Random Thoughts While Playing Online Poker
Monday, May 09, 2005
I hopped on Full Tilt today to work off the rest of my bonus increment and promptly lost $13 while attempting to earn a $10 bonus. Well, I guess the bonus is good luck, because I just went roughshod over a .25/.50 limit table, in warmup to the Limit Challenge I hope to commit to in future weeks. At least playing limit will help my limit game in AC (assuming I don't just gorge on NL).
I took about $8.50, or a whopping 19 BB in about 15 min. Meanwhile, I took another $5 in a .05/.10 NL. Along with some earlier play, I had brought my bankroll to a zaftig $86. I'm about to hop on a heads up SNG, which is my new drug of choice thanks to the NBC Heads Up Championship. I've played 4 recently, and only lost once. I'm hoping to go 5 for 6...
Wow. That was...quick. A quick $10 WIN! Up to about $96. Almost back to even. I just checked the clock...4 min. I've been faster, but this one felt especially nice. I played this guy like a fiddle. He gets points for his screenname, which was a misspelling of drop a duece.
The game started slow. I decide that I am tired of winning T40 chips when I have 1500 to start. I start raising randomly, but relatively aggressive. We go back and forth. I'm up by about 200-300 but winning pots left and right. My man is set to fall.
I'm dealt Ac9c in the BB. I could feel the cards calling for my victory. Duece raises small, from 20 to 40. I think about raising, but I feel that I have this hand. I didn't even really put him on a hand, other than the general feeling that he was forcing his action. I called. Dealer: HighOnPoker calls 20
The flop is Qc Ts Kc. I set the trap and check. Duece takes another weak stab with a bet of 20. I call, feeling a good card coming. I'm still trapping because my hand is such potential. An overcard, a four-card straight draw, and two chances to make nut flush.
The turn is Js. I must admit, at first this scared me. Then I realized that I made the straight (I was hoping for the flush. Regardless, I was in like flint, except for the possibility of a split. So, I check, giving Duece more rope with which to hang himself. Duece makes another weak 20 bet. I call.
The river is 9d. Now this is a tricky one. I have the board beat, but Duece might think that a bet was a steal and protect the pot thinking it will split. If he has the A, we split, so there is little exposure. I have the nuts. But, stupidly, I didn't think all of this at that point. I checked, instead. I wouldn't do that again. If he checks too, I get nothing extra and have to show my slow play.
It worked out okay, because Duece bet 160 (I knew he had some balls!). I throw it right back at him, to 640. Surprisingly he raises it back, so he has pretty much gone all in. I go all in (I've got him covered by 300), he calls...and I win. Kinda quick. Kinda easy. Good time though.
I'd like to play more poker, but Deadwood on HBO on Demand is calling me. See you all at the table.
posted by Jordan @ 10:29 PM,
