Dream table

I've been watching Poker After Dark this week. Some guy named Arnold Thimons on Full Tilt won the right to play a table full of the pros of his choice on the show.

It's easy in such circumstances to play armchair quarterback, and I think there were lots of choices I would have made differently in Thimons' shoes. But the heck with that. Instead, I'll chime in on who I would have chosen, had I been asked. Not that anyone cares, of course, but why not?

Most of these folks are instructors at one or more of the boot camps I've attended.

In no particular order:

Kenna James. He was the pro at my table of the SnG at the champion's camp. With 3 aces on the board, I bluffed him off his pocket kings by making what looked like a value bet on the river after checking the two-ace flop and the ace turn. It's still the most amazing lay-down I've ever seen from anyone involved in a hand with me.

Mike Sexton. While he was dealing a lab for us, I made 3 bluff bets at a board I had missed, hoping to impress him with my ability to "fire that third bullet." But in fact, my opponent in the pot had flopped a set and was "walking the dog," as they say. It'd be nice to be able to show him something better than he saw from me at the camp.

Clonie Gowen. Of all the things I learned at the boot camp, Clonie's SnG strategy has been the single most valuable thing. The opportunity to effectively play a 6 handed SnG with her would be outstanding.

Crispin Leyser. He's been at all the camps I've been at, and I've had a private session with him.

Gus Hansen. He's not a boot camp instructor, but if you're going to play tight at the table, then having a loose cannon (though Gus has tightened up his game a bit over the years as the field has gotten more aggressive) is a good thing.