Ride the Rausch
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"Oh, you got me," said John Rausch, standing as he tabled the 
. "I was just trying to make a play, nice hand..."
Rausch had moved all in over the top of a bet on the 
flop, risking his last 18,225, and his opponent snapped off the bluff with 
for bottom two pair.
"Nice hand," offered Rausch once more, as the dealer burned and turned. "I need an eight dealer."
The turn card brought no eights to the table, as the 
arrived instead, and when the 
fell on the river Rausch's opponent exhaled in relief.
"Scared me for a minute there, looked like an eight," the player said, not comprehending that a nine on the river spelled doom nonetheless.
"Straight!," exclaimed Rausch, realizing after a beat that the river had saved him from a short Main Event appearance. "I have a straight!"
His opponent curtailed his premature celebration, peering across the table at the board to get a better look at the carnage, before slumping down with his head in his hands.
"Sorry man, I had to do it, only had 5,000 left," said Rausch in consolation, suggesting that he had committed himself to the hand with his postflop betting line. With the win, Rausch regained his traction and moved back above the starting stack to begin the third level of play.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
39,575 |