartial. Andy Beal, seems like a gentleman to the tenth degree. You have to admire the fact that this man is willing to take on the poker superstars of the world. He has played every hand of every session, and that must be tough. As for the pro's, you have to respect them as well. They are putting a substantial amount of money at stake to play in this game. We should just be thankful that both sides agreed to play...and that in itself is positive for poker.

I understand why there are some who are unhappy with our coverage. However, If i wasn't providing updates for you all I would still be there all day, because I think this game is historical. I love the game of poker, and i have the utmost respect for the game and players. I admire each and everyone who is involved in the game. I am posting updates, because I know there are thousands of people who love poker as much as I do, and they too if they had the chance would drop everything and camp out at the Wynn in hopes of hearing a tidbit or 2 of information...."

 

[Crosby87]

Andy Beal, seems like a gentleman to the tenth degree

Really? I read a letter on Cardplayer he wrote to the pros in 2004 that was forwarded to Barry Shulman "calling them out", and I got the impression that he was, well, an a$$hole.

 

[Daytripper]

Really? I read a letter on Cardplayer he wrote to the pros in 2004 that was forwarded to Barry Shulman "calling them out", and I got the impression that he was, well, an a$$hole.

I have no idea personally.
Just posting up a report of the game from someone else.

 

[Crosby87]

From cardplayer.com :

Despite what might be rumored, this is not a tournament or a public match. This is a private game. It’s being conducted in a public forum because it would be illegal to operate a high stakes, heads-up, freeze out poker match anywhere other than a lawful and safe environment. The same respect is given to gamers at much lower limits.

Without exception, high limit baccarat, poker and black jack can all be played in private rooms with the highest security at any major hotel casino in Las Vegas or across the country. Most casinos have guarded, private rooms for high limit table games, called “salons.”

If someone dropped $10 million dollars on the table between Beal and a Corporation member and demanded they be allowed to play, they couldn’t. It’s the same principle as online poker rooms. Heads up matches only allow two players and there are only two chairs offered. It’s heads up.

So someone with $10 Million CAN'T buy into the game as it's a heads-up game.

 

[DoubleA]

What happened with this game?

 

[Crosby87]

Andy Beal quit sometime around the superbowl. At one point he was up, but he finished playing Ted Forrest with Ted up $3 Million for the corporation. Beal then returned to Texas, where he lives, and vowed never to play poker again.

However, five days later he returned to Vegas for more. Apparently Beal wanted to play the corporation down in Texas, but nobody in the corporation agreed, so Beal flew back to Vegas.

Last I read, the corporation was down as low as $5 Million, but finished down $2 Million. Thus, overall, they're up $1 Million.

 

[DoubleA]

Thanks for the update, very interesting.

 

[dougthelegend]

Just found this:

Andy Beal Versus the Corporation - Big Bet Poker in the New World
February 18, 2006
John CaldwellPrint
Email to a friend
Post a comment Poker was on people's minds at the Main Event of the LA Poker Classic, but one topic was on everyone's lips - Andy Beal versus 'the Corporation.'

A week of wild speculation, false retirements, and BIG bets concluded at Wynn Las Vegas this past weekend, with Andy Beal reportedly taking the Corporation down in their second heads up match in as many weeks.

Players in the Commerce Casino ballroom were talking about how Beal, who reportedly left the first match down about three million dollars, came back to win the Corporations stake of $10 million dollars.

The Corporation, according to our sources, is an ever-evolving collection of about 15 people who pooled their money, and put the pros into the heads up match with Beal, the famed Texas banker. The three players who did most of the playing
against Beal were Jennifer Harman, Ted Forrest, and Todd Brunson.

Beal is a fascinating tale. His life story evokes visions of a modern day Howard Hughes - with the notable exception that Beal is self-made. Beal has owned a company that designed rocket boosters, and built a billion dollar banking empire by buying loans no one else would touch in the S&L crisis of the late 1980's. In addition, Beal is a very sophisticated mathematician who has published 'The Beal Conjecture', a revision of Fermat's Last Theorem, a mathematical theory whose conclusion was apparently largely accepted for about 350 years....until Beal published his work in 1993.

Beal reportedly set most of the conditions for these matches, and apparently his selectivity paid off.

