Eight--Folding the Nuts

The World Series of Poker production staff were going through the endless process of reviewing hands for TV time.  From the floor, runners waited for a “big hand” to pop up, and then hurried over to the nearest cameraman.

In the editing room, one of the editors said, “This kid just folded the nuts.”  The editor rewound the hand, watching the player—not much more than a boy, scarcely 21 years old—play through from before the flop to his inevitable fold on the turn to a $7,400 chip raise.  “That kid didn’t even look at his cards.  Hey Jeanie, check this out.”

True enough, they both watched the kid fold QT on an AKJ4 rainbow board.

“Takes all kinds,” Jeanie commented over his shoulder.  Then something occurred to her.  “Hang on.  Rewind it to the beginning.”

They both watched the boy play through the hand again.  The kid raised preflop, got two callers, and flopped the nuts.  He led out for 2/3rds of the pot, got a fold and a call from the cutoff.  The turn 4 changed nothing.  The boy led out again, this time betting half the pot, the cutoff raised . . . and the boy folded instantly.

“Double-you tee eff,” Jeanie said.

“What.”

“What the fuck.  Did you see it?”

“See what?”

“That kid didn’t look at his hand.”  Jeanie whistled.  "What's his name?  Each time I look at him, he looks a year younger than last time."

A couple of mouse clicks later: "Capers.  Quincy."

"Huh," she said, wandering off and wondering if there was anything TV-worthy to be made out of this, leaving the editor to replay the hand one more time.