Hands That Make You Go Huh?!

I witnessed one of those "huh?!" hands last night in a home NL cash game (I was not involved in the hand). Pre-flop action puts about $30 in the pot from four or so players. Let's call the players involved in the hand players A, B and C as PA, PB and PC (player D folds on the flop). Flop comes out Ad-10d-9c, PA bets $25, PB raises to $80, PC goes all-in for $200, PA stands up and goes into the tank and calls another $175, PB thinks a bit and folds. PC shows As-Jc, PA at the end of this entire hand indicates they had 7d-8d - an open-ended with a flush draw. A-J holds up and wins the $510 pot.

This hand was "huh?!" because you really expect PC to have at least two pair in that spot. With at least two-pair, the all-in play is certainly correct based on that action and flop. The only reasonable explanation for PC's re-raise all-in is that PC made some sick reads on their opponents to make that kind of play, or just hoped to pull off a big play at that time and win the pot right there.

Two intriguing notes about this hand as well. First, PB ends up showing A-J as well. Second, PA and PC make a deal and decide to run it twice (means we flip over a turn and a river two times, essentially putting two boards up).

What I Like About This Hand:
a) I like PB's fold, there really is no way being up against two other all-in players that you can call A-J in that spot.
b) I also like PA's call and deal-making. PA called $175 into a $335 pot, giving them pot odds of even-money (1:1 or 50%) when they were a favorite to win the hand at about 52% with their 13 outs and two cards to come. By running it twice PA gives themselves the slight edge of hitting their draw and getting closer to the real expected outcome of 52%.