Mike Sexton Shares Quotes from Poker Legends

I grew up in Dayton, Ohio and one of my best friends was Danny Robison (who was two years older than I was). He was a great high school athlete and the guy who taught me how to play poker at the age of 13. We really were good kids growing up. We never smoked or drank, but because of Danny’s influence, the kids in the neighborhood gambled. I’m not saying it’s a good thing, but we bet on everything – cards, golf, bowling, ping-pong, whiffle ball, board games, you name it.

Danny and the late, great, Chip Reese took a trip to Las Vegas in the early 1970s and quickly became rock stars in the poker world. I stayed at their house (the ultimate bachelor pad) when I would go to Las Vegas and although I didn’t play in the high-stakes games they did, I hung around them, so I got to know all the poker icons like Puggy Pearson, Stu Ungar, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Moss, Sarge Ferris, Jack Strauss, and Billy Baxter. These guys are all members of the Poker Hall of Fame and are true legends in the poker industry.

I have great memories of the “old days.” Here are some quotes from these poker legends while I was in their company:

Chip Reese (considered by most, including me, to be the best all-around player that ever lived): “Sexton, there are two days in poker that you will never forget. One is the first time you’ll lose $100,000 in a night and the other is the first time you’ll lose $1,000,000 in a night.”

Doyle Brunson: In the mid-1980s, Doyle was being interviewed by Poker Player (They were doing an article attempting to rank the best poker players in each game). I was standing next to him when he was asked, “Doyle, who do you think are the best poker players in each of the different games?” Doyle said, “You judge a hunter by the number of furs he brings home. Make no mistake about it – the best players are the ones who play in the highest-stakes games and are successful over time.”

Puggy Pearson: Years ago, I was “between bankrolls” (which is a quote by Frank Henderson when someone once asked him how he was doing). I owed a bookmaker some money and didn’t have it. I went over to Puggy’s house to borrow some money so I could pay the guy. After telling Puggy my story, he looked at me and said, “Son, let me give you some good advice. Don’t ever spend your time worrying about money you owe someone. Let them worry about it.”

Jack “Treetop” Strauss: Jack was an amazing guy who loved action and high risk. He once said, “I’d rather live one day as a lion than my whole life as a lamb.” Years ago during the World Series of Poker, Jack and I were going up to the Steakhouse at Binion’s when a guy came running up to us and said, “Jack, I’m in the best $3-$6 game in the world. They’re all playing like maniacs. I’ve been so unlucky in the game you can’t believe it, but for sure, I’m going to beat the game. Have you got some money I could borrow so I can get back in the game?” Jack reached in his pocket and pulled out two green chips ($25 chips). He flipped them to the guy and said, “Good luck!” We get in the elevator and I asked Jack who the guy was. He said, “I don’t know. If I knew him, I’d have given him a hundred.”

Stu Ungar: Stuey had the quickest mind and the most gamble of anyone I’ve ever known. And in my mind, without question, he was the greatest big buy-in No Limit Hold’em player of all time (He played in about 35 big buy-in No Limit tournaments in his lifetime and he won 10 of them!). In 1990, I bumped into Stuey as I was walking from the Golden Nugget to the Horseshoe to play in the 8 or Better Stud tournament at the WSOP (I won this event the previous year). As we walked out the door to cross the street, he said to me, “Sexton, never forget this. Anyone can win a poker tournament. Defending, that’s where it’s at.”

Well, I can’t tell you the goose bumps I got when he said that to me. It jacked me up so much that I couldn’t wait to start the tournament. I won the 8 or Better Stud event a year ago and now, after hearing that, I really wanted to defend my title. And I almost did it!

I made it to the final table and things were going well. With five players left, I played a three-way jammed pot. On fifth street, I had two Aces and a seven-low draw. One opponent had Kings up and the other (Stormin’ Norman from Augusta, Georgia) had two eights with a gutshot straight draw. I was all-in on sixth street. I caught a deuce (to make Aces up) on sixth street and a Queen down the river. Norman caught a six to make an eight-high straight and scooped the pot. It was heartbreak for me. I busted out in fifth place and Norman went on to win the bracelet.

In the history of the WSOP, I believe only five people have successfully defended their titles (and none have done it in an open event that wasn’t the Championship event): Johnny Moss, Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar, and Johnny Chan did it in the Main Event and Susie Isaacs did it in the Ladies’ Event. Because of Stuey’s inspiration and quote while we were crossing the street that day, I almost defended my title.

Do you recognize this quote? “May all your cards be live and your pots be monsters!”

Take care.