Posted by Junelli 10:20 AM
I booked a large win last night playing $5-$5 NL at the Top Hat. McAndrew was out there with me, which always makes for a good time. But he had to leave a little early to catch the midnight showing of Brokeback Mountain (I was wondering why he was spitting on his hand as he walked out the door).

For those that may not know, the Top Hat, f/k/a Paradise, but originally known as the Top Hat, is now under new ownership. Jeb, Brad and Chris bought it about 2 months ago after running a $5-$5 game for a year or so at the Mongrel Club, and also dealing part time at Northside. They are very nice guys and run a good game.

Most days they play the smaller $1-$2 PL, but on Monday Roger still has his big $5-$10 round of each game, and Tuesday is usually $5-$5 NL.

Last night I bought in for only $300 and never looked back. I won several big hands to give me the chip lead at the table. I did however lose two big hands, as follows:

The first hand is a follow up to Dr. Fro's recent post about betting on the river. We all know that the river bet is sometimes a dangerous proposition. It often has no EV because the only hand that will call you, is a hand that can beat you.

Last night I flopped trips in the BB. I was able to see a free flop with 85 and the board came 88J rainbow. I checked, and a middle position player bet $20, and got 1 caller. I smooth called. The turn was a King, but put a second spade on the board. The 1st player bet $20, and the cutoff seat (a weak player) raised it to $150.

Now I'm faced with a decision. I have 85 against a board of 88JK. I think my hand may be good, but am clearly worried that he has an 8 also. He also might have two pair, a flush draw, or be on a bluff. The bluff wasn't likely as he was a fairly passive player and was elderly (in my experience, older people don't like to bluff as much as young people).

I consider raising, but he has a lot of chips (>$900), and I don't want to build the pot unnecessarily by putting in at least $300 before seeing the river card. I might've raised had his bet been smaller. I decide to smooth call the $150.

The river is a Ten putting a possible straight on the board, but missing the flush. He immediately checks to me. "What the hell is going on here? Why did you check?" All of a sudden, I feel certain that my 8 is good. He missed his flush or was trying to steal the pot on the turn and had to hit the brakes when I smooth called him. I am certain that my 8 is good.

I bet $200, which is just about half the pot. He smooth calls with A8, and I lose.

He was smart to check the river with the possible straight out there, but he wasn't going anywhere. I was an idiot for making that bet. If he doesn't have a straight, or trip 8's, he's not going to call one penny on the river. I gain nothing by betting the $200. However, if he has me beat, which he clearly did, he won't fold. Lately I've been getting much better about not betting the river with marginal hands, but last night I regressed back to my old ways.

On the second hand I found myself tangling with the same player. I held JT on the button with a flop of JJ8. 3 of us called a small bet on the flop. The turn gave us a 6, and the old man led out for $80. I decide to raise for several reasons: for value, because my hand is probably the best, for information to find out how much he likes his hand, and to get a check on the river, so I can check it down if necessary. I raise $100, making it $180 straight. He immediately reraises to $300, and it's $120 more to me. I think about folding, but it's only $120 more to me, and I need to see the river card. I call and the pot is $675.

The river brings a King [board is JJ86K], and the old man immediately leads out for $400. This is a VERY tough decision for me. I have JT against a board of JJ86K. No straight or flush possibilities exist. If I call and win I scoop a $1,475 pot. However, if I call and lose, I donk off $700 more to this Blue Hair. I can lose to the following hands: AJ, KJ, QJ, J8, J6, KK, 88, 66. I am pretty sure he doesn't have a pocket pair, so that leaves me with 5 possible hands that beat me.

I take an extremely long time to make my decision, but ultimately decide that he has me beat, and fold. It was a very tough lay down, but I just didn't think my hand was good. It turned out to be an excellent fold because he showed KJ for a full house. I was behind the whole way.

Although I lost the hand, I'm very happy with the way I played it. A guy next to me commented that he couldn't have made that lay down, and "that's the difference between a good player and a bad player." It made me feel much better even though I lost the pot.

Of course, the Blue Hair cashed out 20 minutes later and took home all my money. Luckily I beat up everyone else all night long, and left with a very nice profit.

1 Comment(s):

Posted by  TripJax, at 3:56 PM, December 28, 2005  

Hate it when they cash out not long after taking my money, but I can't say I haven't done it either...

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