That’s it … I’m done playing crappy cards
So I decided to kick it old school last night. I went to “JR’s” for a cash game. Things had changed in the many months since I had played there — the game is no longer 1/2/5 … it’s back to 1/2 again. But with lots of straddling and re-straddling. More than half the faces at the table were the same, as if they hadn’t left for the better part of a year.
I bought in for $200, and on my very first hand, I got the hammer. Sweet! I made a small raise and got a couple callers. I flopped 2nd pair and bet it out … and got a caller. (Dude was likely on a flush draw, so I probably didn’t want to see a 4th heart.) A third seven came out on the turn, and life was looking really good. Awesome. Check-check. The fourth heart did come on the river, giving me a 2-high flush. My opponent in the hand came out betting $50 … and bummer, I had to fold. But yea, I got to do it face-up.
But that didn’t do much for me. Why? Because the other guy had flopped a straight-flush — good enough for a high hand jackpot, and good enough to beat me. Everyone was looking at his cards … and I got no credit for playing shit. I mean yeesh … the hand still worked out OK, because I didn’t lose much. But I could’ve just as well had aces in this case, and it woulda been the same. Damn.
From there I proceeded to play pretty good poker. But the killer came when it was getting very pre-flop raisy, and I decided I was going to spend some money to see a flop with 7-10 offsuit in late position. Somebody made it $25 to go, and I called. So did three others. So with $125 already in the pot, I was pretty delighted to see a flop of 7-8-10 (two diamonds). I had to be afraid of a set, but it was clear the first to act (the same guy who had flopped the straight-flush against me) had nothing when he checked. Next in line was Nic the Straddler … who was very talky talky as he checked. OK, he wouldn’t have checked a set, so after some fake consternation, I moved all-in (for $280) … sure to use the exact same gestures I used when getting caught bluffing about an hour earlier.
First guy folded, and Nic sized up our stacks, and relatively quickly called, saying, “I’ve got the nuts.” Indeed he did. J-9 offsuit. Crap.
Being the nice guy he is, he offered to run it twice, but I declined … thinking if I’m gonna get lucky and win it, I’m gonna get lucky and win it. No way I could do that twice, so why gamble for a split? (I’m not sure, but I think this is the right non-double-play play. Any thoughts on the matter?)
Anyhow, I got no help and went home.
Just like old times.
Buy-in(s): $400 (2)
Cash out: $0
Net: -$400
Highlight: Friendly Asians.
TommyTwoToes says:
August 29th, 2006 at 2:08pm
why was the guy calling a preflop raise with j-9? that would be my first question… gap concept screams he should fold… oh well tough break. (granted the quick answer from him would be same reason you are raising with 10-7 🙂 )
DanM says:
August 29th, 2006 at 2:13pm
i didn’t raise with it. i called. i think Nic the Straddler was the first caller of the raise. he had lots of chips to play with, and because j-9 is a good “crackin'” hand, he called thinking about implied/bluffable odds.
though i knew i was easily dominated pre-flop (by A-10, or A-7s, for example, ore even J-10s) i was basically looking to flop two pairs or a straight draw. if the flop had come J-8-9, everything woulda turned out differently but the same.
but that’s why i am done with crackin’ hands … because they are so easily crackable by other cracker chasers.
TommyTwoToes says:
August 29th, 2006 at 2:54pm
crackin the crackers… chapter 15 in stupid system… buy it at stupidsystem.com
sadly i own that url… 🙂
(as far as you not raising, i guess i misread your post… I was trying to read your playback while listening on a conference call and doing a few other things )
Gonz says:
August 29th, 2006 at 3:00pm
Holy Christ. Dan, dude, HE HAD THE NUTS. Why WOULND’T you want to give yourself a second chance to get some of your money back there if he’s nice enough to offer?
TommyTwoToes says:
August 29th, 2006 at 3:11pm
great point he is drawing to 4 cards… well runner runner jack nine would split it as well so lets not discount that… dan did have odds to call! omg, with all that money on the table how can he not want to put more out there …. you had like a 17% chance to hit and like another .9% chance to tie…. that justifies a double or nothing play….
(please note the sarcasm 🙂 )
TommyTwoToes says:
August 29th, 2006 at 3:18pm
i forgot about runner runner 8’s for the win…
DanM says:
August 29th, 2006 at 3:21pm
It’s a curious question. But here’s how I saw it …
If we run it twice, I have a chance of winning once, almost no chance of winning twice. so that means i am playing for the chop. but the odds are still strongly against that happening. so in this scenario i have a big chance of losing, small chance of chopping.
if we run it once, hey, i might get lucky. that means i have a big chance of losing, and a small chance of winning.
i can’t wait til bill chen’s book comes out. i am looking forward to reading it.
DanM says:
August 29th, 2006 at 3:22pm
indeed, an 8 came on the turn. so that meant any 8, any 7, any 10 … 7 outs … woulda done it for me.
if we coulda renegotiated running it twice on the river, i might have considered.
Gonz says:
August 29th, 2006 at 4:12pm
I’m confused by the confusion. As I understand it, running it twice would give the chance to, yes, chop (assuming you could win one of the two). If not, you still lose the whole pot, which you were probably going to anyway considering you were way behind. Way, way behind. The chances of you sucking out to win were slim, but you increase the chances of at least chopping by running twice with no extra cost to you.
Where are the Batfaces when I need them? This is like Bizzaro World, and I’m the only one who’s noticing.
Sommer says:
August 29th, 2006 at 5:46pm
It’s definitely Bizzaro World, but how is that different than normal. Agree with Gonz, you are not throwing more money in the pot to run it twice… so, wtf? Here’s an example: In Vegas, Tulsa put down $100 on OU to win the national championship. Come November, they are 3-5. Vegas calls and offers him the option of either letting it ride, or getting his money back if OU can get back to .500 in the last 4 games. Go Bomar?
TommyTwoToes says:
August 30th, 2006 at 12:55pm
i was under the assumption that he would have to put the same amount in the pot again to get it to run twice… aka a double or nothing bet…
friendlyasian says:
September 1st, 2006 at 1:52am
I didn’t know you were the pokerati guy. Good playing with you. I don’t know any other asians that were playing that night, so I think friendly asians = me? O, and openpush is not a good idea with Nic, he in the straddle(2nd?), so next time, try a PSB to see where you are at. Any raise should allow you to fold on that board.