The second match capped about ten days of frenzied chatter, where the poker world was fascinated with the mystery, and intrigue of these people playing for some of the highest stakes ever recorded. Much of the information released by media outlets was gathered second hand, by talking to people involved in the game on breaks in hallways. After being fairly free with information for the first day or so of the first "session", the people involved in the game made a concerted effort to tighten up the flow of information about what was actually happening at the table. Information became unreliable, and for a time there were rumors of the people near those involved in the game purposefully circulating misinformation about what was happening at table two of the Wynn card room. After all, this was a private game.

There is no question that this match fascinated the poker world. Equally, there is no question that it was a private game. To be fair, if the people involved truly wanted this to be a private game, they could have played in a private home, or hotel suite. But, the decision was made to play this in a card room, albeit in the private section of the card room.

At the end of the day, the vast majority of speculation suggests the following. Beal did win the Corporation's stake of $10 million from them this past weekend in Las Vegas. Those numbers do not take into account the first set of matches, which reportedly ended with the Corp up about $3 to $3.5 million. The point is, that the only people who know the exact numbers are the ones involved in the match.

Things like this Beal/Corporation match are good for poker, and while the people involved in this match certainly have a right to hold a private game, poker is a very public affair these days. Anyone attempting something that holds this much appeal should be prepared for the accompanying interest of the poker world.

NOTE - Linda Geenan, who has her blog 'Table Tango' on our sister site, Poker Works has some interesting thoughts on Beal, given her history with him, and her being one of the more accomplished dealers in Vegas. We recommend you check it out.

 

[Crosby87]

Yeah, the corporation lost it's $10 million bankroll. It's easy for this to happen in Limit Hold'em, however, which is probably why Beal didn't want to play No Limit Hold'em, or any other game.

I doubt he'd have much of a chance to bust them if they played HORSE, for example.

 

[Supa Stylin Stevie]

What's the bet Phil Helmuth names his son Philip and he calls himself Philip Helmuth III. It's all a lame attempt at setting up an aristocracy

Phil's son is named Phil Hellmuth III

 

[Crosby87]

Phil's son is named Phil Hellmuth III

I bet he's home schooled. Because otherwise he'd likely get the ******** kicked out him like his father did.

 

[Crosby87]

An update:

Phil Ivey is currently playing Beal in Vegas, as part of the corporation, and has been doing so for the past couple of days. The first day, Ivey come out a $2 Million winner, and was up over $4 Million on day two. It looks like Phil is really outplaying Andy, and is playing super aggressive. They are playing lower stakes than Beal had played earlier against the corporation, which some have suggested is because it allows Ivey to play more aggressive - however, apparently Phil has said he wants to talk to the group about playing at higher stakes, and has even said that if he had the money he would play Beal himself much higher.

 

[dougthelegend]

An update:

Phil Ivey is currently playing Beal in Vegas, as part of the corporation, and has been doing so for the past couple of days. The first day, Ivey come out a $2 Million winner, and was up over $4 Million on day two. It looks like Phil is really outplaying Andy, and is playing super aggressive. They are playing lower stakes than Beal had played earlier against the corporation, which some have suggested is because it allows Ivey to play more aggressive - however, apparently Phil has said he wants to talk to the group about playing at higher stakes, and has even said that if he had the money he would play Beal himself much higher.

Ivey seems to be the guy to take Beal on. Apparantly Beal has trouble dealing with super aggressive players - makes sense to put Ivey in there, he's naturally very aggressive - cost him big time at the Aussie Millions.

 

[Borgsta]

Ivey seems to be the guy to take Beal on. Apparantly Beal has trouble dealing with super aggressive players - makes sense to put Ivey in there, he's naturally very aggressive - cost him big time at the Aussie Millions.

In both the Aussie millions and the pot limit tables.

 

[Crosby87]

Big update:

Phil Ivey took Beal for $10 Million - yes, $10 Million - the third day they've played, and Beal has said he is absolutely done with poker. Phil convinced the pros to up the stakes - and boy did it pay off. Phil played ultra, ultra aggressive (raising and re-raising every hand) to the point where Beal became reckless and started losing big pots. From reports, Ivey didn't seem to be rattled at all at any point during the match.

The following is from an online report from author Michael Craig, who has been detailing the action:

I consider myself lucky to know Andy Beal and to have gotten to see all this from this vantage point. I saw a lot of remarkable play by the pros, but I have to admit that sitting across a table from Phil Ivey for three days was MIND BLOWING. I don't think anyone has ever tried to show that or describe that. Maybe I'll give it a shot.