A much better day

I skipped the 1k tournament yesterday because Ultimate Bet took some of us to a LA Kings game where we had seats on the ice, open bar and free food. It was a nice opportunity to get out of the casino for once and have some fun.



Before the game, I returned to the 10/20 NL game. Almost immediately I end up in a fun spot. I raise UTG to 70 with AhQs. A younger who is directly on my left and bought into the game for 15k calls, there is another caller in middle position. The flop comes QhJh4s. I lead out for 200 and the player on my left makes it 600 the other player folds. I started the hand with 2k, so I have about 1700 behind. I am faced with a decision here. This is a situation where I am usually slightly ahead of a drawing hand like 4hxh or Ahxh or way behind to 2 pair or 3 of a kind. It is possible that he could just have a weaker flush draw or KsTs or something, but it is not that likely he would raise me in this situation. My raise UTG followed by a pot sized bet on the flop in a full ring game shows a lot of strength. This guy is probably a very good player and he knows that trying to get some unknown player to fold aces or kings in this spot is suicide. Since I am holding the Ah, that eliminates a lot of potential drawing hands that he can have. He could have 5h4h or 6h4h but I'm not sure he calls UTG+1 with these hands preflop. This weights his range heavily towards hands that have me crushed and I should fold here. I didn't fold, because I am not playing good poker. I went allin and he quickly calls. He asks me if I have a set (3 of a kind). I say no, but this is good news for me since it means he probably has a draw. Turn Td river 6s. I table AQ. He shows 5h4h and I win a big pot. I get very lucky in this hand that he happened to have the one hand I could beat and then my hand held up. This is almost certainly a losing play in the long term. It would be somewhat closer if I didn't have the Ah in my hand, but it's probably still a fold.

The next big hand I played I raise QJs and get 3 bet small by the button who only has 1.2k total. I call and the flop comes Ts6s6h giving me a flush draw. I check and he bets about 1/2 pot. I put him all in and he quickly calls. Oops. Turn is the 7s making me a flush and a new enemy. The guy starts ranting about me going all in on a flush draw and immediately rebuys and moves to the seat on my left. Then he starts advising me to leave before he takes all my money. I really wanted to stay because this is a pretty good situation when someone is tilting and coming after you, but I decided against it and went to the hockey game.

Here is a hand I witnessed to give you an idea of how good the games are. There is a straddle to 40. A guy with 1200 makes it 140. It folds to the straddle who calls. Flop is A77r. Straddler checks, guy bets 240. Straddler makes it 480. Guy makes it 500 more leaving maybe 150 dollars behind. Straddler instantly moves allin. Guy says well I guess you do have a 7 and folds an Ace face up. I had to try hard not to laugh, his play is so terrible. Straddler shows him an Ace as he scoops the pot.


When I got back from the hockey game I decided to play some 5/10, not the best idea when I'm drunk but the players are bad enough that I still think I'm a favorite. I don't even remember any of the big hands except one where I somehow got myself in a 3 way all in with pocket 9s and turned a 9 to win a big pot. I left around 3 to get some sleep before the early morning satellite touranment. In total for the day I won about 5k.