[A_C_Slater]

Here it is, it blatantly defies logic:

Date / Time: 2005-07-16 01:28:00
Title: Tex Barch Doubles Up Through Aaron Kanter
Log: Hand 131 - Joseph Hachem has the button in seat 1, and he raises to $480,000, winning the blinds and antes.


Hand 132 - Andrew Black has the button in seat 2, Hachem limps for $200,000, Barch limps from the small blind, and Kanter checks his option. The flop comes Kc-10s-7s, it's checked to Hachem, who bets $450,000, Barch reraises to $1,000,000, Kanter reraises to $2,000,000, and it's back to Hachem, who clearly didn't expect this. Hachem folds.


Barch thinks a bit, then reraises to $4,500,000. We have a huge pot, and the preflop action was nothing but limpers. What does everyone have? Pocket sevens? As-Ks? Qs-Js? A bluff?


Minutes pass as Kanter's mind works through the possibilities. The crowd starts to get a little restless, and you can hear the murmur as everyone has their own theories about who has what, and whether or not Kanter will stay in the hand.


After several very long minutes, Aaron Kanter quietly says, "All in." Now the spotlight is back on Tex Barch. He stands up to think, and after another minute or two he makes the call.


Tex Barch shows Kd-7d (two pair), while Kanter has Kh-5d (one pair). Kanter needs to hit a ten or something runner-runner to win this pot. The turn card is the Qh, and Kanter needs to catch a ten or a queen to tie, chopping the pot.


The river card is the Jd, and Tex Barch has doubled up into the chip lead, with about $22,000,000. That was the biggest pot in World Series of Poker history.