Friday Night Poker at BGs

Last night was spent with friends, eating pizza, talking shit, and playing poker. It is a mostly perfect setup. Nine guys showed up, so we had a good full table. The game is NL holdem.

Now we don't write about illegal activities and I'm pretty sure that playing poker for money in North Carolina would be just that type of activity, so let's just say that we were playing for pride with a buy in of 30 credits. ;)

This night, my role was to be that of executioner. I ended up beating the all-in bets of 6 of the 9 players at the table to get into the money, er, credits as the chip leader. That was where my luck turned south. On the next round of the table I was dealt some good hands. Not great limp in hands, but solid starting hands that I would be happy to have folded to. Each of the three got an all in call and each time I lost.

So I finished in third and in the credits, but it could have been much better. The guy that put me out had the most incredable luck just getting to the final three that it is no wonder that he found enough fortune to put me out. Twice I had covered his all in bets with much better cards and improved on the flop only to see him catch a 3 or 4 out draw to an inside straight to beat me on the river. To make matters worse, I dealt the first of the two suck-outs.

I’ll have to pat myself on the back once for how I handled it. I really don’t try to show my ass at the table. In fact, I try to not show any more than a momentary bit of disappointment when I lose a big hand, but if the truth be known, I have really gotten steamed when things haven't gone my way. More than once my tilt has cost me dearly.

These were big hands, but it really didn’t bother me. The man made a good all-in bet and I made the proper call in each case, I shrugged it off. I think this seriously helped my game. My mind stayed in the game and I finished the night by making up for the suck-outs. I manged a few of my own at critical times.

After the first tourney, all nine players had hung around for round 2. This would be for 20 credits and we started with more chips to make the game last a bit longer. I ended up at the top of the heap and the end of this one.

I played some tight fold’em poker until round 4 or 5 when the blindes started pushing me a bit. The button and I, the BB, had some pretty healthy stacks. The button, who was BG, the host, gave the pot a healthy raise. I looked down at AJs and I called.

Now I know what some are thinking, a ‘healthy raise’? Is that the best you can do? I know a great memory is a necessary tool for a top poker player. That is why I will never be a top poker player. I remember generalities, but that is about all. How much was bet and what suit the cards were escapes me before the end of the next hand. Heck, I can hardly remember the cards in my hand between the flop and the turn. Anyway, back to the story.

The flop was KJ10 with one of my suite. I check and the BB who bet a another 3 bets or so. I called. The turn brought another K. I check and BG ups the bet another big blind or so. Now I’m thinking that my jacks and kings may be way behind his trip kings. He ups the bet to about 4x. I’ve got a flush draw, a straight draw and 4 cards to a full house, so I’m not going anywhere, so I call. The miracal third king falls on the river. I go all in praying that he didn’t have quads. The full house held up to beat the host’s flopped straight (AQ) with kings full of jacks. WOW, a double up just when I needed it.

About all I recall about the rest of the night was knocking out the suck-out king from the first tourney when my 5h6h (correction, it was Ah2h) caught a 2h3hx (2h5hx) on the flop and a 4h (Woohoo, I got that right) on the turn to make my 5th ever straight flush.

That got us to the money and again I had the chip lead. I proceeded to get all of the cards I needed to knock out the rest of the players in about 12 hands. It was a nice rush.

I have to thank our host again. It is my understanding that it was the suggestion of his wife (whom I don’t think I have ever seen) that we play at their house. The two of them are heading to Vegas this week. I wish them all the best luck.