And Now For Something Completely Different
Pokerblogging!I've been too busy being vain over the mild attention I've attracted recently to submit myself to the Carnival Of The Vanities. Whoops. But INCITE made the COTV for his first pokerblogging post, and it reminded me that I've been slacking in my poker writeups.
So here's this week's lesson, entitled "Why You Shouldn't Drink Alcohol While Playing Poker, Even If You're Playing At A Bar."
I had started the game with no virtually no decent hands in nearly two rounds. I played a total of two hands, one when I was the big blind and nobody raised pre-flop and one when I was the small blind and I limped in for the other half. Both times the flop was awful and I folded in disgust.
So when the small blind came around to me again I looked down to find A¨/3¨. When a strong player in early position raised from 100 to 300 (everyone starts with 2500) I was determined to give it up; I've been attempting to tighten up my game and playing stubborn with ace-rag is one of the major holes I've yet to patch. But when three other people called the raise, I suddenly found myself with decent odds to attempt the flush draw. I called and expected a rotten flop.
It came K¨/3§/8¨. Hmm. Now I have bottom pair and the nut flush draw. The smart thing to do, tactically, is lead into this flop and hope either that everyone will fold or that the pot will be bigger in the event I do hit the flush.
Unfortunately, I'd had a drink. Okay, a few drinks. Okay, I'd been drinking for a few hours and for some reason the knowledge that the small blind (me) acts first in all rounds after the flop decided to completely evacuate my alcohol-soaked brain. I pointed at the early-position player in the drunken assumption that he was first to act. He soberly assumed that I checked it to him. He checked, as did everyone else behind him, and when the dealer burned before dealing fourth street I complained that I hadn't yet acted. Everyone told me to shut up. I realized my stupidity and kicked myself for not extracting another bet out of them.
The turn was 3©. Damn. Damn damn damn. Now I have trips and the flush draw. I checked again and made sure everyone knew it (I probably SHOULDN'T have, but I did anyway; damn you, Captain Morgan!). Everyone checked to the dealer, who weakly attempted a bluff by betting 300 into a pot of 1600. I hemmed and hawed and eventually called the bet instead of raising, since I didn't want to drive out anyone now. Everyone else called.
The river was Aª. Bingo! A backdoor full house! The only hands I had to fear now were pocket kings, eights or aces, and anyone holding those hands would almost certainly have bet and bet hard on the flop to drive out the obvious flush draw. I bet 600 (the pot was 3100 at the time). The early-position pre-flop raiser called, the next two players folded, and the button player thought for a long time before eventually mucking his hand. Bummer; I was hoping for a raise.
My final opponent said "I think you got me," so I showed him my shiny new boat and he kicked in his hand.
On the strength of that win and not much else (remember, I'd mostly been getting worthless hands) I coasted to second place and a $55 cashout.
While accidentally and drunkenly checking on the flop gained me the knowledge that I had the best hand on the river, I really should have bet on the flop, but especially the turn. I don't know what I was thinking.
Oh, wait, I do know: it was mmmm, Captain and Coke gooooood.
Next week I'm drinking Shirley Temples.
posted by Marsh @ 1:19 PM
<< Home