Thursday, June 26, 2014

Poker Quiz

OK, today was pretty much the coolest day ever since I got into, and especially since I started working in, poker.  All I did was play poker with Chris Moneymaker.  Yeah, that Chris Moneymaker.


It all has to do with the Hollywood Poker Open that is starting at the M Resort tomorrow.

He is a great guy and a full report will be forthcoming.   But for now, all I can do is post the quiz Chris gave us during the tournament I played with him.  

In a regular Hold-em game, you are ahead of a single opponent on the turn.  It's heads-up.   Yet, no matter what card hits the river, you cannot win outright.  You can either lose or chop.  What hand must you have, what hand must your opponent have and what must the board be for this to be the case?

I'm pretty sure that you have to assume no flush possible, otherwise it might not work.

I suppose this might be a well known hand that I don't know about, but none of the other poker journalists there seemed to know about it either.

Note:  I'm not going to approve all the comments right away, since that would ruin it.  But post your answers and I'll approve them all when I'm ready to give the answer.

There's no prize for this.  But remember, being right is its own reward.

UPDATE:  HERE'S THE POST WITH THE SOLUTION


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35 comments:

  1. RakewellJune 26, 2014 at 5:31 PM

    Can you please explain how playing poker with Chris Moneymaker was cooler than playing poker with me? This strikes me as completely inexplicable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RobJune 26, 2014 at 5:35 PM

      Grump, in your honor, I will do a 10,000 word blog post in the very near future explaining how this is possible.

      Delete
    2. lightning36June 26, 2014 at 7:15 PM

      In other words, one of your shorter posts ...

      Delete
    3. RobJune 27, 2014 at 1:36 AM

      Just for that, I'll make it 25,000 words and won't mention you once.

      Delete
  2. RakewellJune 26, 2014 at 5:33 PM

    Does "you have the best hand" mean "you have the best possible hand" or just "you have a better hand than your opponent"? And is there only one opponent, as the singular suggests?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RobJune 26, 2014 at 5:36 PM

      I did say heads up and it's just the best hand at the time, not the best hand possible. I guess I'll edit and clarify.

      Delete
    2. RobJune 26, 2014 at 5:39 PM

      So yes, grammar police, since it's just two people in the hand, I should have said "better" not "best." I hope the edited version is clear.

      Delete
  3. Tony BigcharlesJune 26, 2014 at 10:31 PM

    the M closed their poker room months ago, theres no poker there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RobJune 27, 2014 at 1:44 AM

      They actually closed the poker room at the M almost a year ago.

      Never-the-less, M Resort is hosting the Hollywood Poker Open this very weekend. See:

      http://www.pokeratlas.com/poker-tournament-series/hollywood-poker-open-championship-m-resort-henderson-2014

      Delete
  4. angerisagiftJune 27, 2014 at 12:39 PM

    no prize????????????? BOOOOOOOOOOOOO. and no cleavage/boobie pics?????? i vote 4 the longer posts(10k words or more and boobies)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RobJune 27, 2014 at 1:38 PM

      Thanks, anger. I'll see what I can do with the 10K posts.

      As for boobies, I couldn't think of a way to tie them into this post, and I had just a few minutes to post it as it was. Sorry.

      Delete
    2. angerisagiftJune 28, 2014 at 1:23 AM

      really??????????????? the word MONEYMAKER and BOOBIES. DUH. LOL. stripper gets BOOBIES bcuz they r MONEYMAKERS.if u ever feel like slumming go play at THE GOLDEN WEST CASINO in BAKO(bakersfield) the neighborhood is a real shit hole BUT lot of action at the 4/8 omaha hi/lo with a kill.

      Delete
    3. RobJune 28, 2014 at 9:53 AM

      I'd like to think if I wasn't so rushed, I would have thought of putting a gal shaking her "moneymakers" in this post, but I can't say for certain. It is an excellent suggestion tho, anger. Thanks.

      Bakersfield? I wouldn't be caught dead in Bakersfield....although better dead than in Bakersfield. Ugh.

