Sunday, December 11, 2011

Classic Advice

"The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper".   Aristotle

This quote resonated with me and my poker game.  Yesterday I was playing under time constraints and played the classic "one too many" hands.  Ready to leave, I pick up J/J in middle position.  Raising to $8, I get about 5 callers.  The flop is a little nasty, A/small/small, but undeterred I bet $10 and get one caller under the gun, a guy who I had not played with before.  The turn looks like it might be a great card for me, another ace.  I really don't think he has an ace, especially when he just calls when he checks and I bet $20.  The river does not complete any draws, but wisely I check to see his very weak ace (A/7) offsuit take "my" pot.  WTF ......whiskey, tango, foxtrot!!!!  Unbelievable donk action.  Now stuck after a hand that would have given me a little sugar, I leave.

Update from Sunday morning Moose tournament:

Playing fairly well with marginal hands I double up to 10,000.  One player raises to 1000 (he says later with AK) and is reraised to 2000 by QQ, I call with my little pair of 5/5.  The flop is a monster for me of 3/4/6 offsuit.  I bet 1000 and am called, then the reraiser makes it 3000.  I then almost shove with my 10 outers (I "forgot" a $100 chip on my cards), 1st player folds and raiser says, "I call".  He, believing I am all in waves his cards around, almost exposing them and the dealer says "turn your cards up" which he does.  I then say, "Hey, I am not all-in".  The floor is called for a ruling, but since the dealer had told him to turn them up it is ruled a call and 2,000 or so is returned to him.  The turn does not bring my card and I check, he checks.  The river fails me and we check/check.  Down to $100 I get it in multiway with KJ and lose to a pair of 5's in the blind.  Player down.

Going to the omaha game my big draws in big pots also fail to materialize.  Here is an interesting hand with a giant pot.  Playing J/J/Q/K I limp in only to have Hal raise the pot from the button with nearly all players in.  He loves to raise preflop with A/2/x/x to go for the low half.  The pot was at least $60. preflop.  The flop is great for me, J/6/7, so there is no low and I have top set.  It is check/check/bet from Gary, call, raise by me, reraise by Hal and capped by Gary with Frank, Gunnar & Marco along for the ride.  The turn is an 8 and now Frank bets, Gary raises, Marco reraises, I cap and Gunnar and Hal both call.  This stinks.  The low has now arrived as well as straight draws.  Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound.  I know that I must pair the board to win, however, that has issues as well cause someone else may have a set and make quads.  The river is a 9 and Frank bets, Gary calls, Marco calls, I call, Gunnar raises, Hal reraises and after everyone else calls I give up and fold my set face up.  Gunnar has hit a gutshot straight with his 7/10 and takes high, Hal hogs the low as unbelievably no one else has A2, Frank and Marco both show 8 high straights and Gary shows a set of 6's.  Frank also has the case jack so I was drawing very thin to a 7 or 8.  Monster sick pot, Frank, Marco and I all rebuy another $100. 

No comments: