Rick @ PKR on Monday Night

Rick sent me this email and I've posted it .... almost verbatim......

I had to take a few minutes to write about a couple of hands last night at PKR ($1-2 NL). I hung in there for hours, being fairly patient while not catching many cards. Once or twice I was about to throw in the towel and go get some sleep, but luckily my stubbornness kept me from leaving before the cards started coming!

I get Qs-9s in the big blind, just about everyone limps, and Lenny raises in late position to $20. Button and small blind call, I look to my left and see that a couple others are grabbing chips as well, so it's a no-brainer call with odds like that. Flop comes 8h-10s-Js - Sweeeet! I flop the nuts with an open-end straight flush draw!

Small blind checks to me, and I throw out a weakish little bet of $20 just to see what happens. Well, what happens is two callers, then Lenny raising to $60. Be still my heart! Folds to me, and I decide that I'm done slow-playing, since my hand can easily turn to garbage on the turn. I raise another $80 to get isolation against Lenny. It folds to him, and he doesn't hesitate long before moving all-in for another $110 or so.

I call and he turns over pocket jacks, for top set. He's rooting for Ed to pair the board, which (of course) he does. Lenny now has his arms in the air celebrating his full house, when I quietly inform him that the card that boated him (8s), made my straight flush! That alone was worth the price of admission!

20 minutes or so later, I get Ax-Qx in middle position. There's a $10 straddle (I love this game!), and I make a small raise to $25 to see what shakes out. Three callers later (I told you I love this game!), the straddler raises to $50, and everyone calls around to the small blind, who asks if he can raise (uh-oh). I have my A-Q ready to toss into the muck, but I breathe a sigh of relief when he only raises another $25, the minimum. Everyone calls, and we have a nice little pot going.

The flop comes K-J-10 rainbow, and I have the nuts (did I tell you I love this game?)! Small blind leads out with a $50 bet (come to Papa!), and there's one other caller before it gets to me. Even with the huge pot, I decide to take a little chance and not push all-in. I still want action, and I raise another $100. Small blind calls, and the other player folds. At this point, the way the hand was played, I put the small blind on pocket aces. If he had kings he would be acting stronger.

Brick comes on the turn, small blind checks to me. At this point I don't mind seeing a river, so I bet $125, and he quickly calls. Another brick on the river, and he checks to me again. He's got about $350 or so left, but I want to be sure I get paid, so I just bet another $125. He thinks for a minute, and gives a crying call, turning up pocket aces.

He gave a textbook example of how not to play aces. He didn't push heavy pre-flop, even with a lot of money in the middle. He gave everyone odds to call when it got to them, almost regardless of their cards. Worse, however, was that he didn't have the discipline to get away from the hand when a coordinated flop came, with an opponent raising him heavily. Did I mention that I love this game! :-)