World Series Of Poker: Mike Sowers Explains 'Craziest Hand I've Played, Maybe Ever' That Resulted In His Elimination And Dealer Firing

Poker pro Mike Sowers, who has played thousands of tournaments in his lifetime, had one incredibly bizarre hand happen to him about a week ago at the 2013 World Series of Poker. He said it’s “the craziest hand I’ve played, maybe ever.”

According to Sowers, right after a new dealer came to the tournament table, he was dealt pocket nines and raised from the under-the-gun position to 200, and the guy to his immediate left three-bet to 525, and another player called. Sowers called as well.

The flop came 9 8 7, giving Sowers top set.

Sowers checked, the re-raiser checked, and the third player bet 800. Sowers check-raised, making it 2,600, and the player in the middle folded. The third player put Sowers all in for about 5,500. Sowers made the call for his tournament life.

His set was tabled, and the other player exposed the Q Q, and had a flush draw.

Sowers remembered: “The dealer looked at me and said, ‘Sorry man, bad beat.’ And I looked at him and was like, ‘You know I have the best hand, right?’ And again he just said, ‘Sorry man, bad beat.’ And then the turn brought the 6, and the river the Q, and I’m just sitting there, looking at [the dealer]…at this point I am kind of flustered.”

After the bust, Sowers said he exited the tournament room and later heard from one of his former table-mates that the dealer “was laughing and said he didn’t even shuffle the deck.”

Sowers returned to the Rio after hearing that, and he talked to the floor staff. He later talked to tournament director Jack Effel, who runs the show, and he gave Sowers a refund.

“[Jack] still never told me what happened, but something had to have happened,” Sowers said. “They had to see something on the camera. They told me they didn’t even look at the cameras, but I don’t think that’s true.” According to Sowers, the dealer was fired.

Related Articles

Greg Hobson Wins Inaugural WSOP Ante Only Event

Erick Lindgren, Mike Sowers Deep In WSOP

WSOP Main Event Day 2A

Most Viewed Articles