Bluffing Farha

This year many have been noting the 10th anniversary of Chris Moneymaker's WSOP Main Event victory, highlighted by his heads-up finale against Sammy Farha and that memorable "bluff of the century." Farha's appearance tonight to play Event #41 already had us thinking back to 10 years ago, although a hand just now occurring at his table brought it all back even more vividly.

We arrived on the river with the board showing , a decent-sized pot having been built, and Alberto Fonseca firing a big bet, forcing Farha into a minute or so of contemplation. Fonseca sat still as Farha eyed him, holding his shirt collar up to his chin and looking downward. Finally, Farha folded, at which point Fonseca suddenly sprang into action.

"I'll show you my big bluff," he said animatedly, turning over , and the table erupted in laughter.

"I never bluff!" said Fonseca with a wide grin as he tugged on his shirt collar. "I didn't want you to see my pulse!" he added, referring to how he'd been holding his shirt, and the table continued to laugh.

Farha's grin was nearly as wide. "The cards let you win," he said, indicating that he didn't have a hand with which to call him. "But you played it very well," he added.

It wasn't quite the bluff of the century, but the hand and Farha's amiable response certainly brought that earlier one to mind.