There's been a lot of discussion over the tables about the unique 2-7 Triple Draw rules that are used here in the Crown Poker Room, which, according to the players, are vastly different than everywhere else in the world.
For starters, there is no burn card. That's caused the most ruckus, but perhaps the other rule is just as odd, but it's based on the cash game rules which also apply to all draw games, as per the legislation set down by the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation (VCGR), the governing body for all gambling activity throughout the state.
As opposed to the draw and action both starting with the small blind, the current rule states that while the draw starts with the small blind, the action begins with the player under the gun (first past the big blind).
Suffice it to say, the rule can't be changed now, but there are certainly more than a few players that are strongly voicing their opinions about it. We're sure that Crown will be making the appropriate changes in the future.
Derek Choi has clashed with Richard Ashby in a recent hand on table 47 as the action continues here in the $10,500 8-Game Mixed Event.
We caught the action as Choi and Ashby checked fifth street, Choi then check-called Ashby's bet on sixth street before both players checked seventh street.
Choi: /
Ashby: (X)(X) / / (X)
Choi's pair of kings were enough to see Ashby send his hand into the muck.
Bruno Portaro brought in and the action folded around to Daniel Alaei who raised it up before Jamie Pickering and Portaro called.
Pickering and Portaro check-called after Alaei's bet on fourth street, then Pickering and Portaro checked again on fifth street where Alaei fired out again. Portaro was the only caller, so it was heads-up into sixth street.
Portaro check-raised Alaei's bet, Alaei reraised and Portaro called before Portaro check-called Alaei once more on the river.
The action folded around to David Oppenheim in the hijack, who made a pot sized raise. Maria Ho made the call from the cut-off and Joseph Serock would come along for the ride in the small blind.
Flop:
Serock fired out 1,500 which was too much for Oppenheim who elected to fold. When play came to Ho she would raise to 4,800. Serock then proceeded to push his stack in the middle and following suit, Ho made the call.
Ho:
Serock:
Serock would be in front with his top-set, but Ho's nut-flush draw and bottom-set would still have some outs.
The on the turn changed very little and as the rolled off on the river it was Serock's pot to take, moving himself up to over 40,000 while Ho slips to only a few thousand.
Jeffrey Lisandro raised under the gun and when the action folded around to Maria Ho in the big blind she would re-raise.
The two players took one card each and then elected to check. On the next round, Lisandro led out and took one card as Ho made the call and stood pat. Lisandro would take another card on the next draw as he would check-call again. Lisandro led out on the last betting round and having taken no cards in the previous two draws, Ho would raise.
Lisandro made the call and mucked his hand as Ho turned over and took down the pot.