Update April 9, 2004: See below.

Update Feb. 1, 2004: Thanks for playing and thanks to our three winners. The fat lady has sung and the Challenges are now over! But The Fat Guy hasn't finished singing and The Tertiary Adjunct to the Hammer Challenge continues (see below).
The Hammer Challenge III

I would like to propose a pokergrub contest to poker bloggers everywhere. It's called The Hammer Challenge. As you know, The Hammer is the worst hand in hold'em: 72 offsuit.*

Your big hands not holding up? Keep getting sucked out on the river? Tired of folding f'ing rags? Want to instantly tilt the table? Try playing The Hammer!

I'll send $5 to the first blogger to win with this hand. For every day that passes without someone winning, I will add $5. If no one has won after 50 days, the challenge is null and void (don't want to lose my shirt, dontchaknow).

Naturally, there are 8 Simple Rules for Winning The Hammer Challenge:

1) You must have an online poker journal
2) The game must be at least 1/2 online limit hold'em (no tournaments)
3) The game must contain a minimum of eight players
4) You cannot hold The Hammer in the blinds
5) The winning pot must be at least $5
6) You must show your cards, even if you are not called
7) In chat, you must type: "HAMMER!"
8) You must forward me the hand history, so you must play at a site capable of hand histories

That's all -- go to it! I'll post here as soon as someone wins, along with the monster hand.

Updates

The Hammer Challenge I of $20 was won Jan. 15, 2004 by Jason of Stick and Move.

The Hammer Challenge II of $20 and Positively Fifth Street: Murderers, Cheetahs, and Binion's World Series of Poker (courtesy of The Fat Guy) was won Jan. 18, 2004 by Paul at Intrepid Card Player.

The Hammer Challenge III of $65, a leather wallet, and a Terrible's t-shirt was won Jan. 31, 2004 by The Penguin at The Poker Penguin.

The Fat Guy also wants The Hammer phenom to spread and offers The Tertiary Adjunct to the Hammer Challenge. You don't have to win with The Hammer and you don't even have to have a poker blog. Just be witness to someone who wins with it and then yells "HAMMER!" in chat (not you; the winner has to have typed that). Forward the hand history to him and win your choice of a (used) Amazon gambling book, a tray of clay poker chips, or a couple decks of Faro cards.




$10 for 30 Days with The Hammer

Sign up to PartyPoker using the code HAMMER and then send me your username and email so I can verify and put you on the clock. For the next 30 days, every time you win with The Hammer by playing on your new Party account, I'll give you $10 (up to a maximum of $300, paid in one lump sum right into your account). This code will also get you a 20 percent bonus (up to $100) on your first deposit.

The above 8 Simple Rules for Winning The Hammer Challenge still apply for your 72o to qualify, except for the first one (anyone may participate, not just bloggers).

(If you already have a Party account, the same offer applies to The Gaming Club Poker if you sign up using this link and play your Hammers there. Your first deposit of $50 will also get you a $50 bonus.)

(If you already have Party and TGC accounts, the same offer applies to Absolute Poker if you sign up using this link and play your Hammers there. You'll also get a 20 percent bonus (up to $100) on your first deposit.



* Okay, The Hammer isn't specifically the 72o hand. At least not officially. In poker, the hammer is defined as the last position (the cut-off), particularly when you're heads-up. The 72 offsuit got the nickname The Hammer from my home game, and my mission is to adopt it into legitimate Oxford Dictionary poker parlance. Let's make it official and play The Hammer on the hammer!

ยง