1/3 NL Hold'em Tuesdays

As usual, the 8PM game at T.V.'s place was rolling when I arrived at 7:30 - but at least I don't have to sit in the cramped corner tonight!

The action got started in just about the same fashion as it does every night of poker at this game. Early on, everyone plays a nice tight conservative game, a $13 dollar raise is usually enough to steal the blinds, then as the night continues you're likely to get 3-4 callers on such raises minimum.
An unusual amount of coolers plagued (and blessed) the feature table. From the small blind, I looked down at Jh Js and raised it to 13 and got 3 callers. The flop came Jc, 6s, 9s, giving me the nuts but clearly a vulnerable hand. I make it $50 to go on the flop, it folds around to a mid position player who adds another $100 on top. I try to remain even and not to give away my excitement at seeing his chips go into the middle, but I think my eyes were so big and full of joy the blind couple down the street knew I had a monster. He had only another hundred or so behind, so I go ahead and put him all in when it folds back to me and he insta-calls. I suspect this unfortunate player is on the losing side of set-over set, but much to my fear he turns over 7s 8s for the open ended strait-flush draw. Yikes! I have the nuts and I'm not even 60% to win the hand! Luckily, the turn comes 9h and the river a useless Qs and my boat holds up. What a way to double up!

Several hands later, J.R. catches me in a big bluff and takes down a $125 dollar pot with a full house he contemplated for a few minutes on the river before calling. Holding 8c5c, I call and with about 4 players, the flop comes Qh7c4c. It checks around to J.R. who fires $11 into the pot and I call. The turn brings Qd, and thinking I can take the pot right now fire $30 into the pot, J.R. smooth calls the $30 after checking. I put him on perhaps a weaker Q like a Q10 or Q9, a hand he'd definately call with but would most likely get away from if faced with a big decision on the river. If I didn't hit my flush, strait, or the 6c for the ultimate nutty, I felt good that I could take the pot away from him. The river comes the Kh and he checks. I felt almost sure he wouldn't check a full house or A-Q on the river, so I fired a $75 dollar bet into the pot. Thinking he would think and eventually much his mediocre Q, I feel great about my chances. He eventually makes a reluctant call, I show my 8 high and he turns over 77, he turned a full house! I say, "you thought about it that long?" and he thought I'd play the KQ the same way - which I would. I would probably spill a red bull all over Eddie trying to shove my chips into the pot at the end there, but being thorough in thinking about all the possibilities is why J.R. is a consistent winner.

After playing small ball for a while, I call from the SB with KQo, the flop bring 10d 9x 4d. I check with every intention of folding to someone's bet, and sure enough Sup makes it $13 to go from mid position. As he bet, I thought to myself "Yep, no way I'm calling with a gutshot here" then there's a call, "hmmm...still not calling" and another call, so i'm getting 5-1 and I'm up a good bit so...let's gamble. The turn - you guessed it - the Jh giving me the nuts. First to act, I think about what to do and what to bet....with the diamond draw out there I'm perfectly happy to take the pot with my suckout now, so I announce all-in. That obviously would put everyone else all in. Sup contemplated a call, showed his cards to the players there and eventually mucked, I suspect he had atleast two-pair, maybe even snuck in there with QQ. The next player to act thinks a good bit, and makes the call. I pray for hte board not to pair but he hit his draw as well with that J - having made his hand with teh bastard end of the strait with 7-8. THe river is irrelevant and I scoop a nice pot to put me near $1000 up for the session.

I left not too long after that, thanking the poker Gods for being on the better end of some nasty hands but at the same time feeling empathy for those couple of players who were on the other side of hands they can't control. Such is the game of poker!

See you around the felt!

-CA