Damn it! Things were going along so smoothly.
Throughout the month, I have been finding mostly soft games at the Bike with many regulars who have enough tells and obvious betting patterns to yield good results for me. Then something happened...a good thing to start, then something else.
I was hanging at the usual Starbucks on Friday, talking to a girl who works there. I know her name but she just calls me "weird guy." (I don't know why.) She's only 18 and has a girlfriend so I am not thinking about anything beyond chatting. She's one of those rare well-read, smart, interesting eighteen-year-olds. We have cool talks about everything from books to sex. On this day, we got to talking about getting high. It told her I have never had my own stash, only ever smocking out when it was offered to me when hanging out. Then she asked, "What are you doing later?" I'm playing poker. "What time?" Around 8:30. "Oh." Why. "I was going to offer to smoke you out." She seemed a bit disappointed. I was flattered and a little excited, feeling very much accepted. But I had to decline. I was in full poker mode. I had to stick to my plan and keep playing this month. But I asked for a rain check.
I arrived at the Bike a little after 9pm as usual and got into a 5-5 NLH game. Sadly, everyone at the table was really quiet, appearing very suspicious though not involved in a hand at the time. As always, that is not a good seat for me, especially since most of these guys were pretty tough competition. They weren't going to call off a bunch of chips with an inferior hand. So I would have to get lucky. I did so early on flopping two-pair from the big blind in a limped pot. An aggressive player across the table in late position was doing the betting so I decided to let him. He bet on the turn and river and I flat called each time feeling that he would not call a raise at any time. I was right. He was betting with nothing.
A short while later, I was sitting on a smidge over 400 (my buy-in amount) when I found J-J UTG in a straddled pot. There were a couple callers then the straddle made it $50 to go. $40 more to me and I had to decide whether to call or raise...I wasn't going to fold. I wanted desperately to put him on A-K but couldn't. Instead, I figured him for Q-Q. If I was right, I would need to out flop him to win. Calling was the correct play here.
I did and saw a J-high flop with two diamonds. The straddle lead out for $75 and, again, I had to decide whether to raise or call. He had me covered and I had about 350 behind so he could find some fold equity if I did raise. I opted to use my position and let him continue betting into me. The turn was a Ten that change nothing for me. This time, he bet out $125. It was time for me to make a move. I went all-in figuring he was committed if my read was correct. After a little thought, he called the additional $225. I had made the perfect play because the river brought the Ad which would have been an action killer. I tabled my set and he mucked. For some time after that, I could tell he was looking over at me, maybe wanting to say something. It wasn't until later, at another table, when he said, "Why did you have to flop a set?" He also revealed that he did have an over pair. My read was good.
However, the table was still not good for me. I was sitting with 900 after getting lucky. I had only been in play for an hour and a half. I wanted to cash out but just couldn't get myself to walk away. I wanted to be good to the game and maximize my potential. But there wasn't much potential there. So I was only being good to the game. I leaked 100 back over the next 30 minutes, then the game broke. This was my chance to get out with a decent profit while not being responsible for breaking the game. Still, I just couldn't pull myself away.
I opted for a 3-5 NLH game as there were no 5-5 NLH seats open. I was hoped to find an easier spot in the smaller game anyway. And with the $200 buy-in, I was free-rolling. On my second hand played, I was second to act where I found A-A. I raised to $20 after UTG limped. It folded around and only the SB called. Even the limper folded. The worst part was that the SB started the hand with only $46. The idiot put almost half of it in by calling. I laughed along with him and the others next to him while I asked why he didn't just put it all in. He didn't have an answer. The flop was 2-3-Q. I put him all in and he said, "Why the heck not?" and called then showed K-5o. Turn: A. River: 4. I laughed about losing to his wheel since it didn't cost me much.
Then the floor man called me for a seat in a 5-5 NLH game. I didn't even know I was on the list and didn't want it. But there wasn't any money in play at my smaller game so I decided to check it out. I didn't recognize any players as "soft" but, for some reason (or lack thereof), took the seat. I added $200 to my $150 from the previous table and joined the game. In my first SB, I got K-K. 3 or 4 player had limped and I raised it to $30. Everyone called for the additional $25. The board was Q-high with two hearts. I led out with $100 and it folded to the cutoff. He was wearing a cap, sunglasses, and headphones and was getting a massage. He asked how much I had left even though it wasn't at all hidden. I made sure my hands were not blocking his view but he seemed to be waiting for an answer so I asked if he wanted an exact count. Then he called. The turn brought the 10h. I had not put him on a flush draw when he called the flop because it just didn't seem like it. Plus, I had not been at the table long enough to have any real read on the guy.
He had position and I still figured to have the best hand. So I had to bet. Checking and calling (or checking and hoping for no bet) would be the worst play in this situation. All-in. He waited for me to stack it off and push everything forward before finally calling. That made me feel good about my hand. The river was another 10 and head waited for me to show. I did and he slo-o-o-wly revealed Ah-2h. Some other people at the table gave him crap for slow-calling and slow-rolling. I left it alone and pulled out another four bills.
