makes you wonder if the chop was locked down early and everyone just said SHIP IT!
Had a nice win Thursday. Was planning a 2 hr session at Red Rock. Table had a quirky twitchy guy that may have had Tourette’s. He had a big stack for 1-2. He wouldn’t look at his cards and raise large amounts when people bet. Was patient. He lost a good chunk then another guy took about $200 off him with a flopped boat leaving him with about $285. Two hands later I had As. UTG raised to $5. He raised to $15. Next player called $15. I raised to $60. First raiser w $270 left raised all in. I called. He had Ks. All low cards. Felt good. So many times it doesn’t work out.
This reminds me of a hand that I played at a neighborhood game that I am still thinking about.
It’s a friendly sit and go game, only 1 buy in allowed, all the same amount, so everyone started the same.
Pre flop, a decent player that I know raised big about 12 big blinds, about 20% of his stack, from middle position. He may as well have had a neon sign that reads “I have been dealt a high pair and I want you all to fold” but he gets a big call from the guy on my right. I don’t know this villain #2 so well, and I think he could have a similar big pair, or suited connectors that I think makes sense for his range. I am on the button with 9-10 offsuit, but the blinds are yet to act. I folded, then the blinds folded. The flop comes 10-9-6 rainbow. On all streets, the aggressor bets, and the villain # 2 calls, but they both get it all in. I would not have read either of them to have 8-7 in their ranges the way they were betting. Turn & river were blanks.
The question is, should I have folded the 10-9? Was having “position” worth something here that I didn’t take into account?
Two pair would have won the hand. They both showed the same over-pair and split the pot, so it was a whole lot of excitement just to split the blinds.
remember, casual types don’t actually know much theory, so your use of theory against them is likely to be sub-optimal. They’re often like, “Maybe I’ll hit a pair!” when they’ve got J-7, so they’re willing to let it ride. Because you’re expecting them to act according to theory, and your theory is based on them making optimal plays, but since they aren’t likely to do so, your theory is wrong.
in that instance, I’d call to see the flop. Position is worth a lot in this situation. If one of the blinds comes over the top, you can get away from it if everyone is getting it in pre-flop.
And afterwards, just call them down. 2 pair is most likely going to be good against them, especially in rec games. Very few pocket pairs left (one pair of 10s, one of 9s, and several 6s, but those are all unlikely given the pre-flop betting).
solid player raises with you holding a clear read. wildcard calls and who knows what he has. You are the button and not going to raise. great position but what if the blinds raise? at 12x raise that’s an expensive play to call with 2 more to act, right? are the blinds short, and maybe figure this is their chance to shove and really get paid? are they big stacks who could shove and make everyone hurt? what’s your stack?
the villain #2 messes it up for me where T9o i think you fold without more info.
I likely would not call there with unsuited cards. At least if you had suited cards you would figure to hold an advantage over both of them if there was a draw on the board.
Seems like a trivial fold there even with position - I think you’re lighting money on fire in the long run making that call. There’s just too many situations where you flop top pair and are in a world of hurt if you’re against a better kicker, or worse a set (even if you block a lot of those combos). Flopping top two is one of the few flops you actually like and even then you’re susceptible to a lot of straight draws, being counterfeit if the board pairs low, etc.
Went to a relatively local casino today, lost $120 in cash game, then busted out of the tournament for $125.
Nothing of note, except when the dealer mucked the flop with a player still to act (to call all-in). Stopped the whole tournament while the TD checked the video, pulled out the flop from the muck and started back up.
Local card room after FF draft. Got there at 11, stayed until about 2. +$720.
Nothing memorable regarding hands (got KK at least three times), but my first table broke around 1AM or so, so I went to another table with a few big stacks, and a bunch of overbettors ($25 pre-flop on a $2/$3 table, then $100 opening bet after the flop). Nice if you get the nuts or several callers and a nice hidden drawing hand. One dealer pegged me as a STEM graduate, wanted me to tell everyone what I did for a living, which I thought would be unfair to me, so I declined.
Bump.
Forgot to report on Vegas back when wife went to see U2 with my son (I was a backup plan if he couldn’t make it) (also, I’ve seen them enough and the price was too high, and I prefer concerts that emphasize the music and not the distractions like videos that The Sphere is has in spades).
So, I got to drive to Vegas and play poker.