      Delete
  5. billJune 27, 2014 at 2:56 PM

    I was going to say:

    Me - 2,4
    Opp - 2,2

    Board - 3333

    but then if the case 2 comes I would still win....so I dunno

    ReplyDelete
  6. CrankyJune 28, 2014 at 9:45 AM

    Rob - I suck at these kinds of brain teasers so basically have no hope of solving it. Any chance you can find it in your heart to now tell us the solution?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RobJune 28, 2014 at 10:03 AM

      No one has gotten it yet Cranky, and I'm holding out until someone does.

      Just kidding, I only have one (incorrect) guess. I as hoping someone would get it, or at least I'd get more attempts at solving it.

      But I will post it "soon". Perhaps not as soon as you'd like tho....

      Sorry.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousJune 28, 2014 at 10:33 AM

      I'll take a stab at this one. Have to use some questionable logic to give you the better hand.

      You both have similar pocket cards, yours are connected his are suited. Your hand is the better hand due to domination. Flop gives both of you a straight draw. Turn completes the straight and pairs your kicker, and giving the villain a flush redraw.

      You cannot win. On any card but a flush card, you chop with the straights and obviously your straight loses when the flush hits.

      Delete
    3. CrankyJune 28, 2014 at 12:55 PM

      I'm surprised the Grump didn't get it. This seems to be right in his wheelhouse -- solving arcane puzzles such as this one.

      I will be patient, tho, until one of your brainier readers solves the puzzle.

      Delete
    4. AnonymousJune 28, 2014 at 8:57 PM

      Ahead is 2-7, behind is 4-6. board is double paired 3355

      Delete
    5. RobJune 29, 2014 at 11:09 AM

      Cranky, I'm with you, I expected Grump to come up with the answer right away, especially after he asked for clarification.

      I guess his keen poker mind ain't what it used to be now that he's more or less retired from the game!

      Hang in there, I will post the answer within the hour.

      Delete
    6. RobJune 29, 2014 at 12:12 PM

      Thanks, Annony....or are there two annonys?

      Delete
  7. AnonymousJune 28, 2014 at 11:09 AM

    Example hands for my wordy explanation:

    H:JsTc
    V:Jh8h

    Flop:
    AdKhQh

    Turn:
    Th

    River:

    Other hands can be constructed to fit the criteria.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RobJune 29, 2014 at 12:12 PM

      Thanks again. I'll have to think about this.

      Delete
  8. Herb WolfeJune 28, 2014 at 4:46 PM

    I've been running this through my head and even tried to use a deck of cards to figure it out, but couldn't quite get it, even though I was on the right track with either A2 vs A3 or 22 vs 23.

    I ended up using google, and found it posted here

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RobJune 29, 2014 at 12:13 PM

      Thanks Herb, TLDR (ha ha)....did they have the exact the scenario?

      Delete
    2. Herb WolfeJune 29, 2014 at 9:49 PM

      They were two solutions, neither of which where the same as what you gave. lol.

      The first one is:
      22 vs 23, board any two pair, excluding 3's, 4455 and 5566.

      The answer from the poster, as given in a book he had:
      A2 vs A3, board A882.

      Delete
    3. RobJune 30, 2014 at 1:23 AM

      Thanks, Herb. Interesting indeed.

      Delete
  9. AnonymousJune 28, 2014 at 8:46 PM

    Ahead hand is 2-7, behind hand is 3-4. board is double paired 5566

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RobJune 29, 2014 at 12:13 PM

      That's pretty close to the version Chris gave us. thanks.

      Delete
  10. arniejokinJune 29, 2014 at 12:43 AM

    Board is A 7 7 4. You are holding 2 6 and opponent is holding 5 3. No one has a flush draw. If you hit a 2 or 6 he makes a straight. 5 or 3 you have a pair. Any other card is a chop.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Volker ThebrathJune 29, 2014 at 5:56 AM

    Don't know if my previous post got lost: So my solution is: Board is AAKK and I#m holding 32 and the opponent is holding 22. We will chop it with anything than a 2 and if a 2 is on the river, I will lose.

    ReplyDelete
  12. arniejokinJune 29, 2014 at 10:08 AM

    Correction,
    Board is A 7 4 4. You are holding 2 6 and opponent is holding 5 3. No one has a flush draw. If you hit a 2 or 6 he makes a straight. 5 or 3 he makes a pair. Any other card is a chop.

    ReplyDelete