Donkey Dave's...

Well, it was another entertaining night at Donkey Dave’s (I kid because I care, Dave…), with an interesting mix of tight and loose players. I like to play at tables that have a combination of player types, so it was almost as much fun to watch as it was to play last night.

Representing the ultra-tight players of the world were Randy and Dean. Randy is pretty disciplined, and is able to lay down a big hand. If he raises, you’d better be getting good odds drawing to the nuts, because you’re probably beat at that moment. Dean will throw out a feeler bet, or even a bluff on occasion, but he normally won’t bet unless he has the stone-cold nuts (as luck would have it, that happened quite often last night). I always get a chuckle when the flop comes three of a suit and it gets checked down to the river. By then, you’re thinking your two-pair might be good, but Dean will invariably turn over a jack-high flush or something, commenting that he “couldn’t bet it, because there were two higher flushes out there.” LOL

On the other end of the spectrum we had Dave and Bill, both as loose as a $2 crack whore, though both very different players. Dave, of course, is extremely aggressive, and will think nothing of pushing all-in with any hand in any situation. Bill is much more passive, and will call large bets (eventually, once he realizes it’s his turn…) with draws or marginal hands. Me likey!

As for the rest of us, Charles and Corey are usually somewhat tight, maybe a bit right of center, and in this game anyway, I’m normally a bit left of center. After a few hours of rebuys, there are usually so many chips (and loose players) on the table that you’re getting great implied odds to play a variety of hands, which is the main reason I like to see a lot of flops in this game.

The night began with Dave being, well, being Dave. He heavily raised the first six or seven pots, so I just kicked back and waited to trap him. I didn’t have to wait long, A hand or two later I was able to get all my chips in with A-Q suited, but unfortunately it got busted by his A-5 (damn fives!). Sometimes you fall into your own trap. I really don’t mind losing chips to Dave though, I consider it an extremely short-term, extremely high-interest loan. I have no doubt that it must be some kind of violation of the RICO Act. :-)

Since the others left before sunrise (wimps!), Charles and I hung out a while longer and played heads-up. We usually have a pretty fun match, with the chips bouncing back and forth between us. Last night the pattern was me whittling away at his stack, then him getting back to even by doubling up and winning a big pot. This pattern repeated itself several times before I finally won the big pot for a change. So after all was said and done, despite a couple of early evening rebuys I ended up making a tidy little profit for the night.

Dave’s is by far my favorite game in town, and the fact that it’s a positive expectation for me is just one of several reasons. We’ve always got great food, an open bar (though I’m not much of a drinker these days), and a very nice environment. Most of all though, it’s just a great bunch of guys (except Charles, of course…). Speaking of the old man, he was the victim of an ice-cold deck against Dean (the night’s big wiener, who flopped a set 483 hands in a row), but I’ll let him tell the story. I’m sure he can’t wait…

See ya at the tables…
Rick