As a poker player, I have become more and more aware of odds and statistics. I’ve played a lot of hands in my day and there are just some things I don’t see very often. In today’s hand of the week, I am going to tell you about my encounter with the holy grail of poker, the royal flush.

I generally get a kick out of anomalies and bizarre events like when a person makes a terrible call and hits his 2 outer on the river to bust someone or when people call and call just trying to hit miracle cards when they are already drawing dead.

I’ve seen countless players make full houses only to be beaten by quads and players hit Ace high flushes to be beaten by straight flushes. Though somewhat rare, these things do happen, we see them and we know it’s possible. The biggest rarity in the game however, is the royal flush. A player can play for years without ever seeing one. I know I had never seen one before until last week. Do you know what the odds are for hitting a royal flush? Well, its very miniscule, it’s 1 in 649,740. Think about that number. It basically means that you can play in nearly 7,000 sessions of 100 hands each and maybe you’ll see one. That’s pretty staggering if you think about it.

Well, last week I was playing at my local $1/$2 no-limit game. There were 6 players at the table and we had just started. In the 5th hand of the day, I was in the Big Blind with the Ad-10d.

The under the gun player called and a middle position player raised to $8. Only the small blind folded and 5 of us saw the flop. The flop came and it was the Kd-Jd-9s, giving me an inside straight draw and inside royal flush draw with an Ace overcard. I liked this flop very much because of the possibilities. I felt that my overcard would only be helpful if a Queen were to hit giving me a broadway straight. As is the case when I have poor position, I checked the flop and it was checked to the initial raiser who bet $20. It folded to me and I simply called as I liked my draw. The other players folded and it was now heads up.

The turn came and it was the 10s, giving me a pair which I didn’t think helped me any so naturally I just checked. The initial raiser curiously smirked and checked behind me. I pretty much knew what he had, an Ace-Queen so he was now sitting on a straight. For some inexplicable reason, he decided to give me a free card which I happily accepted because at this point, I knew I was behind.

Then the River came and what a river it was! It was none other than the Queen of Diamonds, giving me a royal flush! Yes, a royal flush. I couldn’t believe my good fortune. I sat there and tried to figure out how much I could bet to get a call because this opponent had to think at the very least I was on a flush draw. I decided $30 was enough and laid my chips on the table. Then shockingly, he raised me another $30! I was stunned. I looked back at my cards again to make sure I wasn’t losing my mind. I announced a re-raise of $50 and before I could place my chips, my opponent re-raised again all in for his remaining $200! What a great turn of events. Here I was trying to figure out how to not scare this guy off and he’s betting INTO my royal flush. Of course I called and he announces “I have a straight.” I smiled and flipped my cards over and quietly say “Royal Flush.” The table gasps and players shout in disbelief, many of whom say they’ve never seen one before. I happily collected my $600 pot as the table continued to roar. Pictures were taken and the discussion turned to how my opponent kept raises me when I held the nuts of all nuts.

Who am I to complain? I just hit an incredible hand AND got paid off in the process. What a truly tremendous game this is!

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