Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Get two Kings, and make them fight each other!

Back in ye olden days, Kings ruled the land. And if you had two Kings, well, ye were in good shape. Until "he" came...

I had played a couple of SnG at Noble. (It's hard right now to resist the jackpot carrots they are waving around.) I had lost a good deal lately (see previous post), but despite what I considered a TERRIBLE streak, I lost about $8 + juice total. Today started in a similar fashion as I played another $5 SnG and actually got called out by a guy! I have ATo and raised it the standard 3xBB. I got two callers. The flop was KQ2 and I checked. The button caller bets UNDER 1/2 the pot, so I decide to call. This is NOT typical for me, but it seemed to me that the table was "fast" and I thought too many players were laying down hands too quickly. So I called. The turn is a blank and he makes the same bet. Now, normally I would come over the top whenever someone bets the turn the same size as the flop (strong indicator of a weak bet with middle pair). But I KNEW I was behind and the table was fast, so he would probably call. Plus, he could have a monster. The river is an Ace and when he bets, I just call. The Aces were good and I took the pot. (He indeed had a Queen, thus his hesitant betting). Then he calls me a lucky fish? Really? Why? I made a decision, not a mindless chase. Then, maybe 20 hands later, I flop top pair, he calls me down, makes a straight on the river with... wait for it... ATo. So why am *I* the fish? I end up 5th though, out of the money.

Then, I found these new "dirty dozen shootout" format tournaments. Basically, its a 2 table MTT where you are always playing shorthanded. (There are two tables of six, and the tables combine when there are 6 left.) I am doing exceedingly well at these, as I think I am better short handed. (I have won 2 out of 3 so far). Win 4 in a row, get a $2k jackpot. Hmmm... Worth a shot, especially at $2...

But, last night I wanted to play, but was sick of over thinking everything to death. I have been playing very tense, so I decided to try something new. I sat down in front of the TV, put on something from the TIVO box, and entered a ring game. $.25/.50 where I could work off more of my bonus.

It worked in some regards. I was relaxed and was making good decisions. I was up about $8, and then I started "pushing" again. It wasn't long before I was back down again and I realized I had stopped watching TV. I went back to the TV and my patience returned. Interesting huh? I need to relax more when I play. This was important to learn. I was not picking my spots well enough, or to say it better, I was picking too many spots. But now, back to the title of this post...

I pick up KK in MP. It was folded to me and I make it my standard 3xBB. I get 2 callers. Then "he" came. The Ace of "Fuck you Kings". Not one, but TWO of them, like a band of outlaws. AA9 flop. Hmmm. Wait a sec. It is very possible I am ahead here. When the FTA checks, I bet out. They both call. Hmmm. The turn is ANOTHER 9. Weird, but I am certainly concerned now. One of those guys had to have the 9 or why would they call? When they both called, I figured one for the Ace and one for the 9. But when a SECOND 9 comes, I decide to bet out and either fold to any action or I take it right here. I make a good sized bet and the button calls. The river is a blank and I check (I am done). The button makes a small value bet and I call just to see what he played. A9o. What the hell was the other guy in with?!

So, with KK I am out $8. I have $42. Upsetting after all that work, but its the big hands that win or lose most of the money. Fast forward about 20 hands. A new player sits down across the table with a full bankroll of $50. He posted a come in BB and folds the hand on the flop. It is now his SECOND hand at the table and from UTG he makes it 4xBB. Its folded to me in MP and I once again have KK. INSTEAD of re-raising, which is what I would normally always do, I call, figuring that I want to win more than $2 with my KK. The button calls also.

The flop is 778 (2 hearts). UtG makes a $4 bet into a $6 pot. I decide to lose the button and raise it to $8. The button folds and the original better calls. What do I think he has? Well, I think based on the pre-flop bet that he has JJ, QQ or AA. It is often the case that pairs come in pairs, and I am never surprised to see 2 pocket pairs. Do I think he flopped trips? Not really. It was too strong of a bet for 88 UTG and A7 seems out of the question. No one is trying to steal $.75 from UTG in a ring game. If he has AA I am in big trouble, but the lack of a re-raise here tells me JJ or QQ. It is also possible he has flopped a flush draw, but in that case he would have to be playing AQ suited based on the pre-flop bet and the fact that I have 2 kings (and the Kings of hearts).

The turn is the 3 of clubs. Could not be better for me. If he WAS on the flush draw, he is now a 4-1 dog to make it. (note: when I suspect someone on a flush draw, I never go for their money until the blank turn comes. Too many players call with a flush draw on the flop bet, REGARDLESS of pot odds.) Now, if he somehow has an 8, he is in BIG trouble, but again this seems unlikely. Its his move and he suddenly makes a BIG bet. $9 I think. WTF? I mean this is $.25/$.50 and he is betting $9 bucks. The pot is so big already. He is fearless here and I briefly start worrying about AA. I mean, if he has AA and the Ace of hearts, I would have played it exactly like he did. (4xBB pre-flop, bet out and called a re-raise post flop.) It was then I had a decision to make. Was I going to finish the hand? I had recently learned that if you are going to finish a hand, you need to bet as soon as you realize this, in order to at least get some folding equity. I decided that yes, I was going to pay off if he had AA. I still think he had QQ. But the more I think about it, the more I start thinking he is WAY out of line. He has NO IDEA what cards I could be holding because HE JUST SAT DOWN. Who sits down and stacks-off on the SECOND hand he is dealt. He can't possibly assume I would not play A8s or A7s or ever 9Ts because he has NO information. He might even have put ME on a draw and has TT. I still think QQ of JJ is the most likely of hands because with AA he could of went for my chips on my flop-reraise. It just isn't likely that he would be SO comfotable with AA there that he would slow play. So, with all that racing through my head, I muster up my courage and push all-in. This is VERY RARE for me, but as usual, I am SO sure I know what he has. (despite my recent track record)

He calls.

Noble deals the final card, which is a non-heart blank. Then the software, as it OFTEN DOES, take a long pause for what seemed an eternity. He reveals AhJh and the shock prevents me from celebrating as $42 is pushed my way. In his SECOND HAND he lost $42 bucks ON A 4-1 FLUSH DRAW!!!! I mean, he could have folded on the turn and been out a mear $10. Not great, but WHY RAISE all in AS A 4-1 DOG?! Isn't that what sets Phil Helmuth off on his tirades? It’s reckless. Plus, he raised at a FULL TABLE to 4xBB with AJs from UtG. That is a hard hand to play, but especaily when you no NOTHING about the table and are UtG. For the first time in what seems an eternity, it paid off for the good guy. (I MAY have called the reraise on the flop with that, but certainly not pushed all in on the TURN. If I am going to semi-bluff, its going to be as a 2-1 dog, not a 4-1 dog.)

Summary: 2 hours of play. Only 2 big hands. Both KK. Lost $8, won $42. I played a few more hands and pushed people around with my big stack but never had any cards after that. But I did win about $8 pushing people off hands with my monster stack. When I was at $90, my battery was low and I took the cash and ran. Then I watched ye olde WSOP on ESPN.

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