NBC National Heads-Up Championship - Are You Bluffing Me, Sam?

  There is a first time for every one, but Sam Grizzle is no first timer when it comes to playing poker. This poker pro, who once punched Phil Hellmuth in the jaw during a game, was a veteran of many No Limit Texas Holdem games, but it was his first time on NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship, where sixty four poker pros and celebrities fought one on one for victory.



  In this match up Sam was up against Jean-Robert Bellande, whose pals call him Bobby. Sam had the upper hand against Bobby, and in this hand he showed his experience. Bobby was first to act, and limped in with:






... Sam, only looking at one card:





... checked his option and chose to see a flop. The flop came down:







... and Sam was operating with at least bottom pair. Both players checked their options for the turn, which brought:





... Sam, not yet knowing his second hole card, bet out $1,500 and got a call from Bobby. When the river hit:





... Sam decided to check his second pocket card, which turned out to be:





... which meant Sam had two pair from the flop! "How many you got left, Bobby?" asked Sam, and after Bellande gave him the figure, just under $10k, Sam moved all in. The bet was more than twice the pot, which meant that, to Bobby, Sam had the nuts or nothing. "Are you bluffing me, Sam?" asked Bobby. In the end he just had to know, so he made the call - and busted out.