More Pain at the Palms

Palms $2-$5 NLHE. I call after a couple of limpers with AQ in middle position and a few call behind me.

Flop : Q 8 5 rainbow

Everyone checks including me, and the guy directly to my left bets $20. All fold to me and I call.

Turn : Q

I check, guy bets $100, I go all-in ($380) and he calls.

River : J

My trips were no good against his Q5o. Once again I hightailed it out of there $400 poorer after barely playing 30 minutes. Screw raising pre-flop with AQ, bugger short term variance and a pox on the Palms. This is almost starting to get to me.

Pain at the Palms

Palms $2-$5 NLHE. I limp in with 97c (and a $350 stack) in early position. I couldn't ask for a more perfect flop

T 8 6 rainbow

SB bets $20, only one caller, me.

Turn : T

SB bets $30, I go all-in and SB, who has me covered, calls. I flip over my cards while SB elects to wait.

River : 2

SB turns over T6o. Before the pain has a chance to set in, I mentally replay the hand and convince myself that I don't think I could've raised enough to make him fold after the flop. The pain sets in, I quietly mutter "seat open" and make a beeline for the exit. I lose my $400 buy-in in about 25 minutes but this is one session I am not prolonging.

I thought I had seen it all ...

Aladdin $1-$2 NLHE. Player A wins a pot from player B and shows his bluff. Ten minutes later A and B are heads-up in another pot. Flop comes

J 7 3 rainbow

A goes all-in with his remaining $120 and B calls almost immediately.

A turns over JJ
B turns over KJ

A jumps up in glee rubbing his hands and I think to myself that this hand is over.

Turn : K

River : K

A is stunned and silently walks away. B comments that the only reason he called the all-in flop bet was because of A's earlier bluff.

I knew that this was a big suckout, but it was only after I got home and plugged the data into twodimes that I realized the extent. A was a 99.7% favorite to win the hand after the flop. This must be the biggest suckout I have personally witnessed.

True story. Dora was the dealer.

True story

Mirage $10-20, a couple of years ago, in the middle of a hand. Dealer looks at me and says "Your turn to act."
Without batting an eyelid I stand up and start reciting : "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears..."

The whole table cracked up.

Some recent hands ...

(1) Bellagio $2-$5 NLHE. I am in EP with $200, BB (a new and unknown player) has $100, button has $400. I open limp with AQ offsuit, all fold to button who calls, SB and BB both call.

Flop : Q 5 3 rainbow

Everyone checks to button who bets $15, SB folds, BB goes all-in, I fold, button calls. Cards are turned over with button showing QJ offsuit and BB with 46 offsuit.

Turn : 9
River : 8

Button takes the pot.

I felt a little twinge of remorse when I saw that I could have won a nice pot. This passed quickly after I satisfied myself that I would play the hand the same way next time.

(2) Bellagio $2-$5 NLHE. I have $400 and am on the button. EP, a very loose and aggressive CA player with a $2,000 stack, has been bullying the table with bluffs and has played virtually every hand. I called him down with top pair a couple of times and won both pots. EP raises to 20, folded to me, I call with 4♥ 3♥, blinds fold.

Flop : K♥ 8♥ Q♠

EP bets $20, I call.

Turn : Q♥

EP checks, I bet $50, EP raises it to $150, I call.

River : blank

EP puts me all-in, I call with my baby flush. He shows KQ and I muck.

I played the hand because I had position and because I had won my previous two encounters against this player. Against another player I would have folded on the turn after the raise, or, more likely, would have folded pre-flop. I probably should have just checked the turn. Not very happy with how I played this one.