Now That’s How You End the Night!

Well, it was a particularly crazy evening last night. Eli was back after a long road trip, and started off the evening tight and playing good cards. After, oh, his fifth hand or so, the old Eli was back, and he was as loose as I’d ever seen him! His three favorite words: “All in blind.” He became so loose it even slowed Dave down!

At any rate, once all the pretenders, wannabes and hit-and-run artists left, Tom, Dave and I sat down to play some $5/10 Omaha High. We basically just traded punches (well, jabs mostly) for a while. I got involved in a smaller hand with Tom, and I only mention it because it kind of sets up the last hand. I flop a big wrap with a flush draw, and he flops top set. I call a decent bet on the flop, and when a brick comes on the turn, he thinks for a minute before making a big overbet, pushing all-in for something like $1,000 into a $300 pot. I put him on the set and fold, of course, but not before giving him a little light-hearted grief about being scared. Truth is, I don’t blame him at all! I see players make horrible calls all the time, especially when it gets late. Also, I had spiked a sweet river card against him earlier in the evening to scoop a $3,800 multi-way pot, so I think he was feeling a little snake bit.

I believe it was the very next hand, when I look down to find As-Ah-Js-5s. We have our usual $20 straddle, and Dave bumps it up to $100 when it gets to him. Hmmm, how to play, how to play… Dave has $2,000 behind, and I have him well covered. After contemplating a raise to $300 or $400, I decided to take a page out of Tom’s playbook (after all, with Dave you just never know). I announce I’m “pulling a Tom” and going all-in. Dave turns up his hand to show pocket kings with one suit, and goes into the tank for a few minutes. It’s no secret to Dave that I have aces. Tom mentions that we have the “Greenstein-Farha” scenario (Barry’s aces vs. Sam’s kings, when Sammy spikes a king to win a monster pot). After taking as long as I remember Dave taking to make a decision, he finally gives me a grin and slams his stack of chocolates into the middle.

Of course, the flop comes king-high, and all of a sudden I’m the one that needs to get lucky. The flop was something like K-10-4 with one spade, so I basically need an ace, queen or running spades. I get some help when a 9s comes on the turn. After selling my soul to Satan for the umpteenth time (you know where I’m going when I leave this earth), the river brings a sweet little 6s to give me the nut flush, and more importantly, all Dave’s chips! The aces held up like they should have, but geez, why do the poker gods always have to make you sweat…? :-)

See ya at the tables…
Rick