Content creator Doug Polk attempted to win with every no-limit hold’em starting hand within 12 hours playing online poker. He accomplished that goal against a fellow high-stakes grinder. But he technically lost money.
The co-owner of the Lodge Card Club near Austin, Texas took on the unique prop bet on ClubWPT Gold, the sweeps coin site he represents. Taras, who often plays in the big games on Poker at the Lodge, offered him a $60,000 head start.
Each hour he played, he owed Taras $5,000. So, if the challenge lasted, say, 10 hours, Polk would be up $10,000 ($60,000 – $50,000). But if he couldn’t accomplish the goal within 12 hours, he would owe his high-stakes pal $40,000. It didn’t come down to the wire, but it ended dramatically.
Heads-Up Poker Legend Takes on Crazy Challenge
Polk livestreamed all the online poker action on Wednesday on his YouTube channel. He laid out the rules right off the bat, and they were clear: Win with every starting hand while playing ring games at the highest stakes offered on ClubWPT Gold.
The heads-up poker legend played up to four cash game tables at a time. As the clock ticked, Taras’ side bet money owed to him decreased. But Polk would quickly cross a chunk of starting hands off the list. He was down to just four remaining hands just over six hours into the challenge. But it didn’t prove easy to finish it off, as he couldn’t just be dealt a specific hand. He had to win with every hand.
Eight hours into the stream, he picked up suited queen-five, one of the final two hands left to cross off his list. He raised from under the gun before facing a three-bet from the button and a four-bet from the big blind. Polk would move all in, which convinced both players to fold. That left him with just one more hand to get — suited jack-three.
Polk, about an hour later, made an unfortunate announcement to his audience.
“I think we made an error here at Polker News Productions,” Polk said. “I think five-four offsuit was not checked correctly, and I just want to be the first person to take responsibility for what a f*****g idiot my staff member was. There’s no one to blame here other than him, and I want to be the first to take full responsibility for that. No one is perfect, particularly him. And just because we didn’t make any errors, it doesn’t mean he didn’t ruin our day.”
“So, please add five-four off back to the grid, even though I’ve probably been dealt it 15 times by now. It’s going to cost me thousands of dollars. But don’t you worry, I’ll dock his next paycheck.”
Polk would pick up five-four offsuit less than an hour later, but he’d get it all in preflop way behind against pocket kings. Lucky for the three-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, he’d turn a full house and take down the pot.
That left him with just jack-three suited left to cross off, and this time it was for real. Polk would get the hand he needed, and was ready to make a play to finish off the challenge.
The under-the-gun player raised, and Polk, who was in the small blind with J♣3♣, moved all in for about 39 times the original raise. It was enough to force a fold and take down the pot to win the prop bet against Taras.
The challenge concluded just under 10 hours into the stream, which meant Taras owes him around $10,900 from the remaining side bet money. Polk, however, lost $15,000 in the cash games for a net deficit of approximately $4,100, making it a rare online poker challenge in which the winner technically lost.
