LUCKY OBAMA TRUMPS CLINTON CARDS!

With stakes high in the US presidential contests, Nevada's heritage of Las Vegas gambling and the Wild West helped decide at least two tied caucus votes. It wasn't a High Noon quick draw that resolved the stalemate between Democrat nominees Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama - but a pack of cards.

Under party rules, a pack was shuffled and a supporter from each camp asked to pick a card. Mr Obama won both times. The quirk had little effect overall, and Mrs Clinton won the popular vote. The votes were tied after Saturday's caucuses by 26 votes each at a district in Genoa and 24-24 at Zephyr Cove near Lake Tahoe.

At an elementary school in Genoa, caucus chairman Nancy Downey shuffled the pack of cards - which happened to have "Hillary" printed on the back - and spread them out on a table.

Clinton supporter Greg Kuntz pulled out a five. An Obama supporter picked a king, clinching the vote, and securing an extra delegate to the next round of voting, when about 10,000 delegates meet at county level. "I drew the five to lose to the king," Mr Kuntz told the Associated Press. "Only in Nevada."

Mr Obama's luck held in Zephyr Cove and his supporters again won the traditional Old West tiebreaker by picking a nine and trumping the Clinton camp's five.
BBC NEWS REPORT.