O-Poker

I am finally slowing down a little (relative) at work, so I was eager to head back to the home game that I went to a few weeks ago. Last night they ran a $2/$5 NL game and a $5/$10 NL game.

The action started at 7 PM. I made it over there around 8:30 after attending a local professional organization monthly meeting/dinner (and pounding a few beers at the meeting). The $5/$10 table was full and they were just starting up the 2/5 game. I sat down to play the 2/5 game and asked the guy that was running the game to put me first on the waiting list for the 5/10 game.

$2/$5 NL game

Most players bought in for $300. I bought in for $400 because there was one other guy that had bought in for $400 and I wanted to have him covered. We were playing 7 handed initally and I decided to play a little more aggressive than I normally do live until I met resistance.

The first time that the button got to me, I raised with KQo and got 2 callers. The flop was Q75 with two clubs. BB bet $25. Next guy folds. I raise to $70 and BB calls. Turn is another Queen. BB bets $50. I make it $150, he folds.

I got called to the 5/10 game and decided to play one last hand at $2/$5 and was glad I did.

Last hand at 2/5... I raised on the button to $25 with AJo and got 4 callers. The flop came KQ10. BINGO!! It checks to me and I bet $40. BB calls. MP min-raises. I immediately put him on 2 pair, KJ, or AK. I decided that the best option was to flat call. BB folds. Turn is a low card club (2 clubs on board). MP bets $50. I raise to $150 and he calls. I know this guy and have decided he definitely has 2 pair. I cross my fingers for the board not to pair. River is a low card. MP checks. I push all in and he insta-calls. He had K10.

$5/$10 NL game

I went over to the 5/10 game with $700. The max buy-in was $500, but I was allowed to bring my chips from the $2/$5 game.

The game was much different than the last time that I was there. A few people that I had played against in different games around town were there - some decent players, some not so good. The two horrible players from the last time that I played were not there. I am guessing that their luck or money or both ran out.

I had a roller coaster night bouncing between $400 and $800 - topping off to $500 every time I got down to $400. (I did that twice, so I was in for a total of $600)

Most hands were pretty straight forward for me and I limped a lot trying to hit (this probably cost me the most, but one good flop would have equaled huge profits in that game).

I had a couple of noteworthy hands towards the end of the night:

Hand 1
Later in the night. 6 handed (perfect for me) and two players announced that they were leaving shortly, so the game was definitely going to break soon.

Background (Player E)- I had played with player E quite a bit in the past. He used to be pretty bad and fairly predictable - mainly in SNGs (1 table/2 table). I was sitting next to him most of the night before I changed seat to get out of Seat 10. His game was a lot better than it had been in the past. He would play weak-tight at times and tight-aggressive at other times.

My Stack - $750+/-; Player E has me covered

I am dealt KK UTG+1. I raise to $35. I just raised to $45 the hand before and everyone folded. MP calls, SB Folds. Player E from BB calls. Pot - $105.

Flop - QdJd10c - I don't have the Kd.

Player E bets $75. His usual bet had been to bet out on flops when he had a draw and then check the turn when he missed. I decided to just flat call and see what he does on the turn. Pot - $255

Turn 8x

Player E bets $200. I had not seen him bet out on a board like this against someone he views as tight unless he had a hand that he was trying to protect from a draw. I thought for a while, not sure what I could beat. I could beat a flush draw, AQ, KQ (not likely holding considering I have KK). All other hands in his range have me beat. I really thought that he flopped two pair. I knew that if I called I was pretty much committing all my chips on the river. I decided to either push or fold. I showed him a King and asked if it scared him. Everything about his body language screamed that I was beat. I showed him the other King as I mucked the hand. I would probably have been all in against any other player at that table. He mucked without showing and then said that he had A8. I don't believe him. He is the type of guy that would have shown the hand if he had a worse hand than KK.

In retrospect, I am not sure if I should have called the $200 on the turn and then decided what to do on the river. (He was definitely pushing just about any river.)

I am curious as to how everyone else would have played this given the background on this player?

Hand 2 (very next hand)

6 handed. Two limpers. SB (has me covered) makes it $35. (He is fairly predictable and easy to read. Everything about him says that he has a big hand.)

I am dealt 6h8h and flat call knowing that the limpers aren't re-raising and if the flop hits me I am getting paid off by the SB.

Flop comes 57K (1 heart)

SB Checks. I bet $60. The SB immediately starts looking at my chips to see how much I have. He is so excited that he is pratically bouncin up and down in his seat. Everyone folds to him and he flat calls.

I know that there is no way that he is folding and he is most likely checking the turn to try to check-raise me. I am figuring that I am going to get to see two cards for a chance to catch my straight or back door flush.

Turn is the 9h. BINGO - I just made the nuts!!

SB checks to me. I am trying to figure out the best way to get all the money in right now. I bet $90. SB immediately pushes all-in. I insta-call obviously.

SB beams as he says that he has a "Trip Kings". I show him my hand and say that I have the straight. It took about 15 seconds (and the help of the dealer) before he realized that I had the (current) nuts. He was still confident and said that the board was going to pair - almost like he was the favorite. (I seriously think that he thought he was the favorite)

The river was the 7. SB jumped for joy and told me that he saw the 7 before it even came out. He yells over to the other table to tell them about the pot that he just won including how he perfectly slow played his set.

The funny thing - the beat stung less than it would have in the past. I think I am getting numb to the beats (unless we are talking about 25/50) - not sure if this is good or bad.

It was time for me to go. The game was about to break - there was no point in re-buying.

I smiled, said my good-byes and good lucks and left. ($600 lighter - total net at this game -$100)