I played a few more dead rounds before deciding to make the next my last for the night. I was only down slightly on my rebuy so I would be cutting my loses. Almost finished, I picked up T-T UTG+1. I raised to $20 and was called by the player on my right who I had been talking to and who had also just come back from the ATM. With no chips in front of him and no other callers, it was like we were playing for my money. The flop was 9c-7d-6s. I bet $35 and was quickly called. The turn was the 4s. Again, I bet, this time $75 to move him off of a possible straight draw. His chips had just arrived so he settled up for the previous bets and called this one with a bit of a sigh. The river was a red 5 and I began to think. With a four-card straight on board, I could easily be beat but I could be missing a bet. Before I finished thinking, he quietly said, "Don't bet." I believed him and checked. He showed down 9s-8s. I had him all the way but his draw kept improving. He was empathetic about drawing out on me but I thanked him for saving me a bet on the river.
I looked at my rags UTG, mucked, and picked up. I was stuck 195 for the night after being outdrawn three times. It could have been worse but it could have been better if I had followed my instincts. I knew things weren't right that night. The soft players were M.I.A. and the Commerce Crazies were over for a visit.
SEEYa
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Cross Corner
Last Thursday was somewhat eventful. The night before, my sister had texted me from a little bar around the corner called Paladino's. We've gone there many times over the years to see local cover bands like the Atomic Punks. Its also where we got to see the Foo Fighters open for the Punks a few years ago. That was cool.
Paladino's has always had two pool tables near the main bar in the front but Tara informed me they had added two more. I had been playing more pool over the previous month, mostly at Yankee Doodles (because its cheap and easy to get a table during the day), trying to get my game back to what it once was. I was also planning to play in some singles qualifying tourneys that the APA would be running at Paladino's on September 1. With four tables there, it seemed a good time to check out the new layout and the roll of the tables. So I headed over there Thursday afternoon.
I was pleased to see the pool tables laid out side by side in a single row in front of the main bar. It provided plenty of room around each. I was even more pleased to find they offered free play from noon to 6pm every day! Perfect! Its only two blocks from my home and I could get in a ton of practice daily. It also fits in with the routine I had recently established of playing pool during the day and poker at night with a trip to Starbucks in between. I'm really enjoying do that.
Time for poker...
On Thursday, I returned to the Bike, expecting attendance similar to Tuesday but only found two 5-5 NLH tables in action. There were four 3-5 NLH tables going so I put my name on the lists for each. A 3-5 game opened up first and I took the seat. It was a good choice as the table was full of easy players and I got the 7 seat. There was a guy on my left who kept showing me his cards whether he was folding or not. That caught on and the guys on his left and my right started showing me a bunch of their hands, too. It was wierd since I didn't show them any of mine but got all that free info from them.
I was able to take down medium-sized pots here and there while losing an occassional one. After a few hours, my stack had grown and shrunk a few times and I was sitting just slightly ahead when a big hand came up. I was second to act with A-Ko and decided to raise to $15. The cutoff, a man whose game I respect, called, the SB folded and the BB raised to $48. He was a young guy with his girlfriend sweating him while he held a small picture of a baby...apparently not hers. I had seen him raise without regard for position before so I put him on A-Js/9-9 at the bottom end with A-A a bit of a concern.
I went into the tank and, even though it should have been an easy call, I was seriously thinking about getting away from the hand. I wasn't really loving my position between these two. But I knew that was irrational and decided to explain some of what I was thinking since I was keeping everyone waiting. I said, "I know this shouldn't be such a tough decision." But I finally called. So did the cutoff. The flop was K-9-3 and the BB led out for $50 into the $150 pot. I should have loved my hand right away but I thought the kid might be playing A-A in this really cagey way. But I had TPTK and his bet was really weak. I came to the right decision and raised to $150. If he did have me beat, I was going to find out right there. The cutoff folded and it was back on the kid.
I was surprised when, after some thought, the kid just called. Then he looked at me and said "check." Checking dark? That's really strange in this spot. The turn was a J and it was immediately on me. I looked him over and saw nothing but confidence. Still, I was likely only losing to A-A at this point, as improbable as it would seem given the way the hand had played out (I did not put him on K-K). At any rate, there wasn't much value in betting there. There was no reason to put him on any kind of draw and I should only be called by something that beats me. I decided to check as well. The river was a 3 that paired the board but changed nothing. The kid bet out $50 and I quickly announced a call. He stated, "Boat!" and showed J-J for Jacks full of 3's. I was surprised as I folded my cards face-down.
Everyone else seemed to know what I had and was stunned that I was able to slow down when I was beat. I didn't explain what I had been thinking because I wasn't giving up any info that night. Then the kid explained his call on the flop. "I called there because I didn't want to look stupid." Huh? 'Well,' I thought, 'you ended up looking a little stupid anyway.' But I didn't say anything derogatory. Instead, I asked him what he meant. It turns out he thought I might be bluffing based on my pre-flop indecision and didn't want to appear that he could be bullied.
