The world of poker, whether it is online poker or live, is full of stories. These stories are full of suspense, comedy, and intrigue!
These stories told, retold, shaped and reshaped over the years. It’s hard to know if these stories are accurate or even if they occurred at all. But one thing is for certain, we love reading about them. And also sharing them with all who play poker players.
Let read about a few of them and enjoy the tales in between playing poker online.
Stu Ungar calls with Ten High
As the legend goes, Stu Ungar’s hand reading capabilities and sheer guts were the stuff of legend. And perhaps no Stu Ungar story symbolizes this like his call with Ten-high. The tale is, Ungar was absorbed in a high-stakes poker game, a $50,000 heads-up tournament, against 1990 WSOP Champion Mansour Matloubi when this hand came about:
With a chip-lead over Matloubi, Ungar opened with T/9 off-suit and Matloubi made the call with 4/5 off-suit. On a 3-3-7 flop Ungar extension bet into Matloubi who called. Both the players checked the King on the turn. It is when Ungar made maybe one of the best calls in poker history. When a Queen lands on the river Matloubi moves all-in for around 30,000, and Ungar tanks, saying, “You’ve either got 4-5 or 5-6, I call,” and the rest is as we say, history.
As Stuey couldn’t make these kinds of reads. However he was also willing to pull the trigger and trust his guts!
Jack Strauss’ Pick a Card Bluff
Jack “Treetop” Strauss has two controversial stories associated with his name, in between creating the “Chip and a Chair” maxim and the “Pick a Card” bluff. The story goes as, Strauss flopped top pair on a 7-3-3 board holding 7/2 off-suit after raising pre-flop. After a 2 on the turn, Strauss made another bet just to be raised by the opponent player he was playing with. Strauss called the bet attempting to puzzle his opponent who he put on a 3; making Strauss drawing almost dead. After another 2 on the river Strauss makes a big bet, attempting to bluff his opponent off the best hand.
To sell the bluff Strauss offered to let his opponent see one card for $25. According to the legend the opponent player took the offer and Strauss without looking flipped over the 2, which for all intents and aims appeared to be pocket 2’s –had he flipped the 7 it would have appeared to have been pocket 7’s!
Nick “The Greek” Dandalos vs. Johnny Moss
This one is the most debated tales in poker history! According to the legend Moss brought in by his friend Benny Binion to retain Dandalos in a high-stakes poker match. After months of playing at the Horseshoe Casino, Nick the Greek spoken the famed word of, “Mr. Moss, I’m afraid I have to let you go.” The poker experts or you can call the historians have been arguing over the truth of this tale and whether or not it took place; despite it will likely remain a part of poker lore for the rest of time.
Man Dies at Poker Table
There are two incidents recorded poker history, where man has died at poker table while playing poker!
Tom Abdo, one of the early poker players in Las Vegas, allegedly suffered a heart attack while playing poker, before going to the hospital Abdo allegedly asked the floor to save his seat, having every aim of returning to the game. Unluckily for Abdo he passed away that evening.
The incident is a bit more famous, or perhaps notorious is a better term. Wild Bill Hickock was shot in the back of the head while playing a game of poker in Deadwood, North Dakota by Jack McCall, avenging a few seen slight by Hickok according to the tale. Hickok was holding a pair of Aces and Eights, his discarded card had not yet been replaced.
Annette Obrestad wins 180-man S&G without glancing at her cards
This is one of those tales that is just too impractical to believe, but numerous people do really believe this occurred. The story is: Annette Obrestad decided to play poker online, which was a 180-man Sit & Go tournament without looking at her hole-cards –in some strange attempt to prove that the cards are not all that vital in poker.
Happy reading and playing poker!