Merson Muscles Table

[user253725]

Level 17 : 3,000/6,000, 1,000 ante

We arrived at the table on the turn to see defending champion Greg Merson bet out 36,000 with on the board. Robert Kairnes thought for a moment, then called. The fell on the river, and Merson announced he was all in. Kairnes clearly didn't like this development. He sighed, rechecked his cards, looked at the board, and went into the tank. Kairnes had 360,000 behind, and Merson had him covered, so if he called and lost he'd be eliminated.

After a couple minutes, Kairnes turned to the dealer and asked if he was allowed to expose his cards, and if he did would he be given a penalty. According to tournament rule #105, he would, in fact, be penalized, but the dealer elected not to answer the question herself, instead turning to find a floorman. There was no floorman nearby, and the dealer enlisted the help of a nearby TV camera crew to to find one. It turned out to be unnecessary, however, as Kairnes tossed his cards into the muck, without having exposed them, before any floor personnel arrived. Merson won the pot with his big bet.