169 Ways to Win: Doug Polk Takes on the Impossible Challenge

The Birth of the Bet
 

The idea originated from a friendly 'prop bet' with Taras Bobrovytsky, a Canadian investor and regular at Polk's home casino, the Lodge in Texas. Taras offered Polk $60,000 with the condition that Polk completes the challenge within a specified time. The rules were clear: for every hour of streaming, $5,000 would be deducted from the amount in favor of Taras. In other words, Polk started at +$60,000, with time working against him — after 12 hours, the entire lead would be gone, and if he hadn't completed all combinations, he would owe Taras from his own pocket.

Polk kicked off his marathon on Wednesday morning, streaming live on his YouTube channel. He played online cash games on ClubWPT, which he endorses. To maximize the number of hands, he opened four tables of the highest stakes the platform offered. At the start of the stream, Polk explained the rules and his plan to the audience: he had to win with each starting hand, and the challenge would only end once he completed all 169 hands. Polk chose an aggressive strategy — going for big bluffs and all-ins with weak cards to secure the necessary pots. His unconventional play changed the table dynamics, forcing others to adjust to the unpredictable moves of a high stakes legend.

Technical and Mental Challenges
 

The challenge was not just about poker, but also technical and mental endurance. Polk prepared a grid of 169 combinations in advance and crossed off each hand as he won. A team member supervised the checklist, but amidst the intensity, a small mistake occurred (more on that later). Mentally, Polk faced long hours of concentration — monitoring four tables simultaneously, seeking opportunities to win with weak hands, and constantly watching the ticking clock. “It was mentally taxing. I knew every 60 minutes meant thousands of dollars disappearing,” Polk confessed afterward. Despite the stress, he maintained a cool head and his characteristic sense of humor, entertaining viewers throughout the stream.

The challenge started spectacularly for Polk — within the first three hours, he crossed off over half the combinations. Strong hands like AA, KK, or AK posed no problem, and he managed to outplay opponents with average cards as well. After approximately 5 hours, he had 158 combinations completed, leaving only 11 unfinished. As expected, the toughest hands remained.

Dramatic Finale and Costly Mistake
 

After about 6.5 hours, Polk had only 4 remaining combinations on his checklist — coincidentally, all were suited variations of weaker hands. He knew the hardest part lay ahead. It took nearly another 3 hours before three of these four combinations were completed. The final hurdle was the last combination — J-3 suited.

Then an unexpected mix-up occurred. Polk realized that in the heat of play, a clerical error had been made: his team mistakenly crossed off the 5-4 offsuit combination earlier than he had actually won with it. Tension filled the stream, and Polk lightened the mood with his typical sarcasm. “I think we made a mistake here at Polker News Productions and I want to take full responsibility for what an unbelievable idiot this employee is. No one else is to blame but him — and me, since I hired him,” Polk humorously scolded his colleague.

Although said in jest, it was clear the mistake could cost him thousands more. There was no choice but to put 5-4 offsuit back in play and attempt to win with it belatedly, even though it should have been completed earlier. Fortunately, within an hour, the combination came up, and Doug didn't hesitate to go all-in preflop against an opponent's pocket kings (KK). This time, fortune favored him as he hit a full house. This lucky win brought him closer to success, leaving only the final J-3 suited combination.

Time was ticking — Polk had been playing for about 10 continuous hours when he finally got J c 3 c. Without hesitation, he went all-in when an opponent opened with a raise from UTG, making an instant shove that represented 39 times the original raise! Viewers held their breath as the opponent folded, and the bluff succeeded. The challenge was complete — Doug Polk did it! The grid of 169 combinations was fully filled, and cheers erupted in the YouTube chat.

A Triumphant, Yet Costly Victory
 

Polk completed this unique challenge in approximately 10 hours and 4 minutes, leaving him with a time cushion before the 12-hour limit. Taras Bobrovytsky, who initiated the challenge, had to pay Polk the remaining amount of around $10,900. Ironically, Polk lost a significant amount in the process — he dropped about $15,000 pursuing victory. Yet, as he wryly noted, he “paid for the experience” and especially valued completing the challenge and entertaining poker fans.

The poker community reacted swiftly. Many players and commentators praised Polk's determination and creativity. Completing the 'All 169 Hands Challenge' live is seen as great promotion for poker — proving that even online cash games can provide a dramatic spectacle worthy of television. Polk’s showmanship shines through once more, though he admitted he’d take a break from such antics: “Thanks to everyone who cheered. It was tougher than I expected — but what a ride!” he told fans.

Sources – PokerNews, YouTube, X, Poker.org