O-Poker

Last night, I was finally able to find some time to play some live poker. It was a 5/10 $500 Max Buy-in home game. I haven't been to the game (or any other live game for that matter) in ages. I arrived about 1 hour after the game started and took the final remaining seat at the game. I decided to feel out the table for the first hour.

(How would you play it is the last hand - if you aren't interested in reading the other hands.)

After about 15-20 minutes (and my past history with the players) I was able to get a pretty good feel for all of the players:

Seat 1 - Guy that had just gotten back from Vegas and was telling everyone about the WSOP. He didn't play in it but did "spend a lot of money on satellites. Man, those things can really suck you in." He was fairly tight, but could not get away from hands that he thought were big.

Seat 2 - Long time history with this player - mainly from 1/2 table local tourneys over the past 3-4 years. Solid but tight - can get him to fold a lot of hands.

Seat 3 - Don't remember much about

Seat 4 - Me

Seat 5 - Very loose player; have seen him tilt in games before. He likes to show his cards to other players (it was me tonight) while he is still in a hand. He liked to bluff a lot and would go the the felt with a draw even against the tightest of player.

Seat 6 - Very solid player; I planned to avoid pots with him unless I had a big hand. I am pretty sure he had the same plan against me since we weren't in many pots with each other.

Seat 7 - Luckiest, loosest player at the table that built a huge stack early by being a calling station. He made 2 gutshot straights on the river, 2 pair on the river three times against big pairs, and quad Kings twice (yes, he made quad Kings twice). He would call just about any bet as long as he had at least 3/4 outs.

Seat 8 - Loose player that tries to run over table. He will always make a cont. bet and then slow down if called. He and I get along but for some reason he likes to try to take pots away from me and plays as many pots as he can when I am in the pot. Evidence of this was a hand after I folded preflop and Seat 5 raised, he called and then realized that I wasn't the one that had raised and said, "Oh, I thought Mitch raised. I wouldn't have called except I thought he raised."

Seat 9 - Always led out with big hands and always overbet when he had a hand

Seat 10 - Solid but impatient - tries to get to fancy when he hasn't played a pot in a while.

As you can tell, it is the kind of table any poker player would drool over.

I was up and down at first. I won a decent pot to start with after flopping two pair with A3 (yes it was soooted) against a guy that couldn't fold pocket Jacks. I gave a little back after missing a couple of draws - both times I was getting ridiculous odds to draw.

The game had a ton of limpers and most players wanted to play just about every hand.

Bluff Gone Bad (why play fancy)
I got too fancy in one hand and it crippled me early. I was on the button with 34s and after all but one of the players at the table limped, I raised to $50. I thought that I might take the pot down right there but was going to continue big on the flop and give it up after that. The table was fairly weak and I thought I could win a big pot with air. I got 2 callers - Seat 7 (lucky) and Seat 8.

Flop came A2Qr. It checked to me and I decided to continue to represent an Ace by betting $100. Lucky reluctantly called and Seat 8 folded.

Turn was a 10. Lucky checks. I felt like he was very weak, so I bet $180. He thinks and finally calls. He again came off very weak. I had seen him make a ton a draws on the river and I am certain that he doesn't understand odds.

River was a King. Lucky checks again. I bet $300. He flat calls with......drum roll.... K2. He said that he called my bets because he had a straight draw. I am not sure if he thought he had a straight draw on the flop or not.

Oh well, lesson learned. No fancy play required - just solid straight forward poker. I was licking my chops hoping for a big hand after that one.

Lucky can't fold
I finally get a big starting hand. I am in the small blind and all but two players at the table limp. I look down at AA and raise it up to $60. Lucky calls and Seat 1 calls.

Flop 10102 with two clubs. I bet $180. Lucky instantly calls. Seat 1 folds.

Turn is a 6. I made my decision that if Lucky has a 10 so be it. I shoved for about another $300. Lucky thought for a while and then called with 88!!

River was a 7 and I doubled up. I guess the guy really can't get away from a hand.

Dealer can I get a Deuce?
I have known the guy that was dealing (from playing with him in games around town) for 3+ years. He is friendly with everyone. I was asking him for a deuce on almost every flop that I was either SB or BB.

A little while later, I am dealt 22 in the small blind and like most hands 75% of the table limps. I call and the BB raises to $50. Two players call, so I call. I ask the dealer, "What do I want?" and he replies "We need a deuce." As he starts to turn the cards over the card in the window is the 2 and he looks at me and smiles. The other two cards made me smile. Everyone says there is your card.

Flop AA2. I just knew I was going to get paid off here. I checked and unfortunately everyone else at the table checked. I am certain that at least one player at the table was slow playing their A6o (or something similar)

Turn is 7. I bet out $50. Seat 5 folds. Lucky calls. Seat 1 calls.

River is an 8. I bet $150 hoping that they will both call with weak Aces. Lucky calls. Seat 1 min raises another $150. Yuk. I am picturing a hand like A7 or A8. I just called and for some reason Lucky folded. (I guess lucky only liked to call my bets.) Seat 1 confidently turned over AJ. Everyone laughed about the deuces as I raked in the pot.

Limp Parade - so why not
It was getting late and everyone was limping almost every hand - no joke. It was common to see an unraised pot with 8 people to the flop. I limped along with 35s (because that's how I roll).

Flop comes A24 with 2 clubs. I bet out $60 and a jackass says, "What do have 35 or something?" Seat 5 raises me to $120. Everyone else folds (even Lucky). I try to figure out the best play to maximize value here. I decide that Seat 5 has a big Ace and know he can't get away from it. I raise to $350. Seat 5 shoves (he started with about $600 +/-). I call with the nuts and he turns over A2. Turn and river are blanks and I win a nice pot.

How Would you Play it?

I am dealt JJ in mid position and raise to $80 to thin the field. I get 4 more callers including Lucky, Seat 5 (who is steaming), Seat 10 (in the BB) and Seat 1.

Flop comes 8d9d3h. Seat 10 opens for $200. I am 100% certain that I have him beat and pretty certain that he is on a flush draw. Seat 10 has about $200 behind. Seat 1 calls his last $135. I'm guessing Seat 1 has either a flush draw, straight draw, or 1 pair and 1 over. (Really not too concerned about his hand.)

I have a decision to make. Seat 5 is beaming like he has monster. Seat 5 has around $1,300. Lucky looks like he wants to call. Lucky has about $3,500.

I have around $2,100.

What is your play here?

A. Flat Call (and the draws a chance to catch)
B. Raise (if raise what amount? enough to put Seat 10 all-in or more?)
C. Fold

I'll post the results tomorrow.