March 29 – “Through my peripheral, I see you scheming. / Stop dreaming, I’ll leave your body steaming.”
It was my first session at Delaware Park in a long, long time, and I’d have to bring my A game if I was going to book a big win. The game was soft, but a couple people came after me. Early on, though, I got a nice gift hand.
A few limpers to my big blind and I check with 78o.
Flop ($10): 7
8
8x
The SB bets $8, I call. There’s an LP call.
Turn ($34): 6s
Pretty good card. SB bets $20. I call, LP calls. I was hoping he’d raise. Hmm, ok.
River ($94): 9
That’s pretty much my gin card. SB checks and as I’m debating whether to go for the check-raise or lead out, I see LP stacking chips to bet about $40-$60. I check. He bets $50. SB folds, I move all-in for $212 total and he thinks for about 20 seconds and calls. Sorry, Q
T
is no good.
After a failed big bluff, when I sensed weakness and called a check-raise with middle pair on the flop and then jammed the turn and got tanked called by flopped top pair (second pair after the turn), my image was kind of crap, so I overlimped in LP with 9To. I felt that raising hands like that was –EV because I was going to build huge pots. On the other hand, I had to take the opportunity to play pots in position against bad opponents.
Seven to the flop.
Flop ($14): T
5
5x
An EP player bets $15. He’s a recreational player, a doctor or something, just drinking and having fun. I call, everybody else folds.
Turn ($38): A
He bets $15 again. I’m debating how to play it, as I feel like I’m chopping a high percentage of the time here, but he could also have hearts and have turned the A, or he could have flopped the five. I decide to peel and see what happens, planning to steal the pot from chops on the river.
River ($68): 4o
He checks, I bet $35 and he tanks and folds.
Later, UTG raised to $6 and I was UTG+1 with JJ. It was an interesting spot, because he was a big fish drinking and having fun, but wasn’t raising pre-flop much. Normally I’d flat a UTG raise there, but I didn’t want to see 8 people call, so I 3bet to $20. Naturally, four people call, including UTG.
Flop ($97): 8
5
3o
UTG open jams $86. I decide to flat call it, which in hindsight I think was a mistake due to the draws – I should have raised. Regardless, everyone else folds.
Turn ($269): K
River ($269): 2o
He shows K
T
and his hand is good. I suppose that’s one way to play K
T
UTG.
Later on there’s one limper (UTG) and I raise to $12 in the CO with A8o. The blinds call and the limper folds.
Flop ($31): A
7
3x
It checks to me, I bet $20. One blind folds and the BB moves all-in for $90 total. My physical read is that he’s on clubs. I saw him move all-in with a draw before and his mannerisms and demeanor are the same. I decide to trust my read and call. He has 6
8
and my hand holds for a $210 pot.
Later, there are a couple of limps and I limp the button with 5
8
Flop ($9): Q
4
3x
It checks to me and I bet $7. Two calls.
Turn ($25): A
It checks to me, I bet $20. The BB raises to $50. He’s got over $200 left and I cover. He seems like a decent, but losing player. He’s running bad and losing today and seems to be getting frustrated, but I’m a little wary of this raise, so I just call. It’s basically either the nuts or air, so I think calling is the right play.
River ($124): K
He insta-bets $65. In order to bet that quickly, he basically has to have the J
or a bluff. I just stare at him. Earlier when he had a monster and bet at someone, I picked up a read. This one does not match. Now, I don’t have a confirming read on a bluff to go on, but I don’t believe he has a monster, and thus, I believe I’m good.
I count out the $65 and he looks disgusted. I actually think this is an honest reaction, as he quickly then begins bopping to the music on his headphones to cover it up. I call. He shakes his head no. I say, you have no spade? And he doesn’t show his hand so I table mine. He mucks and can’t believe I called with the 8, nor can the table.
I think my hand reading and people reading are big strengths, and I’m going to trust them in spots like this. He’s basically nutted or bluffing, so the read is important in that spot.
Later there’s a UTG limp and I make it $12 from the CO with AJo. He calls.
Flop ($23): A
Q
Jo
He checks, I bet $15, he calls.
Turn ($51): K
Not the greatest card, and while AT can be in his range, I don’t see him showing up with AK or AQ here, and KQ, KJ, QJ and hearts are possible. I can get value from all of those on this turn, so I bet $30. He calls.
River ($111): 5o
He checks and I contemplate betting, but decide to check behind and MHIG.
Final result: 7.5 hours, +$503.
There was a funny moment when two guys who had been playing a lot of pots together both flopped straights, and the older guy flopped the high end and the younger guy the low end. The old guy shows, and the young guy says, "I have a little one."
The old guy goes, "It gets bigger when you get older," going for the obvious innuendo.
The board runs out clean and I say, "But it's harder to make it last until the river."