Sunday, October 03, 2010

Poker Anecdote

Last night I am playing at league night. I have bled off 20% of my stack missing flops. I hit zero of them. So, folds around to the button and "villain" makes a raise. I also noted he played his last 4 buttons or so (but I am not sure). I look down at Ac7c, so I call. I have already decided on a course of action for my hand if I hit an Ace.

Flop is 8cAdJh. I decide that I will check raise the c-bet. The c-bet comes for maybe 1500 and I come over the top for 7k all in. Now, that is a big bet, but he calls with TPTK. I figure that a bigger Ace here (but not AK) may fold. Tough call, but certainly reasonable. The turn is a 7 and I win the hand from behind. Not that I am proud of my play here, but now I feel like I have to defend it because this guy is pissed.

Even after a short discussion, he says something under his breath. With strangers I would let that go, but not in a league. I bring it back up. His logic is that he "never plays marginal hands, and thus cant have just a Jack there." He solicits confirming opinions from another player at the table. No way this guy would make a button raise with a hand like KJ or QJ. Fine. Ok.

As usual with this kind of story, fast forward maybe an hour at the most. Folded around to him on the button and he raises. I decide to CALL in the SB with KQo. I have this hand in the blinds because of the trouble it can cause. You could argue for a raise since the antes kicked in, but perhaps this guy has AK again. Ok, so the BB calls and we end up going to the river since no one can beat the pocket pair of 77 from the BB. He shows JsQs!! The EXACT hand he states he NEVER plays.

Moral of the story: Phil Hellmuth is a genius. Really. By going on a tirade, people give you credit for tighter play. Try it!

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