"You want a lawyer? Here's an attorney from Smith and Wesson!"
"We'd like to develop a gambling addiction, starting now." - Sam, on playing poker
Sam is a 6 foot tall anthropomorphic dog detective who originates from the comic turned point and click series Sam & Max: Freelance Police. He is one of the poker players in Poker Night 2.
Background
One half of the Freelance Police Duo, Sam made his debut in the first Sam & Max comic, Monkeys Violating The Holy Temple. He went on to star in the video games Sam & Max Hit the Road, Sam & Max Save the World, Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space, and Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse.
Sam spends his days shaking down bad guys and beating up ne’er-do-wells in the tri-state area.
Sam's Team Fortress 2 Unlock: The Bloodhound
The Team Fortress 2 unlock for Sam is his hat. Once unlocked, it can be used by the Sniper and the Spy.
Sam's Borderlands 2 Unlock: Max Mask
The Borderlands 2 unlock for Sam is the Max Mask. Once unlocked, it can be used by Mechromancer.
Poker Strategy
Sam tends to call or fold most hands, and will not act as an aggressive player. If Sam suddenly starts making large bets, you should probably fold unless you are very confident in your hand, because he is very confident in his. It is also in your best intrest to take advantage of any mistakes that Sam makes or any tells that he gives so that you can eliminate him early, because he is a pain to eliminate last.
Tells
Sam will drop down to the table when he has a bad hand.
Sam will Burrow his brow when he doesn't like the flop.
Sam will readjust his hat when he has a bad hand.
Sam will tug at his collar if he's bluffing
Relationship with Other Characters
Befitting his personality, Sam seems to be amicable towards everyone, easily engaging in friendly conversation. This causes most characters to act fondly toward him.
- Brock Samson: Sam and Brock don't have much in common to talk about, but still manage to get along well. Both seem to be curious about the other's life.
- Claptrap: Sam tolerates Claptrap more than the other characters, never outright displaying annoyance. However, if Sam is knocked out first, Claptrap may insult Sam behind his back, prompting a defense from both Brock and Ash.
- Ash Williams: Sam is similarly curious about Ash as he is Brock, but they also seem to share some common ground in their weird experiences. Ash finds Sam to be an odd creature, but finds him amusing.
- GLaDoS: The main exception to Sam's friendliness, GLaDOS can sometimes cause him to act distrustful. Her hostility and mocking, however, tend to bounce right off him, both from ignorance of her passive-aggression or simple lack of caring.
- The Player: Usually directing his attention toward the others, Sam still displays some friendliness towards The Player when addressing them directly. He still isn't above cracking jokes about his/her muteness, though.
- Max: Bosom buddies till the very end, Sam and Max have been inseparable since childhood.
Sam Trivia
- Sam has a very quick cameo in the original Poker Night at the Inventory. When you enter The Inventory, as you're going down the elevator, you can see Sam on the top floor. He adjusts his tie and then walks off to the right. This could be a reference to the G-Man from the Half-Life games made by Valve, who also adjusts his tie and walks away.
- Sam's model has been updated since his last appearance in 2010's Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse. His clothing and face shape have been changed to better reflect his appearance in the Sam & Max comics.