A few hands later, there was a limped pot involving the same kid with a flop of A-A-K. It checked all the way around and a rag hit the turn. It checked around to the kid and, this time, he bet. A few people started complaining that he was killing a potential jackpot as they all folded. But I knew he must have held A-little and understood that his kicker would not play into a jackpot (both hole cards must play). To appease some naysayers on his right who didn't believe he would bet with an Ace, he picked up his cards to reveal only that one. But he tilted his hand just enough to where I saw his bottom card (I was on his left)...a 7. When he showed the Ace only, the "pot-killer" theorists started in again. I helped out by explaining how his kicker was obviously too small to make the jackpot and he agreed, volunteering that it was a Jack. I decided to use the info I had to try to get in his head and said, "Naw. It was probably more like a 7." After the previous hand against him, he might think I was David Copperballs.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to take advantage of my magical image. It wasn't long after that when the kid racked up and took a nice stack off the table with him. Everyone was disappointed to see the chips go but we new it would happen sooner rather than later since his girlfriend was there. Guys don't usually stay long when a girl is sweating them.
As it usually happens, I stayed until the table got short-handed and broke. I opted out of a seat at a different table and cashed out at 2:30am +165. Overall, I played well and the result was an acceptable win. I could have easily lost with some of the hands I had.
SEEYa
Paladino's has always had two pool tables near the main bar in the front but Tara informed me they had added two more. I had been playing more pool over the previous month, mostly at Yankee Doodles (because its cheap and easy to get a table during the day), trying to get my game back to what it once was. I was also planning to play in some singles qualifying tourneys that the APA would be running at Paladino's on September 1. With four tables there, it seemed a good time to check out the new layout and the roll of the tables. So I headed over there Thursday afternoon.
I was pleased to see the pool tables laid out side by side in a single row in front of the main bar. It provided plenty of room around each. I was even more pleased to find they offered free play from noon to 6pm every day! Perfect! Its only two blocks from my home and I could get in a ton of practice daily. It also fits in with the routine I had recently established of playing pool during the day and poker at night with a trip to Starbucks in between. I'm really enjoying do that.
Time for poker...
On Thursday, I returned to the Bike, expecting attendance similar to Tuesday but only found two 5-5 NLH tables in action. There were four 3-5 NLH tables going so I put my name on the lists for each. A 3-5 game opened up first and I took the seat. It was a good choice as the table was full of easy players and I got the 7 seat. There was a guy on my left who kept showing me his cards whether he was folding or not. That caught on and the guys on his left and my right started showing me a bunch of their hands, too. It was wierd since I didn't show them any of mine but got all that free info from them.
I was able to take down medium-sized pots here and there while losing an occassional one. After a few hours, my stack had grown and shrunk a few times and I was sitting just slightly ahead when a big hand came up. I was second to act with A-Ko and decided to raise to $15. The cutoff, a man whose game I respect, called, the SB folded and the BB raised to $48. He was a young guy with his girlfriend sweating him while he held a small picture of a baby...apparently not hers. I had seen him raise without regard for position before so I put him on A-Js/9-9 at the bottom end with A-A a bit of a concern.
I went into the tank and, even though it should have been an easy call, I was seriously thinking about getting away from the hand. I wasn't really loving my position between these two. But I knew that was irrational and decided to explain some of what I was thinking since I was keeping everyone waiting. I said, "I know this shouldn't be such a tough decision." But I finally called. So did the cutoff. The flop was K-9-3 and the BB led out for $50 into the $150 pot. I should have loved my hand right away but I thought the kid might be playing A-A in this really cagey way. But I had TPTK and his bet was really weak. I came to the right decision and raised to $150. If he did have me beat, I was going to find out right there. The cutoff folded and it was back on the kid.
I was surprised when, after some thought, the kid just called. Then he looked at me and said "check." Checking dark? That's really strange in this spot. The turn was a J and it was immediately on me. I looked him over and saw nothing but confidence. Still, I was likely only losing to A-A at this point, as improbable as it would seem given the way the hand had played out (I did not put him on K-K). At any rate, there wasn't much value in betting there. There was no reason to put him on any kind of draw and I should only be called by something that beats me. I decided to check as well. The river was a 3 that paired the board but changed nothing. The kid bet out $50 and I quickly announced a call. He stated, "Boat!" and showed J-J for Jacks full of 3's. I was surprised as I folded my cards face-down.
Everyone else seemed to know what I had and was stunned that I was able to slow down when I was beat. I didn't explain what I had been thinking because I wasn't giving up any info that night. Then the kid explained his call on the flop. "I called there because I didn't want to look stupid." Huh? 'Well,' I thought, 'you ended up looking a little stupid anyway.' But I didn't say anything derogatory. Instead, I asked him what he meant. It turns out he thought I might be bluffing based on my pre-flop indecision and didn't want to appear that he could be bullied.
A few hands later, there was a limped pot involving the same kid with a flop of A-A-K. It checked all the way around and a rag hit the turn. It checked around to the kid and, this time, he bet. A few people started complaining that he was killing a potential jackpot as they all folded. But I knew he must have held A-little and understood that his kicker would not play into a jackpot (both hole cards must play). To appease some naysayers on his right who didn't believe he would bet with an Ace, he picked up his cards to reveal only that one. But he tilted his hand just enough to where I saw his bottom card (I was on his left)...a 7. When he showed the Ace only, the "pot-killer" theorists started in again. I helped out by explaining how his kicker was obviously too small to make the jackpot and he agreed, volunteering that it was a Jack. I decided to use the info I had to try to get in his head and said, "Naw. It was probably more like a 7." After the previous hand against him, he might think I was David Copperballs.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to take advantage of my magical image. It wasn't long after that when the kid racked up and took a nice stack off the table with him. Everyone was disappointed to see the chips go but we new it would happen sooner rather than later since his girlfriend was there. Guys don't usually stay long when a girl is sweating them.
