Donkey Poker!!

10 MAY 06

I played like an absolute donkey yesterday. I’m serious. I was playing hands like 10 2 and 7 8 like they were suited Aces (yes, I know that’s not possible, Dad).

The good news is that Brian sat down one to my right. There’s nothing a maniac likes better than seeing another maniac sit down on their right. I asked to see one hand he lost. Brian was betting and raising. When the 8 seat made a crying call on the river, Brian tried to muck his hand without showing. Since I had already asked to see it, the dealer flipped over his 10-high. No pair and only a busted gut-shot draw.

Thanks for the info!!

I knew I could outplay this guy after the flop on just about any hand. He wasn’t an idiot – he could lay down a hand. He just always seized the initiative and was relentless unless he met resistance. Unfortunately, he beat my AK with his Q2. It was capped pre-flop and on the flop when he paired his 2. It held up.

Well, sometimes the gods of karma decide that too much aggression is no good. I became the lucky recipient. We both flopped Aces, but my 3 paired on the river. There were at least two other hands where I was betting and raising all the way and he never showed.

Then came the hand of the night.

I announce to the table, “This is my last hand.” I then look down and see AA. Uh oh.

Raise!!

It’s re-raised before it even gets to Brian, who caps it. Thanks!!

Four of us see a flop of K J 10. Not a great flop for AA, but let’s see where I’m at. I bet. Raise and re-raise and three of us see the turn – another King.

Crap.

Brain checks. I bet and get one caller before Brain does the old check-raise play on me.

At this point, I announce to the table, “That’s the first time you check-raised me. I think you have me beat, but I’m not smart enough to get away from this hand.” My thought is that with some of the crap he's been winning with, he could have anything. Boy was I wrong.

River – Ace. Thank you gods of karma!!

Brain says, “I think that Ace killed me.”

I reply, “Wouldn’t it be sweet if I had pocket Aces?”

He looks at me and bets. I shout, “Raise!” and the table cracks up. Brain calls with his Kings full of Jacks and I drag a $500 pot. Yes, I hit my two outer on the river. Brain was very cool about it and shook my hand.

Side note – both Ryan and Seattle John were at my table!! JD was waiting for his seat in the 50/100 game. He came by a couple of times after he got his seat in the big game and saw my ever growing chip stack. He kept chiding me to get into the 50 game. Part of me wanted to go. Fortunately, I was honest with myself. The reason I had the huge chip stack was because I got very lucky. Relying on luck in the 50 game is a recipe for disaster.

Instead, I took my 3+ racks of red and went home.