Three Poker Sessions

OK, just to catch up here, I had three sessions of poker this week.

- Sunday, Oct 28 - The first session was the $125+$100rebuy event at the Oaks. Let's just say I didn't do so well there and busted out in 63rd place out of 140 or so players.

- Tuesday, Oct 30 - Lucky Chances 1-1-2 No Limit table. OK, this was a lot of fun. There were some crazy ass young Asians at there, and they were maniacs. Gotta love 'em. Anyway, I was able to turn $200 into $500 in under 3 hours of play. Very profitable little session.

- Thursday, Nov 1 - Interesting way to kick off the month. Sat down to the NL table again and couldn't get anything going. Then, with my initial stack cut nearly in half, two big hands come up:

HAND #1: A Big Call for a Big Pot
A young, slightly erratic college kid puts out a "Live 8". That's when a player in first position decides to gamble and puts in a raise before the cards are even dealt. Not usually a wise bet, but it sometimes stirs up action and pays off if you the board hits you. Anyway, everyone folds to me in late position and I raise to $28 with KQ. Only the kid calls the extra $20. So we see a flop: 6-7-10 rainbow. The kid checks, and I check behind him, thinking he somehow hit either the 6 or 7. Then the turn comes: A big, ugly Ace. The kid immediately pushes all-in, about $64. Damn. Pretty much the worst card I can imagine. Now I have to think. About the math. About the kid's tendencies. About how he checked the flop. About how how he led out on the turn when the Ace came. It's time to go into the tank and suss it all out.

It slowly becomes clear to me that had the kid hit the flop in any way, he'd likely bet out immediately, probably all-in. There was already about $60 in the middle, and it would make sense to just make the move there, hoping I was holding overcards (which I was). It also seemed to me that if he was holding an Ace, he wouldn't push all-in when it came on the turn. I put him on a weak King or Queen. Specifically K2, K3, K4, K5, Q2, Q3, Q4 or Q5. Any other King or Queen hand and he'd have his chips in postflop with a pair, overcards, or straight draw.

Then there's the math. I'm holding KQ. The board is 6-7-10-A. And not only do I think that my hand may already be good. If I hit a King or Queen, I'm probably taking the pot. If the Jack comes, then I've got the nuts. On top of that, I'm paying $64 for a chance at a $115 pot. So I cowboy up, convince myself he's not holding an Ace or a pair, and call the $64.

The river card comes, and it's a lovely Queen. In the NL cash game, you don't have to show down your cards when a player's all-in. Without thinking, I showdown my hand, expecting it to be the winner. He disgustedly mucks his hand facedown, and doesn't tell. Whew! But what I'd give to know what he was holding.


HAND #2: Dan Sucks Out Big Time
Oh man. Bad poker alert here. At this point, I'm gettin' ready to leave. I sat down with $200, lost about half of it, and now I'm back up to about $190. In late position, I look down to find pocket Jacks. Always a trouble hand, but I have to play it hard, even if it means taking down a small pot. A couple of people limp in for $4, then a player in middle position bets out $12. A bit scary, as this would typically indicate either AK or a medium to big pair. Anyway, it's folded around to me and I decide to go big. I bump the bet to $42. Everyone folds to the initial raiser, and he reraises to $100 even. OK, it's now obvious that he has either Aces or Kings, most likely Aces. Like an idiot, I call. The flop is ridiculous, 2-2-3, with two spades. I think for awhile, look at my opponent, and push all in for my last $90, praying that maybe, just maybe he's got AK or pocket tens. Of course, he's got Aces. One a club, one a diamond. The turn brings a Queen of spades. I now have a glimmer of hope, as I'm holding a Jack of spades. The river brings a fateful 6 of spades, and this pot is mine. After profusely apologizing for my actions, I drag my 2nd big pot of the night.

Shortly thereafter, I leave the table, up to $380 from my initial $200 buyin. A $180 profit in two hours. Nothing wrong with that, except for the way I played.