As it usually happens, I stayed until the table got short-handed and broke. I opted out of a seat at a different table and cashed out at 2:30am +165. Overall, I played well and the result was an acceptable win. I could have easily lost with some of the hands I had.
SEEYa
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Bitches, Man!...Yet Again.
Sunday was an off day since the tourney that day was the women's event. There wouldn't be any extra action from busted out players getting into the cash games. The majority of the female players just don't do that as most men do. Monday was also a day off for me because it was Monday.
I went back to the Bike on Tuesday, hoping for alot of company. That much worked out with seven 5-5 NLH tables running. Other than that, things were the same as they had been the previous week. I had a bitch of a time getting things going (not the same "bitch" you are waiting for). After an hour plus, I was sitting with $300 on the SB with Ad-7d. UTG raised to $20, three others called, and I decided I was priced in...and I was dying to get lucky.
The flop was 3d-5d-Qc. This was what I had been looking for (obviously, three diamonds would have been better but...) so I lead out for $80. The preflop raiser paused and thought briefly before putting in a raise to $180. It folded back to me and I counted up to find $200 remaining (for those of you who had not been doing the math). This presented an interesting yet common situation where the raise was not enough for me to fold, giving the right price to call, but not leaving me with enough to just call. So I moved all-in.
To my surprise, the raiser went into the tank and was visibly upset. He must have held K-Q and now thought I had A-Q or a set. But he correctly called anyway. The turn was a 6 and I immediately realized how sick it would be if I took down the pot with a back-door straight. Instead, the river brought an Ace. So I missed the flush and straight but paired my Ace. He waited for me to show and I obliged sheepishly saying, "Well, I got the ace." Guess how he reacted. Shocked, then disbelieving, and finally heart broken.
That pot really set me on the right path. I won a bunch of small pots over the next couple hours. Then the table started to get short-handed. We had eight players but two of them were MIA. That was when I picked up a string of top starters. I raised with Ah-6h from the cutoff and got one caller. T-9-6 flop, I bet after it was checked to me and was called. He checked the turn so I did, too. He lead out on the river and I folded. A friend of his was certain that he had paired the 10 so I felt OK about my fold. The very next hand, I got A-Qo and raised again. Two callers this time. I missed the flop and the first player bet out strong...so I folded. Then I found A-A UTG and, of course, raised. This time, no one called.
That was fun. Thanks.
Even after all that, I still had a bunch of chips and the missing players returned so we were back to 8-handed. About one round later, I picked up Q-Q in the cutoff and raised. The SB, who had been fun and chatty all night, suddenly seemed peeved. He asked, "Are you ready for a bad beat? There's a bad beat coming. Sorry." I always welcome action, though, so I said it was OK. He called and the BB folded. The flop was T-T-6. He checked and I bet $50. He called quickly while still declaring that a bad beat was coming. The turn was a 9 that also put a flush draw out. Once again, he checked. I thought about slowing down but decided against it since it would be the wrong play having no real reason to think I was beat. So I made it $100 to go. My opponent started thinking and really seemed like he was done with the hand. I felt very confident. Then he called, leaned forward, looked right at me, and slapped the table saying "check dark." The river was a black 2 which changed nothing. If anything, my hand seemed stronger. But there was no value in betting. I'd only be called by a hand that beat me and he would probably raise me all-in if he paired even just the deuce and thought I was bluffing. Could I stand such a raise? No need to find out. I checked, too, and he said he had a 10. I showed my cards and he tabled his K-T.
Good timing on his part for sure. But he played the hand poorly. I would have called a sizable value bet on the river. He kept on about how he said a beat was coming and I simply replied that he had played it well. I was serious in as much as I was not upset and he had me fooled on the turn. This seemed to upset him a bit. I guess he hoped to put me on tilt. "I don't rattle, kid. Just for that I'm gonna beat ya straight!" Oh, wait. I didn't say that. That was Paul Newman (The Hustler).
I stayed in the game for a while longer but the table just didn't suit my game. I either got no action or was called by everyone trying to catch a busting hand so I couldn't follow up unless I hit the flop. I just couldn't be creative with them. I called it quits at 2:30am -65.
Alright, time for the non-poker content. Remember that chick I wrote about a while back? Her name is Gretchen. On the night that we met, we got drunk, then naked. We didn't go all the way but had a damn good time. We didn't end up going out for two more weeks because I was in Vegas the next weekend. But we did finally get together for drinks on a Friday. Everything went well. We had some great conversation at a beach cafe before finding a more secluded spot on the beach where things got intimate. That was pretty much it for the night.
The following day was Fred's b-day. He, Scott, and I played golf all day. Then Fred and I hit up a party at his friend's place (not a b-day party) where Gretchen also happened to be. She was already drunk by the time we got there. Still, she was happy to see me and I had fun briefly hanging with her. Then things got nutty. Gretchen and her friend, Ashley, threw each other in the pool. Apparently, its something they do all the time. While they swam, I mingled.
