Not every hand has to result in a winner to be dramatic, and such was the case just now on table 90.

The hand began with three players seeing the flop, which came down . Maxime Roby (below, left) was first to act, and bet 4,000. Another player folded and the last remaining player in the hand, Christian Barbeau, decided to call. Down came a , and this time Maxime checked. Christian raised to 7,000 but was check-raised to 21,000 by Maxime. Christian took three or four minutes to decide, but eventually called.

It seemed to the others at the table like a strange play at first, only to call – particularly since he had less than 10,000 left in his stack afterwards. He had already put around 28,000, so why not shove?

The river card was an which garnered an insta-shove of Maxime’s remaining 20,000. Surely Christian was committed at this point, and had no choice? He wasn’t sure. So unsure of his play in fact that he tanked for more than five minutes. Everyone wondered what he was pondering, but they were patient and no one called time. Eventually he called the all-in, and Maxime flipped over his cards.

Perhaps the table expected a muck, but everyone erupted in smiles and laughter when both players flipped over identical pocket eights. The dealer chopped the pot and dealt the next hand.