I want to record the second memorable hand as promised, but first I want to tell about something I did tht made me feel terrible on Thursday night. It was completely innocent, but if anyone caught it, they probably now think that I am a terrible cheat. I was sitting directly to the right of a fairly good player who plays very tightly. I believe I was in the big blind and therefore the last to act. As soon as the cards were dealt, the player to my left raised all-in. He had been blinding down for hours and he had only thirty-three or four dollars left. This got everyone out of the hand all the way around the table. As soon as he had made the bet, two thing happened. First I decided that I was definitely folding my hand. It was one middle card and one low card that didn't reach and they weren't even suited. I'd have been foolish to call. The other thing that happened was thet the player to my left who had made the bet held his cards up edgewise in front of him, with the bottom against the edge of the table, staring at them while everyone else folded. Seeing that, and being very tired from hours of play and not really thinking properly, I leaned over a few inches to my left in an attempt to see if he really had a hand or if he was just stealing the blinds. I had forgotten that I was still in the hand! The dealer reminded me, "Brinton, are you out?" I was shocked and immediately felt terrible. I hadn't yet thrown in my hand. I immediately apologized and grabbed my cards and tossed them in. Hopefully if I go back this Thursday they won't meet me at the door and invite me to find some place else to play.
Now, on to the other interesting hand.
After the departure of a couple players who abhor the sight of any poker hand where they have to touch more than two cards, the rest of us decided to mix it up a little. One of the games we played was seven card stud. It's a weakness of mine, as I like to see fourth and fifth street too much to be healthy. I remember being much younger and thinking that any first three cards where one had two to a straight or two to a flush was worth a call, and this was when we were playing limit! Hell, I still almost play that way, I just can't get over it. In this particular hand, it started just a little better that that, with the only reason to stay being that I had not two, but three cards to a straight, and two of them were even suited. The bet was minimal if there was a bet at all. By fourth street things weren't looking too bad, as I had a small pair, three to a flush and three to a straight. The player to my right, who had an ace and a face card showing, bet ten dollars. I wanted to call. I probably shouldn't have called, but given who it was, and given my stack size, I just couldn't help it. On fifth street, I had four to a flush, and four to a straight, although the straight needed only a seven, and I think one may have been already dead. There was another ten dollar bet, and I called again, all by myself this time. The bettor's hand had gathered a second face card and was looking rather dire. Sixth street didn't help me at all. It was a ten. The bettor bet ten, having I think a ten of his own, needing only a queen in the hole to make his straight. On seventh street, I received my second eight, giving me two not very good pair. The bettor bet ten once again. Not having made my straight, flush, or even trips, any of which I really felt would have been enough, I was forced to settle with two pair. I thought about it. I had the bettor on two high pair. I felt like he had been betting aces up or aces and then aces up the whole hand. Still, there was a lot of money in the pot, about seventy dollars or so. I rated the chances that my had was the best at no more than twenty percent, but even at that, I was getting excellent pot odds to call, seven to one money for four to one risk. I probably on rated my hand chances this well because I never believed the straight. I would have been more suprised to have been beaten by a straight than what actually did happen. As with all bets on the end due to nothign but the odds, I tossed in the ten dollars not expecting to get it back, but I did. My hand was just fine. He'd been betting on aces the whole time.
Another little something that might have subconciously helped was that last ten dollar bet. It looked like a value bet if ever there was one. He bet where I'd have to call. Where this would look like a sensible play from some players, this player isn't known for making good value bets on the end when he has the hand locked up. He did, however, finally cnvince me that I was going to have to start making value bets to him on the river, because he just isn't going to throw all his chips away anymore trying to prove I am a liar.
Now, on to the other interesting hand.
After the departure of a couple players who abhor the sight of any poker hand where they have to touch more than two cards, the rest of us decided to mix it up a little. One of the games we played was seven card stud. It's a weakness of mine, as I like to see fourth and fifth street too much to be healthy. I remember being much younger and thinking that any first three cards where one had two to a straight or two to a flush was worth a call, and this was when we were playing limit! Hell, I still almost play that way, I just can't get over it. In this particular hand, it started just a little better that that, with the only reason to stay being that I had not two, but three cards to a straight, and two of them were even suited. The bet was minimal if there was a bet at all. By fourth street things weren't looking too bad, as I had a small pair, three to a flush and three to a straight. The player to my right, who had an ace and a face card showing, bet ten dollars. I wanted to call. I probably shouldn't have called, but given who it was, and given my stack size, I just couldn't help it. On fifth street, I had four to a flush, and four to a straight, although the straight needed only a seven, and I think one may have been already dead. There was another ten dollar bet, and I called again, all by myself this time. The bettor's hand had gathered a second face card and was looking rather dire. Sixth street didn't help me at all. It was a ten. The bettor bet ten, having I think a ten of his own, needing only a queen in the hole to make his straight. On seventh street, I received my second eight, giving me two not very good pair. The bettor bet ten once again. Not having made my straight, flush, or even trips, any of which I really felt would have been enough, I was forced to settle with two pair. I thought about it. I had the bettor on two high pair. I felt like he had been betting aces up or aces and then aces up the whole hand. Still, there was a lot of money in the pot, about seventy dollars or so. I rated the chances that my had was the best at no more than twenty percent, but even at that, I was getting excellent pot odds to call, seven to one money for four to one risk. I probably on rated my hand chances this well because I never believed the straight. I would have been more suprised to have been beaten by a straight than what actually did happen. As with all bets on the end due to nothign but the odds, I tossed in the ten dollars not expecting to get it back, but I did. My hand was just fine. He'd been betting on aces the whole time.
Another little something that might have subconciously helped was that last ten dollar bet. It looked like a value bet if ever there was one. He bet where I'd have to call. Where this would look like a sensible play from some players, this player isn't known for making good value bets on the end when he has the hand locked up. He did, however, finally cnvince me that I was going to have to start making value bets to him on the river, because he just isn't going to throw all his chips away anymore trying to prove I am a liar.
posted by Brinton at 1:01 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home