Royal Sampler Play of the Month Award

Firstly, cheers to IGGY, who mentioned this lowly poker hack's blog in the mother-of-all-blogs: Guinness and Poker. Much appreciated.



Yes, it's that time already. I'm sure I could wait 'til then end of the month to ensure that the Play of the Month Award was well and truly deserved - but nothing can beat what you are about to read (for the chronologists out there who note that it already is the end of the month - I started this a few days ago. So bugger off).

I wasn't involved in the hand, but it's just so fantastic. It really affirms my faith in Party Poker.

This is in the second round of a shoot-out tournament. How these guys made it that far- and all ended up at the same table - is beyond me.

But enough of my blather - feast your eyes on this:



***** Hand History for Game 3618622517 *****
NL Texas Hold'em Trny:20468646 Level:9 Blinds-Antes(600/1200-50) - Saturday, February 25, 02:40:49 ET 2006
Table Shootout(609577) Round(2) Table #16 (Real Money)
Seat 9 is the button
Total number of players : 8
Seat 1: LundsSwe ( $27044 )
Seat 2: eddiek1919 ( $33780 )
Seat 4: emcil ( $5694 )
Seat 5: Luv2playS8 ( $5573 )
Seat 6: larickpro ( $35189 )
Seat 7: Ching0Ching ( $14084 )
Seat 8: BIGESWAIN ( $13357 )
Seat 9: anthonywayn ( $11398 )
Trny:20468646 Level:9
Blinds-Antes(600/1200-50)
LundsSwe posts ante [50].
eddiek1919 posts ante [50].
emcil posts ante [50].
Luv2playS8 posts ante [50].
larickpro posts ante [50].
Ching0Ching posts ante [50].
BIGESWAIN posts ante [50].
anthonywayn posts ante [50].
There is no Small Blind in this hand as the Big Blind of the previous hand left the table.
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Ching0Ching [ 4h 6h ]
eddiek1919 folds.
emcil calls [1200].
Luv2playS8 is all-In [5523]
larickpro folds.
Ching0Ching folds.
BIGESWAIN calls [5523].
anthonywayn is all-In [11348]
LundsSwe folds.
emcil is all-In [4444]
eddiek1919: oh my lord
BIGESWAIN calls [5825].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 6c, 2h, 7c ]
** Dealing Turn ** [ 6d ]
** Dealing River ** [ Th ]


And what monsters do these four sharks shelter in their sweaty little palms? Check it out:


emcil shows [ 5h, 5s ] two pairs, sixes and fives.
Luv2playS8 shows [ 4d, Ac ] a pair of sixes.
BIGESWAIN shows [ Kd, Td ] two pairs, tens and sixes.
anthonywayn shows [ Ks, Qh ] a pair of sixes.
BIGESWAIN wins 11408 chips from side pot #2 with two pairs, tens and sixes.
BIGESWAIN wins 363 chips from side pot #1 with two pairs, tens and sixes.
BIGESWAIN wins 23692 chips from the main pot with two pairs, tens and sixes.
Player Luv2playS8 finished in 8th place on this table
Player emcil finished in 7th place on this table
Player anthonywayn finished in 6th place on this table


So many things to love about this hand: emcil pushing with 55 after three all-ins in front of him; anthonywayn pushing with KQ after two all-ins in front of him; BIGESWAIN flat calling the first all-in with KT for 35% of his chips then calling off the rest after two players behind him pushed. AND the worst hand won. But that's what it's all about, isn't it?

Poker - in the words of Mike Matusow - is all skill.

So kudos to three of you: anthonywayn, emcil, and - in particular - BIGESWAIN. You have won February's Royal Sampler Play of the Month Award. Kudos.