We Play A Very Weird Game

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There isn’t really a lesson in this article, and certainly not very much strategy discussion. I just wanted to relate a little story that illustrates just what a strange game we play.

I have been playing poker seriously now for about 29 years. Believe it or not, without counting wild card games, I never made a royal flush in that first 25 years. That’s pretty unlikely, especially since I’ve run into many players who claim to make one every year or so.

A few years ago, I was playing in a $2-$5 blind Big O cash game (five-card pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better). I was in the big blind, and a player limped in from under the gun. Everyone folded to me, which in itself was weird, since you never see that much folding in Big O.

I looked down at the unimpressive K J 9 6 4 and checked my option. The flop was even less impressive for my hand, coming down 10 10 2.

We both checked, and then checked again after the Q hit the turn. The river was the miraculous A, however, giving me my first ever royal flush!

I bet $10. My opponent called, and of course, I won the pot.

My first ever royal flush, and I made a profit of about $13. It was quite anticlimactic, if you ask me. It would be hard to find another pot where somebody got to showdown with a royal flush and only won two and a half big blinds.

When I tell people this story, they’re often laughing, or at least sporting a grin. But wait, we didn’t even get to the good part yet!

On the very next hand, I was in the small blind and looked down at the much stronger A 2 4 5 6. There was a raise and a reraise, and after all the betting was complete, five of us were still in for $60 each.

The flop was very good for me, coming down 10 3 2 to give me a wrap low straight draw, with an uncounterfeitable nut low draw. I also had some high potential with the nut flush draw.

I bet the flop, one player folded, and the next raised the pot. The others folded, and the two of us got all the money in the middle.

He had A 4 5 6 K for the same wrap straight and low draw, with an inferior king-high flush draw!

The turn was the J and the river was the 9, meaning we had both missed our low draws, our straight draws, and our flush draws. However, I did have a pair of twos, which was enough to scoop the entire pot of well over $2,500.

In the first hand, I made a royal flush, and a profit of about $13. In the second hand, I only had a pair of twos, yet made a profit of about $1,300. Try explaining those two hands to your friend who doesn’t play poker, especially if they play a lot of video poker. They won’t be able to wrap their head around it, guaranteed.

Like I said, not many lessons here. Nothing that will help you play better poker in the future. But it is good to be reminded just what a wild and weird game we play, and love.

Have fun, and play smart! ♠

Greg Raymer is the 2004 World Series of Poker main event champion, winner of numerous major titles, and has more than $7 million in earnings. He is the author of FossilMan’s Winning Tournament Strategies, available from D&B Publishing, Amazon, and other retailers. He is sponsored by Blue Shark Optics, YouStake, and ShareMyPair. To contact Greg please tweet @FossilMan or visit his website.