Dead Zone

Running pretty bad lately.  Sunday was planning on some Omaha but huge end of month tournament took all the tables, soooo, played in the $230 tournament against better judgement.  Up and down, but made costly mistake chasing a combo gutshot and flush draw.  My last chips went in good with 4/4 against A/J and A/K, specially hitting a set on flop.  But, board ran out big and the worst starting hand won with Broadway straight.  There were 120 entries plus 60 alternates, finished around 80th.

No cashes this week in turbos, but did get two bounties on Wednesday.  Card dead today, raising with 7/7 and making the mistake of calling a big re-raise.  Flop of 4/4/K left me folding to his all in bet.  Gave my last chips to player next to me when I shoved 7 big blinds UTG with suited 9/10 and called by UTG +1 with A/J.  Failed to pair up or hit gutshot draw.

Here is an interesting story though.  Yesterday sitting next to an older regular we were telling poker stories.  He related a hand from the 80's in Reno.  He was playing a $10/20 game with pro's Chip Reese, David Skalansky, and another guy who he could not recall by name.  He had the 10/Jack of hearts while Skalansky had pocket aces, Reese had pocket kings, and the other guy had pocket queens.  Flop came down A/K/Q ........of hearts!!!!  Set over set over set and flopped royal flush.  As expected he never had a chance to bet or raise.  The turn was a queen, giving the "other pro" quads and Skalansky aces full.  So, to top the story, this guy finally remembers the other pro's name, Ray Zee!!!!  I am in disbelief that my Cannon Beach poker pal is the guy.  I almost immediately text Ray about the story to see if he remembers it.  He answers the next day in typical Zee fashion that it is a bullshit story, Reese never played in Reno.  I am thinking Ray probably forgot, or maybe the story teller got his players wrong.  Everyone is getting old and forgetful.  Who can remember specific hands from 30 plus years ago, even crazy ones like that, except maybe the guy flopping a royal against pro's?

Lucky

Playing the morning $40 tournament was running very good, at one time sitting with 10% of chips in play (52 entries, 4000 starting stack.  I got there by getting lucky.  While I had a very decent stack, maybe 12000, I pick up A/Q in hijack position.  I raise to 6000 to thin a limper, I think blinds were 1000/2000.  The big blind shoves a big stack.  Is he calling bs on my raise?  I think only briefly before calling, expecting a small pair or weaker ace.  Nope.  A/K.  Gulp.  I get lucky on flop with a queen but drama is not over as a 10 also hits.  No jack, no jack, no jack.  Another queen comes.  No jack!!!!  River is another 10 and I double up!!!   Yay for me.

Luck continues on final table as 3 players knocked out first 3 hands dealt.  I double up with kings vs. queens and another player leaves.  The biggest stack donks off half his chips calling a big raise from queens with his A/8 suited,  then calling the jack high flop shove with his single overcard.  Later, I am in big blind with A/J suited when he limps from small blind.  I shove 20k, about half his stack and he goes into the tank.  Finally he calls with 8/9 off.  Sadly, he hits an 8 and I finish in 5th place for $145.  All in all I felt pretty good about my game.  If I he played less aggressively or had an unluckier opponent would have bumped up at least one pay grade, worth $50.  Once in the money I like to go for the gold with a workable stack, first was almost $600.

Does no one pay attention to table image?

Playing extremely tight in the morning tournament, I had not played a hand past the flop, and had voluntarily entered only 2 in late position 40 minutes into the game.  Like I said, squeaky, nitty tight.  So, with A/10 suited, I raised to 500 under the gun, 2.5 x 200 big blind,  expecting only late position callers if any.  So, the 1 UTG player calls and an extremely lucky player in middle position (He won the first 5 hands dealt with crap), also called.  The flop came J/9/K, 2 of my diamonds.  So, with a gunshot plus flush draw, I bet 700 into the 1800 pot.  I had committed about 1/3 of my chips.  The UTG plus 1 raised to 1400.  The other player called.  This made the pot 5300 giving me great odds to call for another 700.  The turn card was a brick, I checked and 1 UTG shoved and was called by Mr. Lucky.   I had about 1800 in chips remaining and briefly considered folding, but the pot was so huge and getting pretty short with a fold, decided to call for all my chips.  UTG turns over Q/J and lucky Q/9, i can win with an ace, a queen or a diamond.  The river pairs the 9 and worst hand wins, knocking both of us out.  In retrospect my raise UTG was pretty bad, but the callers' ranges were worse.  I always try to watch who is tight and offer some respect.