Ended +$1000 over two sessions. Unfortunately I don’t remember the details too much about it. Played at The Venetian while we stayed at The Mirage (no poker room) (all Sphere-close). Late in the final session, I rivered a straight to win a huge pot with 6-8: called preflop raise with a few other callers, 7-9 on flop, hit 10 on the river. One of the pre-flop callers folded before the river and claimed to have had J8 that would have won. I thought the flop and turn bets were too low to fold. But mine was outside draw and hers was an inside one.
There was an “internet gaming” convention in town, so some players from that.
Lower rake than CA, so a little less-wild pre-flopping going on. Easier to call with draws and implied odds to see what happens.
Next planned trip is to a Super Bowl camping weekend, where there is poker nearby.
Not to derail the thread–and you mentioned distractions–but how was the Sphere overall? Some friends are going for Phish in April, but I’ll let them be the guinea pigs. If it seems completely worth it I’m sure they’ll be back for another batch of shows next year.
And also nice result! The itch is coming on strong for me, I’ll have to make a trip to the local gambling den pretty soon. Playoff football time is a great time to go usually.
It is pretty awesome from the outside, and the pics she took were pretty awesome inside as well. The strategy, it seems is to stay away from the middle level, as some seats are slightly blocked somehow. Wife and son were on the floor, and U2 lets fan groups determine the queuing, which can lead to some people not understanding that. Fan groups allow people to “get in line” a day before the concert, getting marked by a sharpie with a number on the back of their hand and their name put onto a sheet of paper. People need to check back in at least once (5AM!) before the actual line forms.
Had a few hours to play on strip while wife was running errands last week. Cashed in a tourney at the new Horseshoe. I did River a J with Js against Ks to stay in. A lady that joined at the final call made final 4 and kept wanting to chop equally despite being short stacked. The guy on my right didn’t want to so I sided with him. Lady wouldn’t shut up for 20 mins about chopping. She got lucky on an all in where I had her dominated and I ultimately ended 4th. Told them it was the most unpleasant experience since the lady never shut up after she joined. The first 2 hours were fun.
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GG
Did the Blinds at the time make it a jam fest?
She was not willing to take a smaller cut?
She was not. The chip leader who didn’t want to chop said he would take proportional and she said no. They were high but not too high that someone was all in or everybody was out every hand.
Hit a local poker room.
End Up +$400.
There is some guy with a chick explaining the basics of the game to her throughout the process two seats away. He’s playing cute, limping with several high pairs. He does this with AA after a straddle, while I have QJ. Board is 10-8-x He bets $20 into a $20 pot. I call, two others call. I don’t have Pot Odds but I do have Implied Odds and position. Turn is the 9. Someone earlier bets $40. Villain calls and I call on a complete rainbow (no flush possible). Ace hits the river. Early player checks, villain bets $50. I think, then raise to $100. Early player folds, and he goes Hollywooding (has a fancy car showroom in North Hollywood (“NoHo” as in NoHo Hank from Barry)). I put on my bluffing face, to induce a raise. He thinks long and hard, has to impress the chick, after all. He calls (my bluffing face didn’t work) instead of raising then shows his pocket aces and complains/explains to his chick that he has to call, whines about it for several minutes to her, and I win a good amount. Overall easy table for an hour and a half of fun.
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Back to the local joint last Friday.
Good news is that I was dealt pocket aces at least five times in three hours. Lost only once to a guy with pocket 10’s and hit a 10 on the river. A small loss. Rest of the times I won big enough to leave +$400. Thought about hitting it on Sunday after the game but I was too cold to stop. (car has no heater, remember – another several outings and I might be able to afford a new car).
Hit a different local spot.
Waited an hour for a seat!
Played 3/5. $300-$1500 buy-in.
Tight agg table with unlimited Mississippi straddle.
I close a $30 raise with Q8 hearts.
Two hearts on the flop.
I call a $40 bet. Heart hits the turn, so i check.
I call another $40 after Hollywooding calculating the odds for another heart.
I check he bets i raise all-in. He flips over the flopped nuts Broadway and thinks about it. He eventually folds. “Good bluff,” he says.
After two hours net +$150.
Back to the same place Saturday night. Wait wasn’t as long, but zero 3/5 tables, and no interest. So, on the list for 1/2 and 1/3. Made $40 at the 1/2 and another $40 on the 1/3 after two hours. Had to get up early the next morning. Nothing memorable at this time.