Later, they were out of the pool but not so dry and the woman of the house (Kim?) was freaked out over the idea that Gretchen would get her couch wet. Turns out she was falling-down-drunk by that point and ready to rest her eyes. Suddenly Kim and others were ushering Gretchen into the back yard toward the fire pit and bushes. They thought she was going to throw up but I could see she was just doubled over laughing at something. Even Ashley was worried about her because she was drunk herself and couldn't tell the difference. She was in no shape to help matters. I decided it would be best if I stepped in based on Ashley's state and the fact that Kim and her friends appeared they would rather Gretchen had not come to the party. They were all kind of catty.
End result...I was left with Gretchen by the fire pit while everyone else went inside to do some more shots. It was a while before Ashley and her husband were ready leave so I was stuck in the "nice guy" spot. I got back to partying after that.
The next day, I received a text from Gretchen thanking me for looking out for her and indicating that she didn't remember any of it. I gave it a couple of days before trying to get in touch with her again so she could recover from the weekend. When I finally did, she was slow to respond. Then it occurred to me that she had never answered the phone when I called. She did return a call once but everything else was via text. And even that was never a quick resonse. WHAT'S THE MATTER? YOU CAN'T CALL NOBODY? I decided to step back for the next week and see if she called or texted me. She didn't.
This all seemed weird...maybe even shitty. Ah, hell! It sucked. I liked her and we had plenty in common. I figured it was worth one more try. I texted on a Thursday with the ultimate pick up line: "So....Do you like...stuff?" Nine hours later, she replied with "Stuff?" I replied to that and followed up with another text to suggest we meet for drinks the next day. I never heard back from her. I expected more from someone my own age. Its a shame but she is officially a bitch. As SMC would say, "Redundant."
When I started this "Bitches, Man" series, I was in a foul mood thanks to Gretchen and some trying times in poker. While poker isn't always so good, at least it is sometimes. It seems women never are. Yet I find myself wanting to meet a new chick right now. I quess its been a while and I'm tired of the s.o.s.
Enough of that. I've got more poker to recap and I've been getting my pool game in shape. There's some good stuff to come.
SEEYa
I went back to the Bike on Tuesday, hoping for alot of company. That much worked out with seven 5-5 NLH tables running. Other than that, things were the same as they had been the previous week. I had a bitch of a time getting things going (not the same "bitch" you are waiting for). After an hour plus, I was sitting with $300 on the SB with Ad-7d. UTG raised to $20, three others called, and I decided I was priced in...and I was dying to get lucky.
The flop was 3d-5d-Qc. This was what I had been looking for (obviously, three diamonds would have been better but...) so I lead out for $80. The preflop raiser paused and thought briefly before putting in a raise to $180. It folded back to me and I counted up to find $200 remaining (for those of you who had not been doing the math). This presented an interesting yet common situation where the raise was not enough for me to fold, giving the right price to call, but not leaving me with enough to just call. So I moved all-in.
To my surprise, the raiser went into the tank and was visibly upset. He must have held K-Q and now thought I had A-Q or a set. But he correctly called anyway. The turn was a 6 and I immediately realized how sick it would be if I took down the pot with a back-door straight. Instead, the river brought an Ace. So I missed the flush and straight but paired my Ace. He waited for me to show and I obliged sheepishly saying, "Well, I got the ace." Guess how he reacted. Shocked, then disbelieving, and finally heart broken.
That pot really set me on the right path. I won a bunch of small pots over the next couple hours. Then the table started to get short-handed. We had eight players but two of them were MIA. That was when I picked up a string of top starters. I raised with Ah-6h from the cutoff and got one caller. T-9-6 flop, I bet after it was checked to me and was called. He checked the turn so I did, too. He lead out on the river and I folded. A friend of his was certain that he had paired the 10 so I felt OK about my fold. The very next hand, I got A-Qo and raised again. Two callers this time. I missed the flop and the first player bet out strong...so I folded. Then I found A-A UTG and, of course, raised. This time, no one called.
That was fun. Thanks.
Even after all that, I still had a bunch of chips and the missing players returned so we were back to 8-handed. About one round later, I picked up Q-Q in the cutoff and raised. The SB, who had been fun and chatty all night, suddenly seemed peeved. He asked, "Are you ready for a bad beat? There's a bad beat coming. Sorry." I always welcome action, though, so I said it was OK. He called and the BB folded. The flop was T-T-6. He checked and I bet $50. He called quickly while still declaring that a bad beat was coming. The turn was a 9 that also put a flush draw out. Once again, he checked. I thought about slowing down but decided against it since it would be the wrong play having no real reason to think I was beat. So I made it $100 to go. My opponent started thinking and really seemed like he was done with the hand. I felt very confident. Then he called, leaned forward, looked right at me, and slapped the table saying "check dark." The river was a black 2 which changed nothing. If anything, my hand seemed stronger. But there was no value in betting. I'd only be called by a hand that beat me and he would probably raise me all-in if he paired even just the deuce and thought I was bluffing. Could I stand such a raise? No need to find out. I checked, too, and he said he had a 10. I showed my cards and he tabled his K-T.
