"Poker is like the tide: When it comes in you can see all the little fishes swimming about; but when it recedes, only the rocks remain."
-Tom H. (TAG-NIT)
While reviewing yesterday's session I came up with the about musing - not too bad an effort if I may say so.
The problem with the 6.5 hour session was that there was never any continuity to the table. Arrived in the morning to get in on the last vestiges of the over night game, so the table was deep. Problem was that I was directly to the right of TTJ and Crazy Jeremy. Problem half solved when I was able to move between them, but Jeremy was in the midst of a rough session and he was tilting. A hand would start with a limp, a raise to $20, I would call in the HJ with 86ss and Jeremy would make it $130. So after being slapped around like that a few times I went into a tight shell. He finally leaves and I open up and do OK. However, I did limit my winnings by enjoying the opportunity to not just straddle, but occasionally make it a dead $20, and one time a dead $40 - gotta keep reworking the new image. I would do that when the table got tight again. Players kept coming and going and the other 2/5 table - which was good - never opened up. Until the upcoming hand I never came across good raising situations, but I did miss several dry draws.
The best hand happened late in the day when I was getting tired, so I made a possible value mistake:
New young guy comes to the table. He straddles even before his chips arrive. I call with A
8
along with a couple of others and it gets back to new kid. Even before he un-racks his chips($500) he splashes in an extra $55. Here I will admit to a prejudice to these types of players. The one's who are so cool and cavalier and fearless acting. I pegged him as one and I instantly called saying, "Yea, Yea, here we go". So now it is HU.
Flop($130): 4
5
7:
:
He bets $100, and in my hubris I go with the "FU" beat-him-into-the-pot play instead of the correct "FU" raise play.
Turn($330): 6
He grabs two stacks, but then only slides one in. I pause for 10 seconds and go all-in. He thinks for a minute but folds. I was hoping my attitude, and the fact that an 8 in my hand might seem rare would get him to call.
So all-in-all an odd day with the dynamics. I have noticed now after several longer sessions that my concentration and resolve wans after 5 hours, so I'll work on pushing edges early.