Well I just lost two buy-ins at the $100 NLHE tables at Hollywood Park. But the funny thing is that I feel pretty good about it. I got my chips in with the best hand and lost ’em on the river.
I call with 6c 7c in middle to late position (seat 6) when it’s raised behind me to $15 (5xBB). Three people call in front of me, making the pot approximately $63. I figure getting better than 5:1 is good odds and call. The flop comes 367 with two suited cards. The 4 seat bets $25 and seat 5 calls. The pot is now $125 and I have $85 left. I raise all-in, there are two folds, and seats 4 and 5 call. Uh oh. Seat 4 shows T7 for top pair, no kicker, drawing to 3 outs + the runner-runner straight and backdoor flush, and seat 5 shows 65 for second pair and the gutshot, drawing to 4 outs + running fives. Turn doesn’t improve anyone’s hand and the river’s a 4.
Rebuy!
I follow HDouble to Grubby’s table with $85 after an orbit or two and sit down in the big blind. I’m dealt Q3 and get to see the flop for free. Flop comes down Q32 and I bet the pot–$10. HDouble calls in seat 8 and Grubby makes Baby Jesus weep in seat 5. I raise to $40 and HDouble folds. Grubby calls. Turn comes a K and I bet $20. Grubby makes some comment about my stupid two pair in the big blind and folds with a grin. I turn over my cards and take the pot.
I get dealt JJ in late position and raise to $15. Seat 2 calls, as does Grubby. Damn it, Grubby, stop calling my bets! It’s checked to me on the Q high flop, I bet $30, and everyone folds. Now I’m sitting on $170 or so, and feeling pretty good.
I’m down to $150 when I get dealt two black aces on the button. Sweet. A few limpers come in and the cutoff raises to $14. I smooth-call the $14 (the table had appeared to be somewhat tight), but HDouble and two others call, making me a little worried. The flop comes 89J and I’m wondering how much I need to raise to chase any tens out of the pot. The pot is about $70 and the preflop raiser bets $50. Once again, I smooth-call, figuring $50 is too pricey for anyone to call (odds be damned). The rest of the table folds. The turn brings a 10 and all of a sudden I’m thinking I might have slowplayed my aces to death. My opponent bets $50 again, I think for a while, and figure I’m probably still ahead and raise all-in for $86. He calls with KJ, and is drawing to 9 outs. The river brings a K and I’m out another buy-in.
No rebuy this time. I wonder a little if I could have chased him out on the flop, but I don’t think so. He was new to the table, but few people at these casinos make good laydowns.
But like I said, I feel good about my play, which is a lot better than how I’ve been feeling for the past week or so. If my hands had held up, I’d have over six times my initial buy-in. It’s just too bad live poker is rigged.
By the way, if you want to hear Hank grousing all night, sit at a low-limit NL table with him with a bad blind structure. 🙂
It WAS a great call on that last beat, I was very impressed.
Remind me not to play that game any more… grouse grouse grouse…
Stake me for 20/40 and we’ll go play limit. 🙂
Actually, now that I think back on the aces hand, I think it might have been better to shut down the betting on the flop with a raise all-in. Top pair’s vulnerable, and even if I were to get called, I’d still be likely to win. But at least that way I’d make his decision a tough one.
Damn those 33BB games. 🙂
Oh, and as an aside, I got dealt aces on Full Tilt after writing that post, and some guy with top pair put in all his chips. He spiked two pair on the river, but not before the board paired on the turn, and MHIG.