Sometimes the game comes easy

I played a medium length session at Doc's after work on Monday. When I got there, 2 tables were running, with 8 players at each table. My table didn't look very difficult, with the only large stack being 2 seats to my right.

First winner

My stack was down about 40 from my original buy-in of $200, after a whiffed cbet with KQs, when this hand came up. I would normally have topped off my stack, but they were in the process of switching charities, so I decided to wait. Lady in EP raises to 12, and I have KsQs in MP. This may ordinarily be a fold to an early position raise, but my recollection was that the woman was a fish, and I decided I would call and evaluate on future streets, in hopes of making a big hand. There was one other caller. The flop came Q43 with one spade. She checked to me, I bet 25, one fold and she called. At this point I was pretty sure I was winning, as I think she leads any AQ or better here. My range for her is medium pairs up to JJ, and maybe AK or even AJ. The turn was the Js, giving me top pair second kicker and the second nut flush draw. She checked to me, I bet 50, and she again called, leaving me only 75 behind. Now I am starting to get a little more concerned that she may have AQ. The turn was a 5, she checked and I checked behind (I should probably bet here). She shows AKo and my hand is good.

Big pot

We were playing 5 handed at this point as both tables had dwindled down. This is right in my wheelhouse as I get to play more hands overall, and more hands with the woman fish, who at this point has gone through about 300. I open with Ts9s to 8, the button calls, SB calls, but only after first looking like he wants to re-raise (young guy with stack of 100 who I think is kind of aggressive, but also seems to be getting frustrated) and lady fish BB (175) calls. Flop is KsQs4s. I flop the 3rd nut flush, with a straight flush re-draw. Checked to me, I bet 16. Button folds, SB flats, and now BB fish check raises to 40. I am in a dilemma here, as I am trying to figure out the best way to extract from both players. I feel like I am 90% ahead here, and I am also willing to risk another spade coming off on the turn. I call, and the SB calls. Turn is a Qh, which isn't the best card if she has something like KQ or Q4. I think a hand like that would have led out, or raised larger on the flop, but it's still a concern. SB checks, BB fish bets 50, I call, now SB goes all-in for 53, and obviously both call. River is 5d, lady now checks, and I bet 50 (she has 80ish left), giving her about 7-1 pot odds. She folds, and kid asks if I have a Q, turning over AsKx. I show the flush and rake the pot.

I can get lucky

Playing 6 handed now, UTG straddles, lady fish limps, I raise to 25 with 88 on the button. SB now goes all-in for 37 (he was new to the table, and had just lost most of his stack to a 3 outer on the river). Folds to lady fish who calls, leaving herself only 33 LOL behind. I call as I can't reraise. The flop comes 9 high, she checks, I bet 33, she angrily folds. Guy says I think I need help and rolls over TT. I tell him, "No, I need help.", and I get the help I needed as the board runs out 95367, for a straight for me.

Semi-bluffing with best hand??

The table is now 7-8 handed. I am in the BB with 99. An EP limper, and button limps, and the SB, (Steve I believe from Northville. Plays pretty LAG, with slicked back hair, and glasses) raises to 12. He has been running really hot, working 100 into 450 in about 15 minutes. I don't really want to bloat a pot 200 BB deep with him by 3 betting, so I call, and the button also calls. Flop is 765, SB bets 20, I call, and button surprisingly calls. Button almost certainly has a draw here, as I would expect any sets or straights to raise this board, and if he had an overpair he would have likely raised pre-flop. The turn is a T, and SB bets out 20 again. This screams weakness to me, as he likes to bet big with big hands. The T didn't fill any draws, and I think I can rep the nuts here pretty credibly, especially as I have 2 nut blockers. I raise to 65, button folds, and SB folds. I think I probably had the best hand here, but I think I like this line better than raising the flop. By just calling the flop, I am able to get a lot more information to make the play on the turn. If the SB bets out larger on the turn, I am giving up on the hand.

Aftermath

It was a very easy session overall, walking away with a profit of 325. I thought I played pretty smart, and knew where I was at in most hands. I flopped the one flush, but never flopped a straight, never made trips, and rarely made any pairs on the flops. I had KK once, which I took down preflop with a small 3 bet, and also had JJ once which I took down pre-flop as well. Had AK which got 3 bet small from 10 to 25, and I folded to a flop bet.

2012 Kentucky Derby - Future Pool 1

Here's what I am looking at for the pool. I have never bet these before, but may for some fun, and to have some potential lottery tickets available.

2: Alpha - 15-1 or better
4: Creative Cause - 18-1 or better
6: Dullahan - 22-1 or better
10: Fed Biz - 18-1 or better
11: Gemologist - 22-1 or better
14: Junebugred - 25-1 or better
17: Midnight Transfer - 25-1 or better
19: Out of Bounds - 22-1 or better
22: Take Charge Indy - 20-1 or better

Las Vegas trip report (part 2)

Tuesday, January 17th addendum

After pissing away $500 in the QQ v KK hand, I walked over to Pai Gow poker, played 4 hands, lost 3 of them and pushed 1 of them, pissing away another $150. It was fairly ridiculous since the house made such monster hands, I never stood a chance.

Thursday, January 19th

It was a rough day at the show, considering I had only 2.5 hours of sleep, but I managed to hold it together. For dinner, we went to Maggiano's, which was phenomenal. The best parts were the fried cheese appetizer (as always), the lobster carbonara, and the filet medallions. Desserts were also excellent. They also gave us all of the extra food to go. Since none of us were going to eat it, I gave it to 3 homeless people on the bridge between Wynn and Palazzo. Figured some karma might do me some good.

