Poker has been one of the most evolved games in the last 50 years. Now, one can watch many tournaments played all around the world via live streaming. As Poker broadcasting increases over time, you can witness some of the most insane Poker hands that completely changes the game.
Poker hands can be pretty diverse. So, remembering every combination is not a human task. However, some hands are so influential that they deserve to be remembered. So, let’s take a walk down memory lane and talk about some of the most insane Poker hands that ever appeared in the game.
When Bluffs become Effective Poker Hands
Bluffing is the key component of the game Poker. Almost every significant Poker player is a good bluffer. A great bluff can turn the table to your side irrespective of your hand. Can you imagine winning against a set of two Kings with only a 7 and a 2? It may be hard to digest, but Poker has seen players achieving this impossible task. Let’s check out two of the best bluff-aided victories.
Hellmuth vs. Matusow – The Ultimate Bluff
This is the one which I was talking about earlier. Phill Hellmuth did the unthinkable against Mike Matusow. While Mike had a pair of Kings, Phill only had a 7 and a 2. Still, Phill showed total confidence in his cards and bet $40,000. This level of confidence made Mike anxious and thought Phill might have a pair of Aces or three Jacks or Queens. Ultimately Mike surrendered and lost to a 7 & 2.
Farha vs. Moneymaker – When Amature Beats Pro
This match was played in ESPN’s live broadcasting Poker tournament WSOP back in 2003. Here, an accountant named Chris Moneymaker beat Poker Pro Sam Farha. The middle-class accountant made a whopping $2.5 million in cash with an initial investment of only $39. He bravely betted all-in with only King & 7, whereas Sam had a pair of 9.
The Rarest Poker Hands You can Imagine
Earlier, we discussed two absolutely common hands, which were exaggerated by the bluffing and fooling of opponents. Now we’re going into the main part of this article. That is the most insane hands ever drawn in a game of Poker. There are games in Poker where the final card dealt was a complete game-changer. Without further ado, let’s move into details of such games.
Andrew Robl vs. Toby Lewis
This game is regarded as one of the greatest Poker battles of all time. Andrew and Toby went up against one another while holding pocket 9s and Queens, respectively. Both of them thought they were in a strong position, thus raised the bet. Then the flop revealed two more Queens and a Nine. Now that’s a full house for Andrew. He can’t beat Toby’s Four of a Kind.
Regardless of that, Andrew bets $18,000 while Toby raises it to $42,000. It made Andrew nervous. After taking all things into consideration, he raised his bet to $63,000, which is a sizable bet. Then surprisingly, the final 9 was dealt, and it gave Andrew a four of a kind of his own. At this point, Andrew didn’t imagine he could lose with a four of a kind. So he went all in only to lose against Toby’s four Queens. That was a cruel end to an amazing hand.
Barry Shulman vs. Daniel Negreanu
Another memorable turn of events happened during the finals of World Series Poker Europe’s main event. Here, Poker legend Daniel Negreanu battled out for the grand prize against Barry Shulman. Daniel’s raising to $900,000 prompted Barry to go all-in.
Then Daniel gets the all-important Jack who took him to pole position with a winning chance of 98%. Only, if an Ace is drawn as the last card, can save Barry from losing at this point. And guess what! The last card was indeed an Ace. It had only a 2% chance of happening, and still, it happened. Barry Shulman picks up a victory from the jaws of defeat.
In Conclusion – A Single Card can Change the Whole Complexion of a Game
Thousands of games played around the year, which includes a handful of bizarre outcomes. There are many examples of Poker games’ that are fate changing. These four examples we have given are the ultimate examples of how Poker can be cruel to some players while being generous to others at the same time.