Good timing on his part for sure. But he played the hand poorly. I would have called a sizable value bet on the river. He kept on about how he said a beat was coming and I simply replied that he had played it well. I was serious in as much as I was not upset and he had me fooled on the turn. This seemed to upset him a bit. I guess he hoped to put me on tilt. "I don't rattle, kid. Just for that I'm gonna beat ya straight!" Oh, wait. I didn't say that. That was Paul Newman (The Hustler).
I stayed in the game for a while longer but the table just didn't suit my game. I either got no action or was called by everyone trying to catch a busting hand so I couldn't follow up unless I hit the flop. I just couldn't be creative with them. I called it quits at 2:30am -65.
Alright, time for the non-poker content. Remember that chick I wrote about a while back? Her name is Gretchen. On the night that we met, we got drunk, then naked. We didn't go all the way but had a damn good time. We didn't end up going out for two more weeks because I was in Vegas the next weekend. But we did finally get together for drinks on a Friday. Everything went well. We had some great conversation at a beach cafe before finding a more secluded spot on the beach where things got intimate. That was pretty much it for the night.
The following day was Fred's b-day. He, Scott, and I played golf all day. Then Fred and I hit up a party at his friend's place (not a b-day party) where Gretchen also happened to be. She was already drunk by the time we got there. Still, she was happy to see me and I had fun briefly hanging with her. Then things got nutty. Gretchen and her friend, Ashley, threw each other in the pool. Apparently, its something they do all the time. While they swam, I mingled.
Later, they were out of the pool but not so dry and the woman of the house (Kim?) was freaked out over the idea that Gretchen would get her couch wet. Turns out she was falling-down-drunk by that point and ready to rest her eyes. Suddenly Kim and others were ushering Gretchen into the back yard toward the fire pit and bushes. They thought she was going to throw up but I could see she was just doubled over laughing at something. Even Ashley was worried about her because she was drunk herself and couldn't tell the difference. She was in no shape to help matters. I decided it would be best if I stepped in based on Ashley's state and the fact that Kim and her friends appeared they would rather Gretchen had not come to the party. They were all kind of catty.
End result...I was left with Gretchen by the fire pit while everyone else went inside to do some more shots. It was a while before Ashley and her husband were ready leave so I was stuck in the "nice guy" spot. I got back to partying after that.
The next day, I received a text from Gretchen thanking me for looking out for her and indicating that she didn't remember any of it. I gave it a couple of days before trying to get in touch with her again so she could recover from the weekend. When I finally did, she was slow to respond. Then it occurred to me that she had never answered the phone when I called. She did return a call once but everything else was via text. And even that was never a quick resonse. WHAT'S THE MATTER? YOU CAN'T CALL NOBODY? I decided to step back for the next week and see if she called or texted me. She didn't.
This all seemed weird...maybe even shitty. Ah, hell! It sucked. I liked her and we had plenty in common. I figured it was worth one more try. I texted on a Thursday with the ultimate pick up line: "So....Do you like...stuff?" Nine hours later, she replied with "Stuff?" I replied to that and followed up with another text to suggest we meet for drinks the next day. I never heard back from her. I expected more from someone my own age. Its a shame but she is officially a bitch. As SMC would say, "Redundant."
When I started this "Bitches, Man" series, I was in a foul mood thanks to Gretchen and some trying times in poker. While poker isn't always so good, at least it is sometimes. It seems women never are. Yet I find myself wanting to meet a new chick right now. I quess its been a while and I'm tired of the s.o.s.
Enough of that. I've got more poker to recap and I've been getting my pool game in shape. There's some good stuff to come.
SEEYa
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Bitches, Man!...Cont.
Saturday was much like the previous two days at the Bike. I had trouble getting anything going with crap cards and tons of raising ahead of me.
I was seated at the same table from the night before but it was full of tight/trappy players this time. Fortunately, a couple of the guys at the other end of the table were talking and having fun so I was able to enjoy it.
After sitting around, paying blinds, folding on missed flops, I was able to limp in middle position with 2s-2c. Five of us saw a flop of 7h-6c-2h. The blinds checked and I lead out with $15 into the $21 pot (after rake) and was called by one late position player and the big blind. The turn was an off-suit 4. BB checked, I paused briefly to consider the possible straight and came up with a $50 bet. The late player folded and it came back to the BB. He thought only briefly before declaring "all-in." He was sitting with about $1500 and I had already picked up on him using it to bully some pots. I had $255 left behind but that didn't even factor in. I new it was a huge bet into me but I was already prepared to make it. It only took about two beats for me to say "call." But he was distracted by a player on his left and didn't hear me. The dealer didn't hear me either as he was rearraging the pot and rake, or something like that, which he should not have been doing.
So I repeated myself to the BB and then to the dealer. They finally got it and the dealer peeled off the river, a black J. I thought momentarily that it could have been a bad card if the guy had been bluffing with paint (obviously wrong). At any rate, I waited for him to show since I had called him and he was first in order. He revealed 7-5 for top pair, open-ended on the turn. My set miraculously held up. When I tabled it, the BB was stunned. For several hands after that, he continued to discuss it with the guys next to him. I never told him that I called because I thought he was making a move. I decided to let him make up his own mind, likely that it was a loose donk call.
