We all thought that last weeks game took too long, so we eliminated three of the blinds levels. This moved things along pretty quick. It was the kind of night I like. I didn’t get any lucky draws, and I didn’t get any bad beats. That’s not to say there was no luck, but that every time there was a big hand, it was decided by what the players had before the money was committed. There was only one case where I made the right decision but got screwed by the cards, or made the wrong decision and got bailed out.
Notable hands:
- I have K-2 as the dealer, everyone has folded. I raise to 300, hoping to steal the blinds. The small blind folds, but the big blind calls me. The flop is A-10-10. He checks. I throw in another 400, which he calls. The turn is a blank, we both check. Now that I’ve shown weakness, he bets on the river.
I don’t think he has an ace. I don’t think he has a 10. This guy knows me, and knows I like to pick up cheap blinds from late position. I think he’s sick of me and he’s pushing back. And the bet of 400 is weird. When he has a winning hand he is never shy about putting in a big bet. 400 into a 1500 pot? I have to call. He turns over K-8. Neither of our kickers play and we chop the pot. I think both of us played that hand well. - I have K-K. I go over the top on a big raise pre-flop, I’m all in. He calls with A-10. He gets the Ace. Garghdarnit! That was my bad beat of the night. (He had a lot less than me, so I wasn’t knocked out.)
- At 150-300 (and 25 antes) I have A-K. There are two callers before me, I raise it to 1,000. Surprisingly I get four callers. I thought my raises demanded a little more respect. The flop is A-x-x. Check, check, I go all in. Why not? The pot has ~5,000 in it, I’ve only got a few thousand more, it’s an easy decision. Yet, they all think about it, they all speculate what I have, he didn’t pick up the Aces did he, like I am some kind of crazy guy. The last person wanted to pay me to see my cards (I told him he could pay me by calling). They all folded, and I was back to average stack again.
- Down to 7 players. At 200-400 (50 ante), I have A-6 in medium position. I raise it 1,300 on a semi-bluff. I am raised to all-in. Gosh darn it. I know this guy, and he picks up a lot of pots going over the top. I know he is bluffing many times. Nyargh, I can’t call, he got me. I fold.
- The very next hand, I have A-6 of clubs. I put in the same 1,300. And the same guy goes in, but this time he just calls me. The flop is three clubs, I have the nut flush. Naturally I check. He does too. I check the turn. Just as I’d hoped, he makes a stab and bets 3,100. I think about it and go all in, only another 2700. But my acting is terrible. I knew it as soon as I did it, it was so far over the top with the “Why am I doing this!? I don’t want to do this!” body language that he folded instantly. Also, he probably had bupkis, that may have been a factor also. I think I could have gotten some more money out of him though, I didn’t get full value for my hand.
- Down to five players. I have 10-9 suited – what the heck, I limp in. The flop is 10-10-x. I check. The short stack moves all in and I call him. His pocket 5s don’t hold up against my set. In fact, another 10 comes up on the river, so I should say – his full house 10s over 5s don’t hold up against my four of a kind!
- Down to the final three. I get K-K. Play the guy like a fiddle to get him all-in, knock him out.
- I start heads up with a 4-1 advantage. The very first hand I have 10-6 and limp in. The flop is A-8-3. I check, he does also. The turn is a 7. What the hell, I throw in another 2,000. He only 6K or so, so I’m thinking even if he suspects I’m full of it he can’t call me. I’m wrong, he calls me. The turn is a 9. I am about to check when I realize I backed into a straight. Hey, how about that, I got a straight! I get him all in and knock him out. Yay!
I like nights without bad beats. It’s easier to figure out if you’re playing well or not because you can separate decisions from outcomes.
Tonight’s Total: $90