Working with zip critical

One of the toughest things in poker is betting with nothing. Perhaps one of the only things tougher than that is calling with nothing. Both moves require a lot of courage and a good read on your opponent, and both are essential to winning no-limit hold 'em tournaments.

This game of chicken occurs many times when it's blind vs. blind, because most players don't give opponents in the blinds credit for having a hand, so it comes down to the opponent who has the guts to fire at a pot with nothing.

With blinds at $100,000-$200,000 in the Poker Superstars Invitational II, Mike Sexton was dealt J-8 offsuit in the small blind. This might've been a spot to raise in an attempt to run off the big blind, but Sexton, the voice of the World Poker Tour, chose just to complete the bet.

In the big blind, the legendary Doyle Brunson held Q-7 offsuit. He might've raised Sexton to win the pot outright, but he elected to check his option.

The flop came 10-10-5, rainbow, helping neither player. Both checked.

The turn came the king of hearts, putting a flush draw on board. Sexton bet out $100,000, attempting to represent a hand. Brunson called. Sexton smirked.

"I took a shot at it," said Sexton, winner of the 2006 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions. "He had me beat, but he didn't have a big hand, either.

The river came the 6 of hearts, putting hearts up. Sexton checked. Brunson, winner of a record-tying 10 World Series bracelets, moved all in. Sexton folded before the money even got out there, smirking again.

"I'm sure he was calling to make a move on the pot later like he did," Sexton said. "I lost one to the grand master. I tried to steal it from him."

For all the courage it took for Sexton to fire at the pot with nothing, it took even more for Brunson to simply call when the board missed him so badly.

"If you don't have heart -- and heart means that you're going to bet at that pot with no hand to try to take it down -- believe me, when you're sacrificing valuable chips in a tournament and you're wrong or you get looked up or you get beat, it's crucial," Sexton said. "But still, you've got to be able to do it. All the great players fire at pots with no hand."