The table was still pretty dead for action, though, and I was freezing my ass off directly under an AC vent. So I asked for a table change and was immediately moved. At first, the new table didn't seem any different than the first but it turned out to have a few very soft players and a couple fun people to talk to. Unfortunately, things didn't really go my way there. In one hand, I checked T-T from the BB with three limpers after thinking that I would raise from there if I had a big hand. But when I looked at it, I changed my mind. Bad choice. Flop was T-T-5. I checked and so did everyone else. I decided to bet the turn when a 9 came because someone might have picked up a straight draw. No dice...no action. The only good thing I took away from it was that I didn't show and resisted the urge to brag about it. After all, it is best to leave as much unknown as possible.
Later, I raised preflop and made a continuation bet after everyone checked to me. I had $150 behind and bet $70 into a $100 pot. It folded back to the player on my right (new to the table) who MIN-RAISED ME! At the first table, I had been minned three or four times. I was already quite sick of it. But I had missed the flop so I decided to lay down. As I discussed it with the guy on my left, I realized the other player may have just min-raised because he knew it essentially put me all-in. I asked him, "Did you know how much I had left?" to which he replied, "Huh?" So, no. He was just min-raising because that's what people do.
I wasn't steaming but did pick up Q-Q on the very next hand and decided to push for my remaining $80 after the min-ster had limped. I hadn't given it any serious thought. I simply thought I might take advantage of the "tilt" image from the previous hand and maybe get called by a hand I dominate. It folded back to the min-ster and he went into the tank. He actually asked how much more it was, as if the exact amount really mattered...it was alot compared to the $5 he had in. He decide to call and the rest was down hill. The board ended up being 10-high so I figured I was either up against a set or I was good. After studying the board, he announced that he had a straight. Really? Yep. Jd-8d completed a straight.
Oh, well. I got what I had hoped for but it just didn't work out. I rebought and played for a couple more hours without much success to speak of. I cashed out at 3:30am -540.
Damn. I am not happy after writing this. I think I'll have a scotch before trying to sleep and save the rest for another day. I still haven't gotten to the inspiration for the title of this series.
SEEYa
I was seated at the same table from the night before but it was full of tight/trappy players this time. Fortunately, a couple of the guys at the other end of the table were talking and having fun so I was able to enjoy it.
After sitting around, paying blinds, folding on missed flops, I was able to limp in middle position with 2s-2c. Five of us saw a flop of 7h-6c-2h. The blinds checked and I lead out with $15 into the $21 pot (after rake) and was called by one late position player and the big blind. The turn was an off-suit 4. BB checked, I paused briefly to consider the possible straight and came up with a $50 bet. The late player folded and it came back to the BB. He thought only briefly before declaring "all-in." He was sitting with about $1500 and I had already picked up on him using it to bully some pots. I had $255 left behind but that didn't even factor in. I new it was a huge bet into me but I was already prepared to make it. It only took about two beats for me to say "call." But he was distracted by a player on his left and didn't hear me. The dealer didn't hear me either as he was rearraging the pot and rake, or something like that, which he should not have been doing.
So I repeated myself to the BB and then to the dealer. They finally got it and the dealer peeled off the river, a black J. I thought momentarily that it could have been a bad card if the guy had been bluffing with paint (obviously wrong). At any rate, I waited for him to show since I had called him and he was first in order. He revealed 7-5 for top pair, open-ended on the turn. My set miraculously held up. When I tabled it, the BB was stunned. For several hands after that, he continued to discuss it with the guys next to him. I never told him that I called because I thought he was making a move. I decided to let him make up his own mind, likely that it was a loose donk call.
The table was still pretty dead for action, though, and I was freezing my ass off directly under an AC vent. So I asked for a table change and was immediately moved. At first, the new table didn't seem any different than the first but it turned out to have a few very soft players and a couple fun people to talk to. Unfortunately, things didn't really go my way there. In one hand, I checked T-T from the BB with three limpers after thinking that I would raise from there if I had a big hand. But when I looked at it, I changed my mind. Bad choice. Flop was T-T-5. I checked and so did everyone else. I decided to bet the turn when a 9 came because someone might have picked up a straight draw. No dice...no action. The only good thing I took away from it was that I didn't show and resisted the urge to brag about it. After all, it is best to leave as much unknown as possible.
Later, I raised preflop and made a continuation bet after everyone checked to me. I had $150 behind and bet $70 into a $100 pot. It folded back to the player on my right (new to the table) who MIN-RAISED ME! At the first table, I had been minned three or four times. I was already quite sick of it. But I had missed the flop so I decided to lay down. As I discussed it with the guy on my left, I realized the other player may have just min-raised because he knew it essentially put me all-in. I asked him, "Did you know how much I had left?" to which he replied, "Huh?" So, no. He was just min-raising because that's what people do.
I wasn't steaming but did pick up Q-Q on the very next hand and decided to push for my remaining $80 after the min-ster had limped. I hadn't given it any serious thought. I simply thought I might take advantage of the "tilt" image from the previous hand and maybe get called by a hand I dominate. It folded back to the min-ster and he went into the tank. He actually asked how much more it was, as if the exact amount really mattered...it was alot compared to the $5 he had in. He decide to call and the rest was down hill. The board ended up being 10-high so I figured I was either up against a set or I was good. After studying the board, he announced that he had a straight. Really? Yep. Jd-8d completed a straight.
