What's the Biggest Gap Between Winning and Losing Poker Hands Ever Recorded?

[Loren Booda]

What is the greatest disparity you've seen between a winning hand and a loser?

 

[BobG]

What is the greatest disparity you've seen between a winning hand and a loser?

A winning bluff in open face 5 card draw.

In open face poker, the cards are tossed in a pile face up and you get to pick the cards you want. If you're smart, you watch which cards your opponent picks out of the deck. He probably watches what cards you pull out of the deck. Ante a $1 and let your friend pick his hand first. He picks a royal flush in hearts, you pick out a royal flush in spades. He asks, "All suits rank the same, right?", as he begins to see a problem with this picture. How does anyone win if everyone picks a royal flush?

Ask him what he's betting. He bets a $1 uncertainly, so you raise a $1. He calls. You then ask him how many cards he wants to draw. He already has a royal flush, so he wants none. You also have a royal flush, so you draw none. You bet a $1 on the second round and he calls.

You both have a royal flush, so no one wins the pot. That means the money stays in the pot and you have to play another round.

You draw first this time and draw 4 tens and a 2 of spades. His head develops a strange little tic as he tries to figure why in the world you would draw 4 tens. He gets set to draw a royal flush, but then decides to take 4 aces and the Queen of Diamonds instead. You bet a $1 and he raises a $1. You call uncertainly, since it dawns on you that 4 aces beats 4 tens.

You draw 4 cards, laying your discard face down. You draw the 9, 8, 7, and 6 of hearts. His heart sinks. The highest straight flush he can draw is the 9, 8, 7, 6, and 5 of some other suit. Despondent, he holds onto the four aces he already has. Remembering a song from long ago, he discards the Queen of Diamonds and draws the Queen of Hearts.

You ask him what he wants to bet and he folds. You explain to him that would be a dumb idea, since you might check and he'd lose without ever seeing your hand. His eyes shift back and forth as he weighs the chances you might actually do that, but decides a check is the smartest move no matter what. You bet a $1. He folds.

You whistle in relief, saying, "Thank, God! All I had was a 9 high" and lay your cards down, showing him your 9, 8, 7, 6 of hearts and your 2 of spades.

 

[Loren Booda]

You've got me beat.