Posted by Junelli 3:26 PM
I haven't written a poker story in a long time. Partly because I was burned out on telling bad beats, and partly because nothing interesting has happened.

I have been playing on a semi-regular basis (though certainly not as much as before I got married in May 2005). In Houston I play at several different places (there are at least 6 card rooms within 5 miles of my house).

Most games have evolved in the 4+ years I've been playing. When I first started playing, the Top Hat offered 2-3 games: $3-$6-$12, $10-$20 and $1-$2 NL/PL. Today almost every place in town plays $5-$5 NL/PL. You can occasionally find a $2-$5PL or even a small $1-$2 NL game, but not often. Of course, a few places offer the huge $5-$10 PL Omaha Hi/Lo, but I don't go near those waters.

You need a bankroll to play in these games. In a $5-$5 NL game, $300 can disappear faster than you can blink an eye. Hell, you can miss a few flops, fold, and still find yourself down over $100 before the first few rounds.

The lack of a bankroll has been my main problem over the past 10 months. Even though I still play the games, I really can't afford them and a bad night will put me in the hole for a few weeks. When I'm winning I tend to play more often. Funny how that works.

So last night I go to the Top Hat where they're playing $5-$5 PL. I buy in for $300 and miss every hand for about an hour. I find myself down to about $110 left in chips, when I flopped a set of 8's against JJ and two pair against Aces. Back up to even.

On the button I was dealt a 9d7d and an early position player raised to $20. Several people called and I called (pair, gutshot, and a backdoor flush draw). The pot was about $80. The flop was T76 and the initial raiser led out for $75. I had seen him make continuation bets in the past and then give up and check/fold on the turn. I wasn't sure whether he had a big pair, or 2 overs.

I called the $75, and the pot was $230. The turn brought the 8 giving me 2nd nut straight (which I knew was good). He reached for his chips, but then stopped and checked to me. I figured he was weak at this point, but knew I had to bet something to massage the pot (very important concept in PL).

I bet $75 (about 1/3 the pot) hoping that he would see this bet as a "weak lead" or a cheap attempt to steal. If he had a decent hand (overpair) he'll pay me off by calling or raising here.

He raised to put me all in (another $140). The pot is $660. He turns over KK and I scoop the large pot.

He's so disgusted at me that he cashes out and leaves. Which was very good for me because the table broke and most of the players moved over to the main game.

I decided to book my profit, cash out and head over to the Zebra to play $2-$5 PL.

I arrive at the Zebra and sit into a 9 handed game that is very wild. The chips are flying and there are several drunk new guys, who I've never seen before.

I start winning almost immediately and grow my stack from $400 to $1,300 in just over 3 hours. Things were really going my way. I was picking up pots without having to show my cards, steamrolling the right people, catching a few sneaky hands, etc.

Then I derailed a bit.

A fairly weak player (with about $600) raised UTG to $25. Several people call, including me on the button with QTo. The flop comes 977 with 2 clubs.

The initial raiser leads out for $55 into a $150 pot. One other person called. I sensed weakness from both players and decided to call (with the hope of taking it away on 4th street or the river). I also called quickly so as to represent a flush draw.

The turn brought the 5 of clubs (putting 3 clubs on the board). The initial bettor again bet $55 (this time into a pot over $300). The middle player folded and I decided to make my move.

I raised to $185 ($130 more). He hemmed and hawed for about 20 seconds, and clearly didn't like my raise. He called.

The river puts a Ten on the board giving me top pair but missing my Q high flush draw. He checks to me.

I hesitate a few moments and then bet $150 (bluff). He thinks for longer than I've ever had anyone take. At least 6 minutes passed. Finally the dealer called the clock on him, and they actually counted the last 10 seconds down out loud.

At the last possible second he pushes his chips in for a call.

I announce "Good Call" and he turns over AA with the Ace of clubs. He also missed his flush, but had an overpair to the board.

Cody immediately told me that I bet the river like a little sissy, and that I would've easily won that pot if I had pushed $300-$350 in there. I later found out this is true, because that guy told me he would've folded to a larger bet on the river.

The pot was $670 and I only bet $150 on a bluff????? I need to go back to poker school.

To be honest, I didn't even think about the amount. I just shoved in $150 thinking that would be enough to scare him out without being so much that it would devastate me if he called and I lost.

I played like a wuss and I deserved to lose a pot that I could've easily taken away.

Well I decided that was a good time to get up and leave (and still lock up an albeit small profit at the Zebra). I just did not want to give back all my winnings, go into the hole, and get stuck playing for another 3 hours trying to get back to even.

I was happy to go home a small winner. If I had bet properly on the river, I would've had a very very good night.

2 Comment(s):

Posted by  Junelli, at 4:52 PM, October 11, 2006  

As a follow up, a very good player told me that, for the longest time, he used to think that once you acquire a big stack in a NL game, it's your duty to use the stack to push people around, mix it up, and play a lot looser.

He said it took him a long time to realize that a much better strategy to employ once you get "up in the game" is to go into a shell and play very standard poker. You end up holding onto your chips better, and getting your money in good.

That's a very good point. Every single time I start winning in a game, I loosen up big time, and start playing any two cards. Trying to outplay everyone. As a result, I'm usually like a roller coaster, and have often given all my profits back, and driven home punching my steering wheel.

I like the "lockdown" method better.

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Posted by  Dr Fro, at 5:12 PM, October 11, 2006  

I dunno. I think his hand was just about the only hand (or one one of very few hands) where you'd regret only betting $150. Most hands here are monsters or complete misses of the board. I would bet that $150 would run off most of the "complete misses".

I think that perhaps the better move would be to check and see if the Ten was good. If he completely missed then you are no better off betting $150 than checking - either way you win the pot. But if you bet $150 into his trap, you just lost $150.

In summary, I would have done as you did or I would have checked. I would never have pushed a huge bet into that pot.

DF

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