Saturday Spread Silliness

Well, it was a disappointing week, but I ended it with two fun sessions of poker. Friday night was my friend Ed's monthly home game. I busted out of the tournament early with JJ against AA, but with a personal record-low # of rebuys (1). So I was down $60, but ran ridiculously hot in the following cash game, including scooping 3 High-Low pots. As usual, we ended the night with a hand of Indian Poker. I was first to act and saw no cards higher than a 6! I decided the guy on my left (holding a deuce) would see this as well and bet out, even if I was the only high card. So I decided to checkraise him. He led out for $3 which was called by one other player (holding the 6) , then Ed (on my right, holding a 5) re-raised to $10! Last time he did this, he was trying to unsuccessfully get me to fold my A, so I re-raised to $20. The deuce CALLED, and Ed called, and my 10 was good. Good times. So I ended up $70 in the cash game, and $10 net for the night.

Last night I went in to Garden City and was pleased to quickly get a seat at a table with one of my favorite LAG (loose aggressive) players who has about $1500 in front of him. Over the course of the night, his stack went back and forth between $300 and $1500. A typical hand with him would be he would raise (in any position) to $20 or $25, 5 or 6 people would either flat call or limp re-raise him. He would call ANY re-raise - I saw him do this with T8o and T6s! And then basically mix it up on the flop, but usually applying full pressure by betting $200 (the max). There were at least 5 $1000+ pots with him involved, and he ended up the night with over $2000.

I won a couple of doozies with him, including one in which he checkraised me ($200 of course) on a Kxx board (I had AK, he had AQ), one in which I value-bet with TPTK on a Q-high board on the river, and called his checkraise (he instamucked). I did lose one big one when I called a raise from this guy with 95s in the BB (yeah I know, mistake #1). The flop was all paint (meaning it probably missed him), and gave me a flush draw. My plan was to check call the flop and check raise the turn; if I got re-raised I would still have odds to call and see the river. (Albeit for an expensive $600!). The turn, however, was an offsuit Q, making the board AKJQ. So instead I checked and he bet "only" $125. I called like a wimp, and the river was an offsuit 9. I checked and when he bet $200, I succumbed. He showed 62o!

I did make one really good call. I limped with black 9's (planning to reraise against the maniac), but instead, a good, fairly tight player on my left raised to $25. 3 people called and I decided to just call. The flop came T77 with 1 heart. The raiser was last to act, and I figured I would wait and see what he (and the rest of the field, if he bet) did. He checked. Now the turn was the Q of hearts (making a two flush. The maniac led out for $25, which I read as weak. Folded to me, and I decided to raise $100 . The opening raiser flat called. Huh? I couldn't believe he would check the flop and flat call the turn with any real hand like QQ or JJ. TT maybe? Anyways, the LAG quickly folded and I was HU with the turn was an offsuit rag, and I checked. The raiser quickly bet $100 into the $300 pot. I interrogated him a bit and finally decided he had AK of hearts or KQ of hearts (giving him flush + straight draw + overs on the turn) and called. He showed KQ of hearts and I won the pot.

At one point I was up $1600, but lost almost half of that trying to "tag the LAG" one last time. But it was a fun, pleasant table.

I haven't heard anything from either waitlist yet. I did get a couple of additional recommendations submitted to the BCEMBA program (which solicited additional application material in their waitlist letter). Keep your fingers crossed!