Canada Cup Poker 2014

Part of the absorption that came with watching this year’s Canada Cup, one of the highlights of the poker calendar is the varying speed at which the game can go. The live stream from the official PokerStars channel featured all the action from the final table. At times, it was a tense situation with players taking their time over checks, raises and tactical re-raises. Given that the first prize was over a third of a million dollars, it was imperative for the nine players who got to the final table to be sure that they were making the right call.

From 578 entrants, the final nine went down to an-all Canadian five before settling down to the last standing four contestants. The action culminated in an unprecedented finish with four-way all-in. This was no time for poker faces, just simply laying the cards on the table and seeing what the flop, turn and river had in store. As the fifth card was put down, psychiatrist Robert Notkin started celebrating as his pocket kings proved to be the superior hand to those of the other players.

His entrance to the tournament was a remarkable one, securing his place through a $30 buy in on a satellite game before seeing off all other challengers to take home the big pot. That’s the beauty of accessing poker through the official PokerStars channel. It’s compelling viewing with the silences between the calls and the raises likely to be more dramatic and telling than when the cards are actually dealt onto the table. Emerging out of the pauses, the bluffs and the tells, suddenly comes a piece of riveting drama that engages and amazes in equal measure.

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