My Hand vs. Harrington

My favorite hand of the WSOP this year is a hand I played with Dan Harrington. I actually lost this pot but I am lucky I didn't lose a lot more. With about 25 people to go I found myself in about average chip position. Dan Harrington had roughly the same number of chips as myself and raised in the cut-off seat. I looked down in the big blind and saw K8 suited and called. I had been playing pretty tight and thought Dan may have been trying to take my blinds. I had let him do this a couple times already and thought this would be a good time to defend. I considered a reraise hoping to win the hand right there but instead just called. The flop came 2 4 K rainbow and I checked thinking I probably had the best hand. Harrington checked behind me and I didn't like his body language. Something told me to be careful. This is where things got interesting. The turn came 8. With about 800,000 in chips each and around 40,000 in the pot I bet 35,000. Harrington thought about it and just flat called my bet. Immediately I felt like something was wrong even with top 2 pair. The river came Q for a final board of 2 4 K 8 Q, and I immediately checked. Harrington thought about it and bet 80,000. I ended up deciding that I had to call even though I felt I was most likely beat. I was getting great pot odds and I didn't want to get run over. Harrington did turn over pocket 4's and when I showed him my K8 he was in disbelief. The hand would have been much different had he raised me on the turn but he didn't and I had more than enough chips to continue on in good shape. He told me the next day that he couldn't believe I didn't lose more on that hand. When he told me that it made my year... well that and the final table appearence and the money. Harrington was quiet at the table as you would expect but was funny and very respectful of all the players. I just wish I would have filled up on the river.