Back to Back (Part I)
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
On Monday night, I had my first homegame since my Vegas setback. The game was Desi's usual Tuesday night game, only changed to Monday because of an email typo. The game was loose as usual, with a certain player almost giving away money. This player called down at least two early hands after betting on each round with a mere pair of 2s (from the flop). I won two monster hands in a row with KT.
In my first KT win, I limped in for 2$ against two players. The flop was KKJ. I was on the button. The first player bet $3, the second raised to $6. I sat for a while thinking. I was thinking about going all in and pushing out the other players, but something didn't feel right. I called. In hindsight, I was acting on instinct. Even though I could have won the pot right away with a re-raise, I would also be inviting in disaster if a player had me beat (AK, KQ, KJ, JJ). If they did not have me beat, then I was better off checking anyway, allowing them to continue to bet into me. The next card was a Q, which scared me minorly, but not enough to fold. First player checked, second player bet 6$. I thought for a minute and checked. First position folded. The river card was a blank. The second position raised 10$. I called him down and won a nice pot against his AJ. I was playing conservatively, not betting out my set of Ks, but I was proud of the hand because my delay on the first call ($6, consisting of a bet and raise) made the table think that I was weak. Hence, I got more action as the hand progressed.
This was a perfect example of acting at the table. From Caro's Book of Poker Tells, I usually presume that the other players at the table are acting too. So, if they look weak, they are probably strong, and vice versa. But, I think at this table, the players weren't actors. I should remember that next time that I am there. Weak means weak, strong means strong...usually.
The second KT hand was against a good friend of mine, Rouss (pronoucned Roose). I had KT, suited hearts, in the small blind. Rouss raised to $2, and one person called. I called as well. The flop was AXX with the A of hearts and another heart on the board. I was drawing to a nut flush. Rouss raised $5, the other player folded and I called. The next card was a blank. Rouss raised $5. I hesitated, but called, looking forward to some good implied odds. The last card was a 5 of hearts. Rouss claimed that he saw my smirk. At that point in the game, I had just finished a 40oz Budweiser, and may have smirked. This is to be watched in the future. In this particular hand though, it proved of no consequence. Rouss checked. I raised $15. Rouss thinks I bluff a lot. He may be right, but on this night he was wrong. I was rarely bluffing. I can't complaint though, because I like the table image of a bluffer. He called my $15 and lost to my monster flush.
That night I won $114, bringing my 2005 winnings to $129. While not the $505 I had pre-Vegas, it was a good start to my resurrection.
posted by Jordan @ 10:55 PM,
