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  A lot of the time when playing poker, and especially No Limit Texas Holdem poker, a player will get involved in a hand not because they like the cards that they are holding, but because so many other players are in it that the pot odds become too good to pass up. Such was the case in this hand from a special week of Poker After Dark, the NBC show hosted by Shana Hiatt, where the six players each had five or more World Series of Poker bracelets. There are only 12 living people in the world that have that many WSOP bracelets, so to gather half that number in one place was pretty amazing.



  In this hand Doyle Brunson and T.J. Cloutier were the only two not to play, leaving Phil Hellmuth, Chris Ferguson, Layne Flack, and Erik Seidel in the action. Phil was on the big blind, and he made a minimum raise to $400 holding:






... It was the first time any player had made the minimum raise (as opposed to higher) and TJ teased Phil not to get too crazy. Chris called with:






... and Erik called from the button with:






... Flack was in form the small blind with a discount holding:






... With nine three off suit, Layne was almost silly to call, even with the discount. He looked around the table and asked how many players were in, and figured up his odds.



  The flop came:







... and Layne was first to go, under the gun. He checked. It went all the way around with checks till it got back to Erik, who popped it up to $1,000 from position. Flack folded, Phil called, and Chris folded.



  Phil checked in the dark right before the turn hit the table:





... and Erik bet $2k. Phil called, happy with his flush draw. The river came:





... and killed Phil's chances. Erik, with two pair, checked, and Phil checked, passing the pot to Seidel.