Top Five Craziest Poker Hands
Poker is arguably at its most entertaining when two players with almost unbelievable hands are going toe-to-toe with each other.
They are spurred into betting by their air of confidence in what they’ve been dealt, as well as an occasional lack of awareness in equal measure.
While one key part of poker is being able to second guess your opponent and deciphering the strength of their hand, it’s possible that you could be in such a strong position yourself that you disregard everything else.
Sometimes you can be so convinced that you are in an unassailable position that it can ultimately knock you out of the game, being beaten by a freak of a hand by another player.
When even a Four Of A Kind isn’t good enough to win you a hand, you know something extraordinary has happened.
We’ve picked out some of the most insane hands that have been dealt on a poker table, and some of them even left rival players totally speechless.
5. Patrik Antonius vs Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey sees victory snatched away from him in this sensational hand against Patrik Antonius.
Ivey begins with Pocket 9s against Antonius' 4 and Ace, and he gets Three of a Kind on the Flop, while an Ace and a Queen are also added.
Both players bet $5,000, and amazingly the Turn card is an Ace, giving Ivey a Full House, while Antonius now has Three of a Kind.
The bet is $15,000 by Ivey, and again Antonius calls, but the only card that can save him now is a 4.
The River manages to come to his rescue, having only had a 16% chance of winning too.
Now, both men have Full Houses, but Antonius' three Aces overpower Ivey's hand.
After Ivey bets $40,000, Antonius raises him to $121,200.
It takes some time for Ivey to make his decision, but when he calls he looks absolutely astounded.
4. Sam Trickett vs Igor Kurganov
Sam Trickett manages to land almost the perfect hand against Igor Kurganov, and you almost have to feel bad for his opponent.
After being dealt the 5 and 6 of Spades, Tricket decides to raise to $100,000. Kurganov calls this with two Spades of his own, a 7 and a Jack.
This gives both players a good chance of securing a Flush, although the Russian is the favourite given that his cards have a greater value.
Two Spades are produced on the Flop, a 2 and a 3. At this point, Kurganov has a 68% chance of winning, and he decides to check. Trickett wagers $80,000.
On the Turn, the 4 of Spades comes up and gives Trickett a Straight Flush, meaning he cannot lose the hand. This is one of the rarest hands in poker, and you can understand why his opponent doesn't even see it coming.
Kurganov now has a Jack-high Flush, and is convinced he has basically won the hand. He elects to check again to try and lure Trickett in, and this time the Englishman doubles his bet to $160,000.
After some deliberation, Kurganov goes all-in and gets in instant call from Trickett, who seemingly can't believe his luck.
3. Donnacha O’Dea vs Achilleas Kallakis vs Tim Flanders
One of the most stunning Flops is followed by a seriously bad beat, as Donnacha O’Dea steals this hand from Achilleas Kallakis.
Tim Flanders is bewildered by his stroke of bad luck too, and you really can’t blame him for that.
O’Dea begins with Pocket 3s, while Flanders has a 4 and a 5, and their opponent holds the 5 and 9 of Spades.
Incredibly, the Flop gives all three players strong hands, with the 3, 6 and 7 of Spades all being drawn.
That means that O’Dea has Three of a Kind and Kallakis pulls off a Flush, putting him in control.
Despite landing a Straight on the Flop, Flanders is out of the hand and cannot possibly win, which is enormously unfortunate and can’t happen too often.
All three players are convinced they have the best hand, and O’Dea’s bet of $6,000 is called by his two rivals.
Flanders bets $20,000 after a King comes up on the Turn, which is again called by the other two players, and you have to feel sorry for him in his situation because he could never predict what he’s up against.
The drama isn’t quite done there though – O’Dea has the luck of the Irish and hits Four Of A Kind thanks to another 3 on the River.
Even the commentators are amazed, but Flanders suspects he may have been undone when O’Dea bets $40,000, so he begrudgingly folds.
Kallakis has already been quick to call by this point, and he is totally shocked when O’Dea’s hand is revealed, while the player next to him laughs in disbelief.
2. Tom Dwan vs Phil Ivey
Tom Dwan and Phil Ivey combine to smash the record for what was, at the time, the largest pot in televised poker history with these insane cards.
Dwan is dealt the 6 and 7 of Hearts, while Ivey has the 2 of Diamonds and the Ace of Spades.
Incredibly, they both have Flush draws after the Flop, with both players only needing a 4.
Ivey then bets $35,000, and his opponent calls.
Unfortunately for Ivey, despite completing a Straight when a 4 is dealt, he cannot win the hand.
He isn't to know that of course, and after betting a further $90,000 he is raised $232,600 by Dwan.
Ivey goes all-in, and looks shocked after being called and seeing Dwan's higher value Straight.
Their bets created a pot worth a massive $1,108,500, setting a new record.
1. Toby Lewis vs Andrew Robl
This must be one of the most unbelievable hands ever seen on a poker table.
Toby Lewis and Andrew Robl go up against each other with Pocket Queens and 9s respectively after the deal, so in their own minds they are both in a pretty strong position.
After the Flop, this is ultimately reinforced by both players – though at this point, Robl’s is unfortunately misplaced.
Two Queens and a 9 come into the game, so while Robl has a Full House, he cannot compete with Lewis’ Four Of A Kind.
It is impossible for him to win the hand from this point, but you can’t blame him for thinking he is better placed to do so with his cards, so he bets $18,000.
Yevgeniy Timoshenko, who held Pocket 2s in a very rare deal where all three players had Pairs, elects to fold, but Lewis raises to $42,000.
Alarm bells should really have been ringing for Robl at this point, but he makes the call after some consideration.
Following a 5 on the Turn, Robl checks but is again met by a sizeable bet of $63,000 to call.
It is a hugely difficult position to be in, because he must be aware that his adversary has a very strong set of cards, but he can’t really bet against a Full House.
Amazingly, a fourth 9 is produced on the River to give Robl his own Four Of A Kind, and it is almost unthinkable that he is going to lose with one of the best hands available in poker.
He goes all-in with his remaining $149,000, and nonchalantly looks at Lewis as if to celebrate eliminating him from the game.
Robl then realises what’s happened, and neither he nor the other players at the table can believe what’s happened, and they all appear totally confused.
Without doubt one of the most cruel ways that anyone has ever been knocked out of a tournament.