Cash Game - 02/09/08

We had a really small cash game tonight, both in stakes and attendance. Five people showed up to play 25c/50c. The overall experience was nice, but hopefully (I'm very certain) we will have many more people at the next "get together."

We started off with just 4 people (Corey, Will, Max, and myself), but Will had to leave briefly when the following hand occured.

As a heads up, Max had (and has in the past) been overbetting pots all the while we were playing so far and then showing the table the nuts or near nuts almost everytime.

I raised the button to 1.50 with Q-Q, Corey folded the SB and Max called 1 more from the BB.

Flop: (Pot: 3.25)
Q-J-6, two clubs

He checks, I bet $2, he called.

Turn: (Pot: 7.25)
8d

He checked, I bet 3.50 (should've bet more), he called.

River: (Pot: 14.25)
10d

He shoved, he obviously has a 10, I fold. He of course shows K-T.

A little later (4 handed):

I limp K-K UTG and Corey makes it 2.50 from the button. It was the first pot Corey opened pre-flop so I was certain he had a big hand, the problem is he will fold almost every hand except A-A if I 3-bet now because he is a super-nit (in cash games atleast). I called with the intention to check-raise his continuation bet on the flop.

Flop: (Pot: 5.75)
Q-9-3, all hearts

I checked, he bet 3, and I failed to follow through with my initial plan because his body language and the board really made me nervous.

Turn: (Pot: 11.75)
Td

I checked, he bet 5, and I got the feeling that he was really uncomfortable with where the board was going so I raised 7.50 more to 12.50 total. He shoved and I can't beat a single hand against Corey's range - which includes all of the following: three queens, three queens, oh and three queens! I folded and he told me that he had three queens.

A bit later:

Corey and Will fold, Max limps and I check to a flop ith Tc-3c.

Flop: (Pot: 1)
8-6-5, two clubs

Max says, "I've got an open-ended straight draw, I'll check." I opted for a free card and...

Turn: (Pot: 1)
4c

Gin! If he does have a 7, which he seemed genuine about then I'm golden. He checks, I bet .75, he raises to 3, I'm 2500% sure he has a 7 like he told us all and will not fold it, so I don't waste time and just move him in, he calls with Q-7, drawing dead.

He leaves and Don fills his seat:

Will limps .50 UTG, Don makes it 1.50 from the button, I call 1.50 from the SB with Js-8s, Will calls another 1.

Flop: (Pot: 5)
8-8-4, rainbow

I check, Will bets 1.50, Don raises to 5.50, I smooth call 5.50 after a bit of thought (actual thought, I thought smooth calling would give away my hand but raising was just stupid against these two players and this board so...), Will calls 4 more.

Turn: (21.50)
10c

I check, Will checks, Don checks.

River: (21.50)
8

Leading out is the obvious play, but given the action on the flop I was near certain that Will had atleast a 4 and Don probably had an over pair (like 9-9), so I checked. Will bet 5, Don called, I raised 6 more for pure value. Will called and Don folded. Will mucked a 4. Total pot: 45.50

Then later:

Don limped the button, I raised the SB to 2.50 with A-Q, all folded, Don called.

Flop: (Pot: 5.50)
Q-Q-4

I checked, he bet 2, I called.

Turn: (Pot: 9.50)
5

I checked, he bet 4, I called.

River: (Pot: 17.50)
A

I checked, he bet 6, I raised 8 more to 14 total, Don folded.

Another hand:

Folded to the SB, Don, who limped, I checked Qs-Js.

Flop: (Pot: 1)
J-J-T, two hearts

Don bet .50, I min-raised to 1 total, he called .50 more.

Turn: (Pot: 3)
J

Again?! He checked, and I checked.

River: (Pot: 3)
2

He bet 2, I raised to 5 total, he folded claiming a busted flush draw.

Another hand:

All fold, Don limps SB, I raise BB to 2.50 with T-T, he calls.

Flop: (Pot: 5)
A-J-T

He checked, I bet $2, he called.

Turn: (Pot: 9)
J

He bet 4, I called.

River: (Pot: 17)
9

He bet $10 and made some comment about knowing he had the best hand, whihc generally a person wouldn't make here with a boat, but for some reason I just felt that I was either way ahead or way behind and raising would only make a bluff fold and a better hand move so I made a pretty weak flat call. He had an Ace and mucked.

I can't really think of any other eventful hands, but obviously you get the message from the posted hands - I got slapped in the face with the deck, hard! I think I played the monsters that I got really well and that's all that really matters. Sometimes you just get hit by the deck and can't lose a pot. Aslong as you play the hands that you get well (whether that be a bunch of monsters or the occasional marginal hand) then you're doing just fine. Poker is long term (an enormous collection of hands), not night by night segments.