Just like on TV ...

I know from historical evidence that blog stories about poker are unappreciated by my reader base, so I will keep this brief.

However, during the final of the work poker tournament tonight (when I finished a credible but not-quite-good-enough second), there was a brilliant moment right out of a TV or Hollywood poker game.

Down to the last two in a heads-up, I have about 30% of the chips, so am definitely down. I finally get a hand - pocket 7s - that I can put my money on, so I go all in, and am instantly called. I'm facing another pocket pair. 8s.

At this point, I'm hoping for a 7 - nothing else will do. The first two cards on the flop are irrelevant, but the third is a 7! I have three of a kind and am likely to win. I just need to avoid an eight, and nothing can stop me.

So the turn is an eight.

We now both have a three of a kind, but my 7s still are inferior to the 8s. I need a miracle on the river.

The river is a seven.

Unbelieveably, I have four of a kind and win the hand. The way the final three cards were revealed was suitable of a Hollywood script. The only part missing was where my all in would win me the game. It didn't, I recovered to be ahead but couldn't get any decent hands and eventually lost. But it was still a frankly amazing hand.