Most Iconic Hands Played by Poker Pros

One of the most fun parts of being a fan of high-level poker is watching epic hands unfold, complete with a full view into what each of the famous players is going through. Online poker a game of skill and strategy, but so often, the hands that stick with us involve outrageously bold bluffs, killer reads, and a feel for the game that is almost mystical.

The legends of professional poker have nerves of steel and ice water in their veins to beat skilled opponents. Still, they also seem to know just when to unleash that volcanic heat to put their opponent under pressure that would break the majority of opponents. Come along and delve into some of the most legendary moments in poker history – these are the hands that time will never forget.

Doyle Brunson Rivers a Full House with Ten-Deuce

Ol’ Texas Dolly is one of the game’s longest-standing legends. Ridiculously, he’s won two World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event championships with the same hand: ten-two. This hand is now famously known as the “Doyle Brunson hand.”

In 1976, Brunson faced off against Jesse Alto in the WSOP Main Event. Holding ten-deuce, Brunson was up against Alto’s ace jack. The flop came ace-jack-ten, giving Alto two pairs and Brunson a lowly pair of tens. However, the turn and river brought another ten and a deuce, giving Brunson a full house and, ultimately, the championship. This was really the mother of all suck-outs. Remarkably, Brunson repeated this feat the following year with another ten-deuce against Gary Berland, solidifying this hand’s legendary status.

Of course, it wasn’t all dumb luck for Dolly. Beyond the ten-deuce hands, Brunson has accumulated ten WSOP bracelets and numerous cash finishes. He also wrote Super/System, a book that was required reading back when quality poker books were few and far between. He’s a legitimate killer at the tables, but we’ll never forget that Lady Luck was absolutely, unequivocally on his side when he needed her most.

How did the hand play out?

Brunson’s hand against Alto had him all in on the flop. That’s right. With bottom pair, he called an all-in bet in a desperate spot and was bailed out by a runner-runner full house. No risk, no reward, right? Brunson is a risk-taking madman, but it clearly pays to be the luckiest man in the room.

Chris Moneymaker Bluffs the Bluffer

Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 WSOP Main Event win is often credited with sparking the poker boom. An amateur player at the time, Moneymaker’s victory demonstrated that anyone could win big in poker, given the right combination of skill and luck. One of the most iconic moments of his triumph was his epic bluff against Sammy Farha.

Farha is a puckish trickster. Chatting up opponents with a glint in his eye, you just know he’s putting that masterful mind of his to work scanning the enemy’s soul for any scrap of information he can glean from the interaction. He’s really not a guy you would pick to bluff if you were picking.

In a pivotal hand, Moneymaker held king-seven, while Farha had queen-nine. The flop came nine-two-six, giving Farha top pair and Moneymaker nothing but air. Moneymaker continued to bet aggressively, however, pushing Farha to fold on the river despite having the better hand. This daring bluff, which came to be known as the “bluff of the century,” showcased Moneymaker’s fearlessness under some very bright lights.

Moneymaker’s story is particularly inspiring due to his humble beginnings. As an accountant who qualified for the WSOP Main Event through a $39 satellite tournament, his success illustrated the accessibility of poker and the potential for life-changing wins. His victory not only transformed his life but also helped spark the online poker fad, bringing waves of new players to the game for years.

How did he pull it off?

Moneymaker’s bluff was quite straightforward. By maintaining a confident demeanor and aggressive betting pattern, he convinced Farha that he held a stronger hand. This move was incredibly risky, as Farha might have been willing to make a very cold call. Farha’s hand just wasn’t strong enough, and his read on Moneymaker’s range was that he probably was beat in too many situations to look him up. The hand underscored the importance of reading opponents and the power of a well-timed bluff in poker. A marginal hand can take down a serious pot if you have the stones to play it right.

Phil Ivey’s Overpair is No Good

Let’s bring back in Moneymaker and see how he does against one of the most lethal poker players of all time: Phil Ivey.

Phil Ivey has had numerous iconic hands throughout his career. One standout moment occurred during the same 2003 WSOP Main Event, where Ivey faced off against Moneymaker in a high-stakes hand pitting aces against kings.

Ivey held the pocket rockets, while Moneymaker had the kings. The flop came king-ten-nine, giving Moneymaker trips and putting Ivey in very bad shape. Despite holding the best pre-flop hand, Ivey’s aces were now behind. The turn and river failed to improve Ivey’s hand, and Moneymaker’s kings held up. Ivey was eliminated right then and there.

So, should you fold aces? What’s the lesson?

In this hand, Ivey was all in preflop. It’s statistically a solid play. You’ve got the best hand you can have, and at worst, you’re even with your opponent (if they also have aces). But sometimes, you get cracked by kings, or worse. Anything can come in those five cards on the board, and most hands are not safe until the very end. Pocket aces teach us time and time again that nothing is guaranteed. However, if you can only bring one hand to a showdown, this is always going to be the one you want, no matter how many times it burns you.

Johnny Chan and the Rounders Hand

Johnny Chan’s back-to-back WSOP Main Event wins in 1987 and 1988 cemented his status as a poker legend, back before most people even knew there was such a thing as the WSOP. One of the most iconic hands from his 1988 victory was immortalized in the cult-classic movie Rounders, where he faced off against Erik Seidel.

In the final hand, Chan held jack-nine while Seidel had queen-seven. The flop came queen-ten-eight. Chan had a locked in straight, while Seidel had top pair. Chan led the betting, and Seidel raised. Rather than go all in, which so many rookies would do, Chan laid a beautiful trap. He took a long time, pretending to consider a weak position, and then called. When the turn came (no help to Seidel), he checked. Seidel checked back, and the river card came down. Chan had the nuts. But this is the beauty part: he checked again. This was all the signal Seidel needed to jam all his chips into the pot. He got called, lost the tourney, and was immortalized falling into one of the classic traps of poker.

It’s no surprise why Chan has ten WSOP bracelets. He’s a skillful serpent at the tables. But would you be surprised to find out that Seidel also has ten bracelets? What a pair of opponents.

Why did Seidel shove?

The simplest explanation (other than the fatigue that comes with going on such a deep run in the WSOP) is that Chan tricked him. Chan’s act that he put on, pretending to need time to think about whether to call, worked well. He played the hand about as slow as you can, which made Seidel overconfident. Also, don’t overlook the small flop bet. It wasn’t a pure slowplay from the beginning. He made it look like he stabbed at a pot with meager holdings. This really threw off Seidel’s read, with disastrous consequences.

Stu Ungar, the “Comeback Kid”

Stu Ungar, often regarded as one of the most naturally gifted poker players, has a personal story filled with triumph and tragedy. Ungar won the WSOP Main Event three times, with his final victory in 1997. Known for his aggressive style and sharp mind, Ungar’s ability to read opponents was pretty much unparalleled.

But that’s not what his iconic hand was about in this case.

In the final hand of the 1997 WSOP Main Event, Ungar held ace-four while his opponent, John Strzemp, had ace-eight. Ungar was dominated. The flop came ace-five-three, confirming that Ungar was in bad shape. His opponent made a bet, and Ungar shoved, perhaps hoping to take down the pot right there. Strzemp called, however, and now Ungar needed a four to complete a straight or a deuce to give him two pairs.

The turn card was a three.

Now, both players had aces and threes. It was all over unless Ungar could land a deuce and make his straight on the river, which he did, securing the championship. This victory marked a significant comeback for Ungar, who had faced numerous personal and financial challenges, and the hand was as lucky as they could get. Fans will always remember the ace-four that brought Ungar back to the top of the world for another shining moment in an impressive career.