Player Unaware of Initial Three Cards Draw in $5k Poker tournament at the River
In an unexpected turn of events during the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship, a three-card hand caused quite a stir on Saturday night. The unusual incident involved poker veterans Niall Costigan, Corey Harrison, and Daniel Cove.
The hand unfolded as follows: Niall Costigan raised with A♠ K♣, Corey Harrison called with A♣ J♠, and Daniel Cove called with K♥ J♣. The board came out 10♠ 8♣ K♠, hitting all three players in some way. Cove checked top pair to Costigan, who bet 5,000 with a superior kicker. Harrison folded his straight draw, but the big blind called to see the 8♦ pair the board on the turn.
The river was Q♥, which didn't improve either hand, but would have given Harrison a straight had he not folded the flop. Cove checked it back one last time, and Costigan bet 52,000, just over the size of the pot.
However, the drama didn't end there. Costigan discovered he had three cards after turning over his hand, which was not noticed earlier. He explained that he didn't value bet an ace that thin, and that he thought he had a pair of kings. Costigan argued that the pot should be split and that Harrison should receive his chips back.
The players debated if Costigan knew he had three cards. Brian Green, a fellow player at the table, claimed that Costigan knew he had three cards. The table went on pause while tournament staff determined a ruling. The floor manager announced that it's a three-card hand, making it a dead hand.
The controversy took place during Day 1b of the tournament, which attracted 458 players, with 431 on Day 1a, leaving 292 players for Day 2. Day 2 will start at noon ET on Sunday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
In a three-card hand, the highest rank of the three matching cards is considered, with kickers used as tiebreakers in five-card games. In this case, Costigan's three aces beat Cove's two aces and a jack, making Costigan the clear winner.
Despite the controversy, the tournament continues, and poker enthusiasts eagerly await the next twist in the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship.
News of the unusual three-card hand during the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship made headlines in casino-and-gambling news. The hand, involving Niall Costigan, Corey Harrison, and Daniel Cove, raised questions about gambling trends and honesty in casino-games. Amid the controversy, a floor manager ruled it as a dead hand, producing a winner in Costigan, who had three aces to Cove's two aces and a jack. The poker tournament continues with Day 2 starting on Sunday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
