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Sometimes a tournament is remembered for a champion.  Sometimes it's remembered for one hand.  Last night at the Raleigh Poker League, it was both.

Shull Train captured his league-leading 14th career bracelet, earning an incredible 16th consecutive Tournament of Champions qualification. But the road to the title hinged on a single showdown—and one magical cry heard by poker players everywhere:

"Presto!" (Pocket Fives.)

The Hand That Changed Everything

Three players remained, with the chips distributed almost perfectly:

• Shull Train: Approximately 50% of the chips

• Black Clover: Approximately 25%

• Stoneface: Approximately 25%

With roughly 15 effective big blinds, Black Clover opened from the small blind holding 6♦6♣. Shull Train looked down at 5♠5♥—Presto—and moved all in.

The decision wasn't automatic.  Black Clover took his time, carefully weighing the situation. He studied his stack relative to Stoneface's, considered the Independent Chip Model (ICM) implications, and knew that calling and losing would end his tournament while folding would leave him with a fighting chance.

Eventually, he slid in the chips.  The cards were turned over.  Black Clover had exactly what he wanted to see.  Until the turn.  A five.  Just like that, Presto performed its magic.  The set of fives sent Black Clover to the rail in third place, collected the bounty on last month's champion, and propelled Shull Train into heads-up play with a commanding lead.

One More Sweat

If the semifinal showdown wasn't enough drama, the very next hand nearly produced another stunning reversal.  Holding A♥5♥, Shull Train shoved from the small blind. Stoneface eventually looked him up with A6.  The flop...7-5-4.

Suddenly, everyone at the table leaned in.  Stoneface still held the better ace, but Train had paired his five while a straight draw loomed across the board, creating maximum suspense for both players.  The turn and river ran clean, the better ace never materialized, and Shull Train's pair held to end the tournament.

Two all-ins.  Two heart-pounding moments.  One more bracelet.

Final Table

🥇 1st — Shull Train 🏆 (14th Career Bracelet)

🥈 2nd — Stoneface

🥉 3rd — Black Clover (Bounty Collected)

4️⃣ Bodie Nov (aka Little Dawg)

5️⃣ Chris Ball

6️⃣ Daddy-O

7️⃣ Black Kat (Bubble Boy)

8️⃣ G Funk (Double Bubble)

Bonus Hardware

The champion wasn't finished collecting prizes.  Shull Train also claimed the night's Lowest High Hand award with Aces full of Sevens, a full house that may go down as the weakest hand ever to capture the league's high-hand prize.  It was split by Jeffy so this $300 was distributed at $150 each.

The Bottom Line

Bracelet No. 14.  Sixteen straight Tournament of Champions appearances.  Another bounty collected.  Another unforgettable final table.  And one little pocket pair that reminded everyone why poker remains the greatest game in the world.  Sometimes, all it takes is Presto!

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The cards weren't the only thing being dealt, though...

As part of the Raleigh Poker League's New Player Outreach Program, assistant deputies Jeffy and Shull Train welcomed newcomers Bodie, Bryce, and Julie with a complimentary breakfast featuring the finest cuisine available at 2 a.m.—Waffle House pancakes.

Between bites of syrup-soaked goodness, the veterans entertained the newcomers with legendary tales from RPL's glory days: unforgettable suckouts, infamous meltdowns, questionable bluffs that somehow worked, and the colorful personalities who helped build league lore. By the time the plates were cleared, the rookies had received a crash course in Raleigh Poker League history—and perhaps a warning that anything can happen once the cards are in the air.

Whether the pancakes will improve anyone's play remains unconfirmed, but the storytelling certainly set the stage for another memorable night at the tables when we return in August.