I just checked Pokerpages for the latest about the WPT Tunica main event and was shocked to see that Danial Negreanu is again on the final table with the second-most chips. This is scary. My thoughts are going to a scene in Rounders where Mike McDermott explains poker in the street to his girlfriend Jo. It go's something like this:

"Why do you think every year are sitting the same guys at the final table of the world series of poker? What are they? The luckiest guys in the world?"

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I got some emails about David "Davood" Mehrmand. One guy was actual defending him (without knowing him) and one of the commentators here also wrote "[he is] men not mouse" and that I will actually find respect for him and his game. I believe I always stated here that his game must be very good and that he must be doing something very right. While I personally find it hard to believe that somebody could be personally so off and play so well on the other side he seems to manage that. He is on a pretty nice run also. I witnessed three hands personally that demonstrate my point: 1) he called a big raise all-in from the button with AKo, button had TT and A turned. Everything ok. He called an all-in raise from the SB with JJ against AKs and no A or K came. Everything ok. He called a very big all-in raise before the flop with 55 against TT flopping a 5. While I am perfectly ok with all his plays he is winning more than his fair share of coin-flips. I heard about this from other players also. I guess you need a run like this to actually get far in tournaments (old saying: you have to win with AK and against AK to make money in tournaments). About his behavior: there is none. He is just acting bad and crazy. Not with some charme like Scotty Nyguen or Amir Vahedi, more like Tony G. if you saw this WPT Paris final table (season 1?). While I do not have to defend my opinion coz I build it from first-hand experience in many years (I know him for several years now) I think one could better follow my thoughts when actually reading from other (more respected) writers about his behavior. Read what Joe from the Hendon Mob wrote:

I also saw Thomas make a ruling that I have never seen outside of the States before. Davood Mehrmand, who is currently top of the European rankings, was being his usual annoying self and managing to upset just about every poker player in the room. I’m not sure exactly what he was saying (my German’s not too good) but certain expletives sound the same in many languages. Thomas was calm and gave Davood several warnings before he finally gave him a 10 minute penalty. A penalty in a poker tournament means that you are dealt in, your blinds are posted and your cards are passed. Davood was low stacked and only half a dozen places before the money. He went mad (well I think he was already). The ten minute penalty became twenty minutes and eventually Scouse doorman Jimmy, a great bloke by the way, was called upstairs and Davood was removed from the room to a lot of cheering from the locals. It wasn’t fair that one player could shout and swear so much as twenty something players played their hearts out trying to make a TV final table. Eventually Davood was all in on the big blind and there were a few groans as his K,J doubled him up even though he wasn’t even in the room. He was out soon after his return though and Thomas should be applauded for the way he handled the situation.

If you are ever curious about whom the greatest player in the world is, ask Davood Mehrmand. He'll be happy to tell you for as long as you'll listen. As Gavin Griffin is forced to leave in 7th, Davood is gracious enough to tell Gavin that only a great player like himself could make the K J of Spades flop and river a King. While Griffin's lowly A J offsuit had no chance. This guy is bizarre. He's coming to a town near you. Watching Davood is worth the price of admission. It's an understatement to say Mehrmand is confident. Four hands later the trash collector, as Tony Cousineau lists his occupation in his bio, collects an untrash-like $34,225 for 6th. Tony C. was all-in for his trash-like stack of 12k with A 7 offsuit. Mehrmand gave Tony protection by raising with the 10 7 of Hearts. Everyone who wanted to knuckle the dangerous Cousineau had to fold. Heads up against Davood, Tony was dominant preflop, but a 10 windowed to end Tony's day. No one said poker is fair. Five hands later Bob Hume did everything right and was punished for it, of course. Only a great player can take pocket 5's against pocket 10's and win. Ask Davood Mehrmand. Like a few days ago, presto beat double presto to make Bob Hume disappear in 5th. Four handed the beginning chip leader, Tony Seunsom maintained a slight chip lead over Davood Mehrmand. But the Houston native was going to take two bad beats in a row to finish 4th. You have fairness issues, we have fragrant tissues? [...] At one point after the money deal, John Hoang had so few chips they were difficult to see let alone count. He went all-in for 9,500. Davood Mehrmand had over 550,000 and called. What's that? Over 50 times the chips of John Hoang? Since there was no money involved, only the bracelet and the seat, you may not be surprising that John Hoang won this event. Well, it surprised the life out of me. With a giant chip lead on the two other players, the greatest player in the world finished 3rd. Unbelievable.

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Congratulations to my compatriot Eduard Scharf. His great success was getting to me only slowly. He came to Tunica, played 3 events and ended 3 times in the money with a fantastic final table at his last appearance. He must have won over 200k in these 3 events (great money deal for him at that final table). For those of you that don't know him: he has 2 WSOP-bracelets and was in the last 18 players in the main event 2004! Eddy, do you give any lessons?

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Me? I played four 200$ SNG's at party this morning and won two of them. Nothing special except in one I sucked out two times (winning 44 against QQ and 99 against QQ and AA by hitting a strait lol). Normally I am on the other side of these hands...