Back in the fight!

Back in the fight!

Always happy to report that this weekend I didn't suffer any bad beats, played solidly and walked away strongly in profit after. Not only was I dealt some absolute monsters, I was helped immeasurably by having some opponents push with some rather surprising holdings.

Friday night, 30 minutes before I was due to go out and dine on some of the best Argentinian steak available in London, I fired up a few tables on UB to see what was popping. After flopping a straight with 42o (that didn't lose!) and busting a short stacked opponent, Incrediboy proceeded to get a flurry of hands and take down several med/large pots.

One player at my table was playing very aggressively, and when he raised UTG I was almost delirious to see I had been given AA. I popped in the reraise, knowing he would call and he would be isolated. The flop alas was far from perfect: KcKs2h rainbow. He checked, and I decided the scared c-bet was my best option, so I bet $45 into the $100 pot. He insta-called, and I had a micro-second to contemplate my next move. Then, all my half-formed plans were blown away when a positively spectacular Ad fell on the turn. Bingo. My opponent now lead out for $110! All my dreams were coming true as I raised to $250, only to see my opponent push allin for $200 more. I snap called and waited. The river bricked out and the pot was shipped to me. I checked the hand history to see if my opponent had gotten horribly unlucky with AK, KQ or maybe 22. Imagine my surprise when I saw he had pushed allin with 33!!!

5 minutes later, up against a half-stack, I found myself with TT UTG and made a standard raise. The half-stack in the BB was the only caller. The flop of Th 6s 4s gave me top set, and the action was checked to me. I bet my set (cos I'm a man) and to my delight the BB raised the pot, which I hesitated just slightly before calling. The turn gave me quads, and I was forced to call the BB's surprising allin! Checking the hand history, I was getting scared when I read the BB also had pushed with 33, for a mighty 2 pair: TT and 33 (6 kicker!!!).
I stood up and checked my results: $1.1k in 30 minutes. Incrediboy, that's incredible. I went off to meet my friends for steak stunned, but very happy at my good fortune.

Saturday was not so easy, and within an hour I found myself down several buyins. I focussed and played hard though, and managed to finish 2 hours later in profit again after tricking an overly aggressive opponent to push an apparent weak turn bet from me with nothing more than a bare flush draw, while I had trips. Although I made a few big mistakes, I still feel happy with how I played afterwards; particularly the fact I didn't tilt when I was losing.

Sunday morning came around and I played a little more. I quickly took out one short-stacked player after he called my pf raise with Q6o (mistake #1), and hit trips on the flop when I picked up a flush draw. I c-bet 1/2 the pot, and he smooth called (mistake #2). My flush came in on the turn and he checked, maybe hoping to check-raise, but I checked behind for deception. On the river he tried to get value for his trips by betting the pot (mistake #3). I pushed allin and he insta-called, showing down his paltry 6 kicker to my Q-high flush. From there I took out another short stack when he couldn't fold his 99 to my QQ on a J high flop. I doubled up, then logged off for a full cooked breakfast. Bliss.

That evening, just before bed, I played again, conscious of the fact that many other late night sunday sessions had turned a winning weekend into a wasted one. It was not so this time. A player UTG put in a raise, and with 66 in UTG+1 I called, along with both the SB and BB. The flop came down 6c 4h 2d, and I smiled the toothy smile of a tiger seeing a baby llama straying from the safety of the herd. The blinds checked, and the UTG bet pot. With 4 players in the pot, I raised my top set right there to make the bet $100. The SB quickly folded, but the BB smooth called, and I thought I was up against another set (please please please!). UTG quickly called, and my instinct said overpair, he can't let it go. The turn came Tc, and the BB checked. The UTG player fired again, $180 this time! I pushed allin, and the BB quickly folded (shame), but Mr UTG insta-called. The river was 7s and the pot was shipped to me. I called up the hand history, desperate to know what premium holding the UTG player I had luckily overcome? The premium holding was.... ATo.
I tried to explain to Faye just how insane his play was on every level, but I just couldn't. Words failed me. That pot took my winnings to over 1k for an hours play.

I think the moral of the weekend is that you need more than good cards to clean up at poker. You need either
a) Lady Luck to give your opponent a great, but slightly weaker hand every time she gives you a monster, or
b) you need to play against people with an excess of testosterone, but a severe shortage of intelligence.
The second in infinitely more available, so practice good table selection and follow the fish. Use any tools at your disposal to find the weak players, and do your level best to take all of their money. After all, if it didn't go to you, some shark might take it instead. :- P