Oh, well. I got what I had hoped for but it just didn't work out. I rebought and played for a couple more hours without much success to speak of. I cashed out at 3:30am -540.
Damn. I am not happy after writing this. I think I'll have a scotch before trying to sleep and save the rest for another day. I still haven't gotten to the inspiration for the title of this series.
SEEYa
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Bitches, Man!
After the stint of traveling in June, I lost the urge to write that had returned to me only weeks before. So its been some time and, quite honestly, this one is kind of forced. I need to get some things off my chest.
First of all, the Legends of Poker series is underway at the Bike right now. All month long, there will be plenty of action there. I got some of it last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It was pretty interesting as I played rather poorly in many spots and ran card-dead yet my overall results were the same as they usually are. Two winning sessions and one losing one leaving me in the black.
The first night, I was at a table that ran both loose and tight with occasional bouts or lunacy. Normally, I end up under the bus against players like that but I was lucky enough to have Q-Q hold up against A-Ks when the guy moved all-in over the top of me for my remaining $350. I had raised to $40 in a stradled pot and he found big slick from the stradle. I put him on just that and called, resigned to only be a small favorite. Then I woke up to A-A in the small blind (another stradle on) after the button had raised to $30. I made it $90, he called, I lead out with $150 on the flop and he folded. Those were the only significant hands of that session which ended at 2:30am +395. I'll take it.
The next night, pretty much the same for me except the table was pure action! There was hardly ever a hand that wasn't raised and reraised preflop. And it wasn't because everyone was wild and loose. Some took their shots but most of the time people had huge starting hands. I liked that spot so I joined in the banter and waited to find something good to go with. I ended up finding 5-5 in the small blind against a raise to $20 that had been called by to late positions. I called, followed by the big blind. The flop was Ts-7s-5s. I only had about $280 but decided to check and hope someone bets. Sure enough, the 1s bet $100 as he was likely to do if he caught any piece of the flop. But this time he looked extra cagey as if he had a huge hand himself. Then the 3s called and it folded around to me.
From the 1s's demeanor, I had to consider him having flopped the flush. But then I put the 3s on a big spade, probably the A. So I'm either ahead right now or need the board to pair. But I wasn't going to fold. I had a chance to more than triple up with this hand and finally get something going. I moved all-in and the 1s went into the tank. After a bit, he decided to call and the 3s quickly moved all-in over the top with enough to cover the 1s. With a little more thought, the 1s folded. The 3s declared he had "the nuts" and showed As-Qs. I said, "Potential nuts," and tabled mine. I was neither surprised nor disheartened as I had already accounted for this situation. It was quick and painless...T on the turn and I took it down. I was able to work my stack up a couple hundred more afterwards but that hand made the night. I cashed out at 3:00am +615.
Oops. Its past 8:30pm. I need to hit the road and finish this later.
SEEYa
First of all, the Legends of Poker series is underway at the Bike right now. All month long, there will be plenty of action there. I got some of it last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It was pretty interesting as I played rather poorly in many spots and ran card-dead yet my overall results were the same as they usually are. Two winning sessions and one losing one leaving me in the black.
The first night, I was at a table that ran both loose and tight with occasional bouts or lunacy. Normally, I end up under the bus against players like that but I was lucky enough to have Q-Q hold up against A-Ks when the guy moved all-in over the top of me for my remaining $350. I had raised to $40 in a stradled pot and he found big slick from the stradle. I put him on just that and called, resigned to only be a small favorite. Then I woke up to A-A in the small blind (another stradle on) after the button had raised to $30. I made it $90, he called, I lead out with $150 on the flop and he folded. Those were the only significant hands of that session which ended at 2:30am +395. I'll take it.
The next night, pretty much the same for me except the table was pure action! There was hardly ever a hand that wasn't raised and reraised preflop. And it wasn't because everyone was wild and loose. Some took their shots but most of the time people had huge starting hands. I liked that spot so I joined in the banter and waited to find something good to go with. I ended up finding 5-5 in the small blind against a raise to $20 that had been called by to late positions. I called, followed by the big blind. The flop was Ts-7s-5s. I only had about $280 but decided to check and hope someone bets. Sure enough, the 1s bet $100 as he was likely to do if he caught any piece of the flop. But this time he looked extra cagey as if he had a huge hand himself. Then the 3s called and it folded around to me.
From the 1s's demeanor, I had to consider him having flopped the flush. But then I put the 3s on a big spade, probably the A. So I'm either ahead right now or need the board to pair. But I wasn't going to fold. I had a chance to more than triple up with this hand and finally get something going. I moved all-in and the 1s went into the tank. After a bit, he decided to call and the 3s quickly moved all-in over the top with enough to cover the 1s. With a little more thought, the 1s folded. The 3s declared he had "the nuts" and showed As-Qs. I said, "Potential nuts," and tabled mine. I was neither surprised nor disheartened as I had already accounted for this situation. It was quick and painless...T on the turn and I took it down. I was able to work my stack up a couple hundred more afterwards but that hand made the night. I cashed out at 3:00am +615.
Oops. Its past 8:30pm. I need to hit the road and finish this later.
SEEYa
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