MOOSE JAW — Moose Jaw’s own Dean Holbrook pulled off an extraordinary feat this month at the Moose Jaw & District Senior Citizen’s Association (MJDSCA), playing one of the rarest hands in poker — the ever-elusive royal flush.
“Yeah, that’s the first one I’ve ever got, and I’ve been playing poker since 1959,” Holbrook said about his recent hand.
Holbrook said he needed a moment to let everything sink in and witnessed a look of shock on the faces of his opponents at the table.
“They were pretty well shocked because I took all the chips,” he said with a chuckle.
The royal flush is the highest ranking hand in poker and consists of an ace, king, queen, jack, and 10 of the same suit. It’s also the rarest possible hand in Texas Hold ’em, with the odds of being dealt one estimated at around one in 649,740.
To put that into perspective, you’re more likely to be struck by lightning in your lifetime — a one in 15,300 chance assuming the average 80-year lifespan, according to the U.S. National Weather Service — than to be dealt a royal flush in a single hand.
This was the first time Holbrook was ever dealt the hand, and the closest he had come previously was a straight flush consisting of a jack, 10, nine, eight, and seven.
“I had that (straight flush) when I first started playing, but this was the first royal flush I’ve had,” he confirmed.
Holbrook’s exceedingly rare hand was observed by Earl Berard, the Texas Hold ‘em co-ordinator for the MJDSCA and the official timekeeper during the match.
“Oh, it was an exciting moment,” Berard said. “When he laid the cards down, I looked at him and said, ‘You got a royal flush here.’ And he said, ‘By God, I got a royal flush!’”
Holbrook is still excited about his hand. “Well, it’s a once in a lifetime thing,” Berard explained. “It’s just like getting a hole in one golfing, an eight-ender in curling, or a no-hitter in baseball.”
To further demonstrate how rare the hand is, Berard said that he’s only seen two other people get a royal flush in his lifetime.
In his closing remarks, Holbrook shared some simple poker advice — aside from playing against him with great caution, of course. “Everybody can win (at poker), as long as you get the cards.”
Each card game at the MJDSCA costs $7 for members and the atmosphere is one of simple enjoyment. Card games typically draw around 20 players and progress in 15-minute intervals with 110 chips of various denominations assigned at the start. There are no cash prizes, but the top four players do receive recognition.
“We welcome players. It’s a very sociable game (and a) very friendly game,” Berard said in his concluding remarks. “You will meet a lot of great people.”
Texas Hold ‘em is played on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the year starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Timothy Eaton Gardens. New players are always invited to stop by during any game night and can play free of charge on three separate occasions before a membership is required.
Memberships for the year cost $50, with an enhanced $75 annual membership including the use of the walking track and fitness centre onsite in the basement.
For more information about , visit or call the association at 306-694-4223.
The Eaton Centre is located at 510 Main Street North.