After dinner, I went with Mark to roll some dice at Casino Royale ($3 min with 20X odds). I was playing $3 on the passline, only $10 odds, and establishing up to 2 additional $3 come bets with the same odds. The dice were ICE cold. None of the first 5-6 rollers hit a point, nor did any of my come bets win, unless it was the $3 variety. After my roll I decided to say goodnight to craps, down about $175, never standing a chance.

After craps, I played a very non-descript session of 1/2, breaking about even after 3 hours and change.

Friday, January 20th

Last day of the show, and I was able to get out at about 3:00. I headed over to the Rio to meet up with my buddy Joe who lives in Vegas, for dinner at the All American Grille, and then the $125 tourney at the Orleans. While waiting for Joe, I started a new table of 1/3. The two players at the opposite side of the table who seemed to know each other, had pretty deep pockets, and played woefully bad, though the Asian woman at least did it aggressively. The big hand I played at this table was as follows. I'm in EP and I raise to 12 with QsJs. Button bad player calls (about 150), asian lady calls (about 200), and new regular calls (about 300). Flop J32 with 2 clubs. They check to me, I bet 35 and they all call. The turn is an offsuit 4, check to me, and at this point I am comfortable getting it in with the two bad players, but not against the reg. I bet 75, button folds, woman now shoves for about 150. Reg tanks, but decides to fold what he said was Ac9c. I call. River is a blank, and she rolls over AQ and I take the pot. Hmm..... Walk away after about 2 hours ahead $100 at that game, but probably should have skipped dinner to play this table, as the woman started running good and built up a stack.

For dinner, I ordered the filet with mashed potatoes. Wasn't the best meal I've ever had there, but it was quick and pretty good.

Joe knew the tourney director at the Orleans, so they saved us seats, which was good because they were filled at 200 entries with a huge alternate list. They ended up getting 244 runners. I lasted about 2 hours, before losing AJ < A8, in a pretty standard spot. Unfortunately I had to lose as a big favorite. But in general after playing cash exclusively for some time, tournament play really bored me, and I didn't feel like playing anymore anyhow. Joe was knocked out within 30 minutes after an ugly mix of coolers (set into royal flush for starters).

We headed to MGM to play 1/2. I was up 100 after a while, but had lost a bit in standard spots when this hand came up. I'm in the BB with 9d7d and a bunch limp to me. I announce a "tilt raise" to 17, and only Joe calls me on the button. I'm not sure what I was trying to accomplish with this, but I was playing maniacally and just felt like it. Flop came 9h3h3x, and I bet 30 and Joe called, saying "Let's see if you bet the turn." The turn was a 6x, and for some reason I decided to "pot control" and checked, he bet 60, and I called (I debated calling or shoving here). The river was Jh, I checked, and he looked pained on what to do....finally he settled on 40, and I said "You MF'er, you got there with hearts??". I paid him off and he showed Ah6h, for the nut flush.

So now I was definitely steamed. A while later, loose player opens to 10, I flat in the CO with Kc6c after another (I was playing awfully at this point). Flop comes J64. Both players check to me and I bet 25. Only the original raiser calls. I start thinking "King, King, King"....and the turn is a K. Check to me and I bet 60. Now the original raiser goes all-in for 225ish. This kind of surprised me, and I started talking to him out loud. The only hand that scared me was JJ, since I felt 44 or 66 were not likely in his opening range. I did feel he would potentially play AK in this manner, so after debating it for another few seconds, I elected to call. He said "Good call" to me, and the river was inconsequential, then he turned over JJ??? Apparently "good call" meant good call on him having JJ, and not actually a good call on my call on the turn. After that hand I was pretty disgusted with many things, my play, the "good call", the shitty situation, etc.....so I called it a session down about $500.

Back at the Venetian, I stepped back into Pai Gow for another $125, again not winning a hand. I ran over to the Sportsbook at 2am to cash a winning round robin parlay ticket worth about $250, then headed back to Pai Gow with revenge (or degeneracy) on my mind. I ran that money into about $1K, and decided to cash out near $600.

Saturday, January 21st

I had to leave for the airport at 9:30, so I stubbornly sat down again in 2/5, and polished off about $350 with some pretty terrible play, and more bad situations.

Introspection

Looking at my play from the entire week, there was some definite spurts of good play, but there were some spurts of absolutely impatient and horrible play. The impatient play stems from trying to make things happen, instead of just letting the game come to me (to use a sports analogy).

The bad play is more troublesome. I was playing far too many hands. Most of the bad hands that I played stemmed from a bad call or raise pre-flop. Despite making what I knew were questionable calls (most of which were at least in position), I felt I could play well enough post-flop to eliminate any negative EV that I was establishing pre-flop. Instead of focusing on making big hands and trying to play for stacks, I was trying to fight for almost every pot, and playing bigger pots with marginal hands at best.

It's a slippery slope, because at the same time I notice that I am playing my best poker when I am picking good spots to make plays on pots, usually with floats or light 3 betting. A few successful hands, and you begin to feel invincible. That translates into playing more pots in marginal spots, which makes decisions very difficult.

So for my next few sessions, I plan on playing reasonably tight and straightforward, making sure that my fundamentals are where they need to be before I try to get overly creative.