5/16/06

I go to my usual ring game place because they were having SNG's. I miss the first one and decide to play the 20/40 ring. I lose my first buy-in, which was half of the max, and when my second buy-in comes, the next SNG is announced. I decide the ring wasn't for me at that time and played the SNG. I got to say, the saying "The more things change, the more things stay the same," got it spot on. Man, was I having a bad night. Couple that with the winner of the first SNG, cleaning up in the second, I kinda lost interest and pushed all-in with my 82s, which didn't felt like a winner but I pushed in anyways. Well, I lost and moved back to the ring game.

I get a marker for a buy-in for half the max for the table and lose that with bonehead plays. None of my BBS were coming out, neither were my straights nor flushes and I was getting sucked out on, which was really a bad combination. I decide to buckle down and get a marker buying-in for half the max again, and if you are keeping score at home that is about 1.5x max buy-in already. The strangest things happened, I actually won hands, a lot of hands, and I had customers in most of them.

Looking down on pocket sixes I raise 3xBB and I get everyone to call. I check when the flop came T-6-4 but seat 4 bets 200, which the player to my right calls and I call as well. With the turn coming J, I had to bet to protect myself from the straight, getting both players to call my 300 bet. The turn came 5 and I bet 500 and both players called. Seat 4 turns over JTo giving her two pair and the player to my right showing pocket Q's, I show my set and take down a big pot.

I get pocket Aces, which has been a rare thing for me these days, and I decide not to go wild and just raise 3xBB. Everyone calls, I've been doing 3xBB all night, why wouldn't they. The flop comes low cards and I bet 300, making eveyone fold except seat 3 who calls. A possible flush draw comes out on the turn and I am beside myself for slow-playing my Aces. My opponent check as well as I. The turn pairs the board and my opponent goes all-in. I covered him, but that would not really be a smart move for me if I get the bet wrong. So I study the player and wouldn't you know it, he gave me a tell that he was weak. I call and show him my pocket Aces. He mucks his cards, stands up and says goodbye and leaves.

Analysis - WOW, how scary was that. I didn't really knew what he was holding until I saw that tell. Thank you Mike Caro.

I build my stack enough to pay back the markers I took out and still had a healthy stack. A couple of hands later, I look down at pocket Aces, again, and my stomach turns, I know these are going to get cracked now but I still raise only 3xBB. I get one caller in seat 6 and again with the flop coming T-4-3 rainbow, I bet 500, trying to take down the pot then, but seat 6 called. The turn gave the 6h which made a straight possibility and a flush draw, seat 6 decides to go all-in for about 4,700, I was really getting sick. I needed information and I tried to extract it from him. I count the 4,700 in front of him trying to get information but he wasn't giving any information, and then he did. He gave me the tell that he was weak, so I called. He turned over J9 of hearts giving him a flush draw and I turn over my Aces, which was still shakey to say the least, but I managed to hold out and win the pot.

Analysis - I can't remember the last time I got pocket aces, let alone two pocket rockets in the same session, but what a way to win with them. If not for Mike Caro, I probably would have folded those rockets. Playing BBS and trying to catch up really has given me a new appreciation for premium cards, but I'd still play the BBS, cause its more fun. Hehe

I win a couple of more hands and bully the players into folding hands when flops looked very weak. I set my departure time at 3am and decide to coast along, not repeating what had happened the last time I had a monster stack in this ring game. When I cashed out for the night, I was really feeling good about myself.

Game result - 12,000
Running total - 15,260