Over the process a poker career that's lasted somewhat over three decades, I DO NOT remember the entire times I've flopped the nuts. Or "been dealt the nuts" in those dusty evenings of ace-to-five lowball games at Garden City in San Jose.

But I'm pretty sure I'll remember this one. It has been a couple of months now, and I'll leave the precise venue, even city, anonymous for reasons so as to soon become apparent.

It was at that hour when plans for a cheap night's sleep have vanished and you think a hearty breakfast sounds good. When the five $1-$2 no-limit hold'em games became four, then three, then two, and both games are only clinging on - neither getting sufficiently small to justify combining right into a single healthy game.

We were five-handed once I got A♠3♠ under the gun, and opened to $8. There have been two calls including Pat, at the button. Flop came K-Q-4.

All spades.

I've always felt that if you wish to win a large pot, you better help build it. I bet $15 and just Pat called. I DO NOT remember the turn card, nevertheless it wasn't a spade and it didn't pair the board. I bet $25; Pat raised to $50. 

Well, now.

Pat had started with $350-$400. I had more like $800 (all honestly bought and paid for, in conjunction with a host I'LL now not call my very own.) I ASSUMED that another $100 in this card would commit Pat to the remainder of their stack at the river. 

"$150 total," I said, as I slid a stack and a 1/2 nickels toward the center.

"All-in," said Pat, who was sitting within the #9 seat, immediately adjacent to the dealer. Dealer threw an all-in button in front of him/her.

Among my multitude of failings on the poker table, slow-rolling isn't one in every of them. I immediately said, "I call - I'VE the nuts." And turned up my hand.

Pat goes, "I DID NOT say 'all-in'."  Ruh-roh.

Dealer says, "I heard you assert 'all-in' - thus the all-in button in front of you." Pat says, "Do you think that I'LL go all-in when he has the nuts?" I ASSUMED this was a singular debate gambit (let alone wise poker strategy). The dealer's shoulders slumped as he called the floor.

The floorman listened to the dealer carefully, and asked the others on the table what they heard. No less than one person said he heard, "All-in". The floorman told Pat that he/she must push their remaining chips into the center.

Pat refused.

I got involved for the primary time. "Could we see Pat's hand? Maybe we'd have a greater sense if he/she can be more likely to ship their stack." Floorman didn't appear to need to go there, so I dropped that line. Floorman was adamant with Pat that he/she needed to relinquish all in their chips. Pat absolutely refused to place another chip into the pot.

And I got to thinking, "WHAT IS THE most vital thing here? Now we have an unsightly stalemate that's going nowhere and just making a mess for tired players or even more tired staff. And Pat's stack, plus or minus, is rarely going to modify my life."

"Tell you what - just give me the $100 re-raise and we'll call it square."

Floorman thanked me and told Pat that was the most efficient deal entering into the entire damn casino on the moment, the $7.99 steak and eggs notwithstanding. Pat told him in no uncertain terms that I USED TO BE not getting that $100, less his/her stack. I USED TO BE pretty sure that the floorman was about to throw Pat out - and Pat was clearly an ordinary within the room.

"You know," I piped up. "IT IS ALL just chips. Push me what's there now and let's get on with the sport". I ASSUMED both floorman and dealer were going to hug me. Floorman indicated the opposite game, "I got four seats - y'all go on over there," pointedly leaving Pat out of the invitation.

Here's the article: I'd come to believe that Pat didn't intend to head all-in. Something was that I'd been fidgeting with Pat for multiple hours previous to the incident - I had him/her pegged because the tightest player on the table. There are other reasons that I'll leave unspoken, and that i have no idea exactly what was going on, but I honestly do not believe Pat was angling me/us. Look, I'm no saint, but if I added all of it up, this wasn't the time or place to bring things to a crashing halt over $300.

A "Believe in karma if you happen to will" postscript... I moved to the opposite game that was now full. An hour later I won a stupidly large all-in pot, had my opponent drawing dead at the turn, and he didn't contest the chips that doubled me up. Not just was I (miraculously) unstuck, but I had enough profit for steak and eggs on the coffee shop.

Karma or not, though, given the danger to do it again, I'd make the similar call on the first table. Sometimes, you simply gotta let one off the hook and get on along with your life.

Lee Jones first joined PokerStars in 2003 and have been a part of the pro poker world for over 25 years. You'll read his occasional Twitter-bites at @leehjones

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com]