NATAN WAGER (Team Costa Rica)

VS

Reidar Monsen (Team Norway)

Last night as I departed Riverside Studios, I happened upon the Costa Rican team. They stood at curbside, speaking in rapid-fire Spanish with tense looks on their faces. My rudimentary understanding of the language allowed me an ever-so-simple understanding of the conversation. They were working out their line-up for the final. They looked up at me knowing full-well who I was and knowing I was no threat, but hushed their voices as if I might be a spy for the Norwegian team.

The line-ups are submitted confidentially, with no small amount of thought put into who goes first, who goes next, and so on. Like they would at a poker table, Team Costa Rica tried to anticipate who Norway would put up first. Costa Rica decided that their attorney, Natan Wager, would draw the first run at Team Norway.

Elsewhere in the building, Team Norway had put up Reidar Monsen.

It promised to be a good match, but promises, I suppose, are made to be broken.

On the very first hand, Monsen got dealt pocket aces and chose to play them slow. What at first seemed like a good idea turned ugly when Wager turned his flush. That put Wager out to an immediate 2-1 chip lead.

Ten hands later, it was over. Wager flopped a full house, fours full of sixes, and had no problem calling Monsen's all-in as Monsen semi-bluffed on a flush draw.

Eleven hands and Costa Rica Opened up a lead for the championship.

Team Costa Rica: 1, Team Norway: 0