Big Slick Versus Queens... But Not

Jacques Ortega raised in middle position to 2,500 and action folded to Marijan Rankic in the big blind. Rankic responded with a three-bet to 11,000, and in unusual circumstances, this is where the hand ended.

After Rankic had put the chips out for his three-bet, the dealer instinctively pulled in his cards, adding them to the pile of already mucked cards.

The pot was heads-up, but only one player had cards.

The floor was called, and they ruled that Ortega would win the pot, as the last player with an active hand. Rankic, though, would receive some leniency given the circumstances, and was only forced to pay the 2,500 initial raise.

There were no complaints at the table with regard to the ruling.

Rankic advised it was pocket queens that had been pulled into the muck. "Queens?" asked Ortega, "I had ace-king".

"Maybe it was good for me then", responded Rankic, with both players having avoided the inevitable coin flip.