A lot of patience, and a little luck

Hello all, thanks for stopping by for a quick perusal of my thoughts. Today I hit the boat near Cincinnati again (Argosy) and played a little poker. No Iggy sighting (at least I didn't notice any midget housewife around), but the day wasn't a total loss. It made me debate why I still play online. Why? You might ask. Well, for the year, I'm -$425 online. Live play, I'm now +$930.

I had a good run when I was in LA for business. Had a slight winning session in the 3/6 game at the boat a few weeks ago. Had another winning session today, in the 1/3 NLHE game.

It didn't start very well. While waiting for a seat in the NLHE, I played some 3/6 LHE. With a lot of people off work for Good Friday (Cincy is a VERY Catholic town, lots of companies give the day off, mine included) it played like a weekend table, no foldem holdem. I had 6h4h from the SB in one hand, limped to me. I called. Flop was 6 4 2. I bet, three callers. Turn is a 7. I bet, two callers. One raise from the CO player. I muck, other two call. River is a K. Check, bet, raise, call, call. CO shows 53 offsuit. Gonna be one of those days.

There were a few things at this table that bugged me a bit. Not to rant about the dealers at Argosy, but the guy to my left, who was immediately to the dealer's right shorted the pot, not just once but twice. And pretty deliberately. I thought about saying something the second time (he would splash out his chips into the pot, and put in one red (should have been two) and two whites TWICE when it had been raised prior to his call). He looked at the dealer both times when he did it to see if she would say anything, but she didn't even notice it. I know, I know. It is up to the players to police the game as well, but I was going to get up to move to the 1/3 table and didn't want to make a scene. Guess it helped that I wasn't in either pot, so I was glad when my name was called for the 1/3 NLHE game.

I get over to a newish table and take a seat. I sat at 3/6 with 160, and was down to 112. I hit the cage for 100 more to bring me up to $212. I'm to the immediate right of the dealer, and come in on the CO, and don't have to post (nice thing here, not having to post). I sit and watch for a bit. I notice that there are two guys at the opposite end of the table that I will call "dumb and dumber" that are in a LOT of pots. Dumb is first to act and has a ton of chips, around $500 when I sit. I hear players talking about how he cracked dumber's AA on the first hand with KJ off. Yikes! Action table!!

After two orbits, I look down to find AsQs in the CO. As dumb and dumber are in EVERY pot, I decide not to risk the raise, as this is no-foldem holdem preflop. I tried a few raises and go zero respect, so I limped. Button raises to $15 and three callers back to me. I call.

Flop is 5A5. Checked to me. I bet out about $20. Button calls, dumb calls. Dumber actually FOLDS (one of his rare moments). Other guy folds. Three to the turn. It's the Ks, so now we have 2 spades. Dumb checks, I check, button checks. Hmmmm. River is 7, no spade. Dumb checks, I bet out $40. Button insta-raises all-in and has $41 more. I think and think. Could he have slowplayed AK? That might fit the pattern, or he might have A-x and we are looking at a tie. The pot is about $300, and it costs me $40 to call. I can't put him on AK, I think this is going to be a chop, so I call. He shows KK. Boat. Ick. Bad call. I'm now down to $30 in chips. Ugly.

One orbit later I'm down to $24 in MP. I look down to AsJs. Dumb and Dumber are the SB and BB. I push. Dude next to me with the Aces chuckles and says "$24 to win $4, huh?" I look back and him and say "I'm about to triple up, watch". Sure enough both Dumb and Dumber call. Flop is all low and I'm worried. Dumb bets $20 into the dry side pot. Dumber calls. Next card is low and we now have all kinds of straight draws. I know I'm in trouble, but they check-check. River is another low for more straight possibilites, and I know I have to be beat. Dumb bets $25, dumber folds and he takes the $40 side pot. He shows A-10 off and I scoop the main pot. I'm semi-back in business.

A few hands later I get AK UTG, raise to 15. Three callers. Flop is all under 8. I bet out $30. Muck, dumber asks how much I have left. I tell him $40ish and he mucks.

Then it is time to be patient. Fold fold fold. Few raises PF, with callers. Some I continuation bet, some I check-fold. I'm hovering around $100 and think about leaving. Promised the wife I'd be home around 6ish for dinner. It's 4:30 now. I decide one more orbit.

I get KdJd two off the button. new player that had scooped a few pots in the SB. 3 limpers to me, I limp, he completes, BB checks. Flop is J 9 4, rainbow. Checked to me, I bet out $15 into the pot. SB calls. Other fold. Turn is 8, no flush possible. I bet out $30. He calls. River is a 2. I bet out my last $29. He insta-calls, and shows J-7 off. I scoop. Up to about $140.

Next hand I have AA. I raise to $15 (my standard raise, no matter what I had for the day). Two callers. Flop is K 9 4. Checked to me, I bet $30. Dude in seat 5 calls. Turn is 6, now two diamonds. Seat 5 has about $70 left. I bet $50, and he folds KdJd faceup. Thanks for the info :)

Seat 5 then doubles up with KK vs AK. Gets to my SB, and seat 5 raises to $20. Folded to me. I didn't like this bet, something seemed fishy to me. I'd been playing pretty tight, so I decide I'm going to take this from him on the flop. I call. Flop is 9 8 3, rainbow. I look at kid, he's staring me down with the "Look of death". I picked up a tell on him earlier when he flopped the nut flush, and went into acting mode, shaking his head, etc. So I read him as weak here. I bet out $30. He raises to $60. I go all in. He calls and flips over 10 10. Whoops. Bad read. I have about $60 left here if I lose. Turn is 5. River is a 7. I hit my runner runner straight. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good I guess. After he leaves, guy to my right says "man, that was brutal. he just told us he got laid off work today as well". Whoops. I felt bad for about 2 mins, then I noticed that I'm up over $300 now. That makes me feel a bit better :)

My final big hand of the day I'm in the CO again and find KcJc. I limp into the pot with 6 others. Flop is KhJhJs. Bingo!! Now I have to see who I can hook. there are 7 of us, someone has to have a flush draw. Checked to me, and I check. I'm not gonna scare anyone off. Turn is 3h. Checked to me, I check. Someone bet the flush, dammit! River is 5h. SB wakes up and bets $15. Folded to me. I min-raise to $30, hoping he has a good heart. He reraises to $65. I think about it, trying to sink that hook. I annouce "I'm all in" and push over a stack of reds. I have him covered. He insta-calls and shows Ah8s. I show the nuts, and he looks shell-shocked. I scoop a pot that's around $300. I tip the dealer a $5er and say "Thanks for the boat". Three hands later I'm UTG and find QdJd, limp in with 6 others. Flop is A-hi, one diamond. I check fold and rack up $447. I look at the dealer and say "And thanks for getting that flush out there", tip him $5 more, he laughs and I got cashout $442. +182 for the day.

I think I need to get back to the boat more often. I'll cya at the tables.