Last Hand

Being someone that has been caught up in the "poker craze", I've seen quite a bit of poker on TV. This new(er) show completely takes the cake though: GSNs "High Stakes Poker".

This show features the games best players facing off at a single (non-tournament) table, using their own bankrolls. The ridiculous amounts of money start off with blinds in the low thousands and hands progress from there. A typical small pot will end up in the neighborhood of $10,000-$20,000. Most in the $20K-$40K range. And then a few HUGE hands that get into the hundreds of thousands. This is completely ridiculous when you really stop and think about the amount of money these guys are gambling with.

Last nights episode (as with all of them) did not disapoint. The best hand of the night was actually the last hand of the night. All the players (10) had agreed that they would play 2 more hands and call it a night. On the 2nd to last hand, 6 people limped in and nobody bet the whole way through - with these players, that means: they aren't trying. Even if these guys have nothing they sense weakness and try to buy the pot, so clearly everyone was just ready to go home.

On the last hand though, Barry Greinstein was looking down at AA under. He raised the pot ($1700) to $2500. Everyone folded around, as you'd expect for people that want to go home, until it got to Sammy Farha. Farha was looking at KK under. So, basically this is a show down of the two best hands in poker.

Farha thought a minute and re-raised it to $12,500 (a $10K raise).

Greinstein took a look at him and again re-raises back to $62,500 (a $50K raise).

Now Farha had some thinking to do. He knew that Greinstein had a great hand. And he knew that the money situation was quickly getting out of hand on the last hand of the night. He had already committed $12,500. He asked how much Greinstein had left... Greinstein told him that he had $190K before the hand started. Farha thinks and thinks. The rest of the players, who had stood up and headed for the door, started to comeback and sit back down to watch this play out.

Eventually, Farha goes all-in over the top. Greinstein immediately calls making a total pot of $361,800 - these are not chips in a tournament, this is real money out of their bank accounts.

So, going into the flop we have AA vs KK. Greinstein should win this hand about 82% of the time and there is very little (though some) chance of splitting the pot.

Farha asks if he wants to "run it twice" and Greinstein politely declines. "Run it twice" would mean that you actually play out the hand two times. If you each win one: you split the money and go home. If someone wins both times: that person takes all the money.

The flop comes 6c Kh 8h.

Farha has caught his K and the tables are turned. Farha is now an 88% favorite to win. Again Farha offers to "run it twice". I think this must just be him actually feeling guilty about this? but Greinstein still declines.

The turn and river come: 7s 3d and that's it.

A $361,800 draw out.

For the poker players

Up until now I've spared you posts about playing cards, but it's something I do often so it deserves it's time in the spotlight here. Especially since I have a question to ask you (or at least to ask those of you who play).

Question 1: If you finish in 4th you get nothing. If you finish in 3rd or better - you get... well... something.

Do you call here or raise?

Seat 1: Kayamucho (3535)
Seat 4: jjAKQJ10 (650)
Seat 7: jfh_pkr (2185)
Seat 9: thndrshark (1630)
jfh_pkr posts small blind (150)
thndrshark posts big blind (300)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to jfh_pkr [ Th, Ts ]
Kayamucho folds.
jjAKQJ10 raises (650) to 650
jjAKQJ10 is all-In.

Question 2: If you finish in 4th you get nothing. If you finish in 3rd or better - you get... well... something.

The two big stacks have been raising every hand (as they should) and the two small stacks have been folding for the last 10 minutes, trying to outlast each other.

NutterGBH isn't in a blind this hand (and hasn't yet acted), but next hand he will be in for 150.

Do you fold, call, or raise?

Seat 3: ReneJak (3061)
Seat 4: fireball166 (3898)
Seat 5: jfh_pkr (837)
Seat 10: NutterGBH (204)
ReneJak posts small blind (75)
fireball166 posts big blind (150)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to jfh_pkr [ Qd, As ]