Heartache on the River

The sweat was dripping down my brow, the clock painless clicked away as I watched the dealer throw out the cards to the three remaining players at the table. I was one of those players. I was currently in second place in chips a mere 16,000 behind the leader.

As I collected my cards with bated breath I took a peek and felt my excitement rise. Ace, king of spades came before my eyes, my heart beat faster and I felt a smile purse my lips, I just hoped the other two players hadn't noticed. Since I was sitting in the dealer spot I waited to see what each would do with their hands.

The chip leader was playing the bully and quickly raised to double the big blind. I thought "good" at least one would follow my reraise. The guy in last place barely hanging on to his low chip count pushed all his five thousand in chips in. That left me in a bit of a quandary, had I doubled his bet I might scare the chip leader off and I wanted to get as much from this hand as I possibly could. Playing smart poker I decided to just call the all in bet.

The chip leader soon called as well, leaving me to think he either held an ace or a medium pair in his hand. All eyes were wide when the flop came...queen of spades...king of diamonds...ace of hearts. I had flopped a possible draw for the royal flush, a straight or a full house and since I already held two pair in my hand I was looking pretty good.

The chip leader limped in with a three hundred chip bet and I called just to keep him thinking I didn't really hit on the flop. My heart was going overdrive as I waited on the turn. The dealer burned a card then slowly turned the card that would hold my fate. I couldn't believe my luck...ace of clubs. I now held the best possible hand on the board. No chance for a straight flush on the board and no way a four of a kind could be had. And so you could imagine my bewilderment when the chip leader pushed all in. When it came to my turn I looked at the cards over and over again wondering if the chip leader was actually bluffing. If he was he picked a terrible time to do it. I stared him down and couldn't get a read on the guy. I knew I couldn't possibly lose the hand so I pushed all chips forward.

Then it happened we all turned our cards to show what we had. It figures I thought as I noticed he held the other ace king. But the river was still there to be turned and we both felt a little worried as the third place guy held a pair of queens in his hole. The dealer burned the final card and then turned the river...a three of diamonds. The leader and I breathed a sigh of relief and split the pot.

It was now head to head and I knew I stood a chance of winning the main prize. My excitement was at full throttle when the dealer dealt our hole cards. I couldn't believe my luck I pulled a pair of bullets, the best possible starting hand in Texas Hold'em. I didn't want to be too eager on my bet, this could be a double up hand and that would give me a commanding lead. If I could get this guy to call my eventual all in he would be left with 16000 chips compared to my 200,000. I decided to double the blind on my bet and he turned and reraised me to double that bet, I immediately called his raise.

The dealer then proceeded with the flop...two...two...ace. Holy crap I flopped a full house with the highest trips possible. I instantly called all in knowing that if the other guy held an ace in his hole he would definitely call my all in. I watched him as his eyes burned a look at his card, he knew this would be the tournament right here. He took a drink of water and stared at me trying to read my cards through my eyes.

Feeling a little cocky I decided to fish him in and told him that I had and ace in my hand. Not letting him know I actually held two. He laughed and said "ya you probably have two of them!" He didn't know how right he was.

Going against all poker rules of "you never count your money" I had the prize already spent in my head. I wasn't shocked but a little surprised when he said "call" on my all in bet. Proudly I turned my cards showing my dominate hand. I heard a "fuck" escape his lips when he saw my pocket aces. He had to call me though because in his hand he held and ace and a two. So here we were both with full houses just I held the higher three of a kind.

We watched as the dealer put the turn card on the table, it was a nothing seven of clubs. I was high fiving my fans that were in my corner cheering me on. I was a 98 percent chance of winning the hand. I could feel the victory coming my way.

The dealer burned the final card then turned the river....I couldn't believe it, the horror crossed my face. My heart ached when I saw the last card on the table...it was the last fucking two giving my opponent a four of a kind. Damn the river! Damn the river!

It was truly heartache on the river.