There was a lot of fun at the 2008 World Series of Poker main event final table as the November Nine finally got to play after months of waiting. While some looked on like Ylon Schwarts, Dennis Phillips and Ivan Demidov, the two Korean American players, Chino Rheem and Kelly Kim, fought it out in this hand, but with love.
There is rarely a time a poker player doesn’t want to win, and it always includes him or her not losing. In these cases the player will want to chop, or split, a pot with an opponent, and the only time they would want that when they are ahead is if they are friends or feel bad about how the other player is running. This was one of those hands.
Chino had swore to be patient while playing, and to this point had not yet played a hand. He went for it with a raise of $800k in tourney chips when he looked down to see big slick, ace king:
Kim, who had just doubled up to a little more than a million, moved all in over the top when he, too, found big slick:
The two pals laughed when the cards were turned over, and Chino immediately offered a chop. “You wanna chop right now?!”
“Yeah,” said Kim, “Let’s chop, no one needs to get hurt!”
But the would have to play at the cards. They would chop, but only if one of them did not get a flush.
The Flop come down:
and just like that Chino had a chance to steal the pot with a heart flush and send Kim packing.
The Turn was:
and now Kim had to only “sweat one card”, as Chino, arm around his opponent, pointed out.
The River was:
a red card, but not a heart, and Kim was saved. The players chopped the pot.
