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 Many of my profiles are on players
that I respect as a player, a person, or both. I think I learn from each and every player I come across. Sometimes, I learn from a player that
I don't particularly care for at all. This is the case with Raymond Davis.
I remember seeing Raymond the first time I ever stepped foot in a tournament room. I remember him specifically because it used to drive me crazy
that his hat was always on crooked. I used to think, "Hasn't he ever noticed that his hat is on wrong" or "I have got to go up there
and straighten out that damn hat". I realized that it was supposed to be a style. It is funny how small things stick in your head, but that is
why I remember him. After I noticed his crooked hat, I noticed that he was making it to the final table or close to the final table each time I did.
I was never at his table and I never wanted to be.
I figured that we could each do our battle separately and hopefully if I ever sat with him at a table, it would be a final one. That time never
came. At the Legends of Poker in 2003, I sat with him for the first time in a Omaha High Low satellite. I thought this would be the time for me to
scope out the competition. I found his Omaha play a little above average, his tournament play better than average, and his personality WAY WAY below
average. He began commenting on my play. I returned fire back at him. By the time we were three handed, we had a crowd behind us looking at our table.
I must mention that the players from the other tables would whisper in my ear and make comments about how out of line he was or how they knew I was
capable of beating him and that would be the final say in the matter. I told Raymond the first lesson that I learned was to be a gracious loser.
Of course, no player enjoys getting knocked out of a tournament, but the players that leave the table with grace also tend to get the most respect.
He told me that he never learned that lesson because he hates to lose. I could tell.
I learned a few good lessons that day. The first would be to never fear a player based on results. We all have weaknesses at the table and each one
can be exploited in their own way. I managed to do this with Raymond when I beat him in that satellite. I also learned that as much as I enjoy poker
and the tournament players, there are days that I am going to run across people that I can not tolerate. Lastly, my Omaha coach,
Steve Badger was correct when he said that I must exit a tournament
graciously. There is nothing worse than a sore loser.
There is one other lesson that I learned from Raymond Davis. It was not on the day we played the satellite, but rather something that I've observed
over time. He will never be a successful poker player for one major reason: he has poor
money management. He has had great success on the tournament
circuit due to his aggressive style, but plays above his means in live action. For example, I saw him win a tournament and then a week later, he was
asking a friend of mine to back him in a tournament. This was before our satellite experience, so I said to him: "You just won last week."
He said that he had lost it playing the 100/200 limit. I was amazed that a player that won $23,000 dollars could lose the same amount in one week.
I walked away from that conversation with one of the most valuable lessons of all... Respect my
bankroll.
Raymond had great success back in 2003 with an impressive sixteen final tables. He has continued to do well and has had some notable finishes including
a first place finish at the 2004 Legends of Poker in the $1,000 No Limit Event. He has had some success in World Poker Tour events, including finishing in
tenth place in the 2007 WPT Championship event at the Bellagio and in December of the same year, he bubbled the WPT final table at the Doyle Brunson Classic.
If he would stick to what he does best (tournament play) and play within his means, he would greatly improve as a player. In that amazing 2003 year,
Raymond had seven first place victories including Seven Card Stud High Low, Omaha HiLo and Limit Holdem at the Hustler Open, No Limit Holdem at the
Winning of the Green at the Bicycle Casino, Seven Card Stud High Low at the Mini Series of Poker, Limit Holdem at Sport of Kings and No Limit Holdem
at the Holiday Bonus Tournament at Commerce Casino. |
