This can only happen in a cash game...

...And only in Vegas.

On my day off I found myself downtown late at the $1-$2 table behind the photographs of Poker's Hall of Fame members in Binion's Poker Room.  Binion's is where the World Series of Poker originated and where "Nick the Greek" Dandolos lost over $2 million to Johnny Moss in a heads up match that lasted some five months and ended with the famous line, "Mr. Moss, I have to let you go."

I raised to twelve from the button holding a king and queen, both hearts and got two callers.  The flop didn't exactly cooperate when it came down A - Q - 6 with two spades but my callers checked to me and I led out with twenty-five which got a call from a Frenchman in seat two.  He checked the ten that fell on the turn and I checked behind.  The deuce of spades came on the river completing the possible flush.  The Frenchman led out with fifty which made me pause and think.  Then, as I cut out fifty in chips considering a call he said something to me about calling "that".

I said, "you know, that's a very dangerous board out there.  The flush got there. The Broadway straight got there and anyone with two big cards probably made two pair."

He didn't seem very confident asking, "Are you calling, then?"

"I'll make you a deal.  I won't call your fifty if you give me half of what's in the pot."

What?"

"You keep that fifty you just put out and we'll just split what's in the middle."

Pause to think.  "Alright then."

The dealer, who was following this exchange like a spectator at a ping pong match looked at me with a "what do I do now" expression and I told him, "Go ahead and split the pot. We're good."

Honestly, I was shocked that it actually worked.  The only thing I could beat was a bluff.  If he actually had a flush or a straight (or a pair of brass balls) he would never have agreed to the split.  He would have insisted on taking the whole pot unless I paid to see his hand.  On the other hand, with me showing some strength earlier and seriously considering calling, he was happy to take half the pot with his bluff.  That way he comes away a winner rather than losing the pot plus his fifty dollar bluff.  The more I think about it, if he was simply bluffing, taking half the pot without showing his cards must have seemed like a pretty good deal, almost as good as taking the whole pot with the bluff.

I seriously doubt that I could pull that off in the Poker Room at the Hard Rock in Tampa, but this is Binion's baby, and this is Vegas.