poker games

I went in played in a couple of bar poker tournaments today. It is kinda fun - too smokey for me to want to do it very often, but I am a competitor at heart.

They have about 60 people at these things, and so many of them play like four nights per week. I don't know how they could possibly have nothing better to do that often, but whatever. I came in eighth place in the first session, and tenth in the second.

In the first session, I had a lucky hand straight off the bat. About the third hand, I was dealt pocket fours in late (7th of 8) position, and there were two callers before me. I raised the blind thrice, was called by the big blind and one of the original callers. Three to the flop, which was J84 rainbow. Big blind makes a small bet - just 1.5 times the big blind, which I think is pretty lousy, but this is free poker, so lousy is the name of the game. So I raise about the size of the pot, and am called again. Duece comes on the turn, big blind checks to me, and I put him in. He calls and had AJ suited. I feel bad for him - of course I probably would have gone broke quicker on the hand, as my chips would have been in the middle before the turn for sure with some action.

So that pretty much gave me double the stack of the table right out of the shoot, and I played pretty well. Tight, as usual. I was fortunate to win a race when we made it to two tables which doubled me up again and made me one of the chip leaders. I had pocket sevens in the big blind, and after a raise from AK suited, I moved in and doubled up.

So there are eight at the final table, and I am dealer on the first hand. Blinds are 1,000 and 2,000, and as it turns out, both players in the blinds are all in because of the blinds. I would never allow myself to get so short stacked - take a stand and try to win somewhere - but whatever. I am in second or third chip postion with 10,000, the leader has 18,000, and there is about 60,000 in play among the eight hands. Everyone folds to the chip leader, he raises to 4,000, and I look down at AQ suited. I moved in, and he called me to show KT off-suit. I guess he has the right pot odds to call since his cards are live. One of the blinds has a knave, and the other a couple of spot cards. A jack came on the flop, so there went 3,000 of the pot unless I improved, and a ten came on the river, and I was out. I guess it was 7th place because the big blind lost on the hand also. If I win the hand, which I am probably 58/42 to do or so, I have 23,000 and the next highest stack is 10,000 or so, and I have a great chance to win. Such are the cards.

I was able to have a pretty nice stack again on the second session. The first hand out of the gate, I was left in the big blind with 6-4, and the flop came 6-2-2, two clubs. I bet at it, knocked out all but one player, who was on a club draw, but I made him pay for it a couple of times. I had a tight table image and was able to steal some hands, and was in great shape.

Then the big hand of the night came. I held AJ suited, and the short stack moved in, and another hand - loosest player you ever want to know and in second or third position - smooth-calls. I decide to put him all-in thinking that will make him fold and set me up heads up, but he calls. So all three players are in. Short stack had QT, loosey had AT, and I have AJ, so I am feeling great, especially when an ace flops. But a ten came on the river, and loosey had a huge chip lead now. And because he was so loose, he moved his chips all the time, and it was tough to find a hand to pick him off with. Very frustrating. I doubled up a couple of times, but never got back to better than about fifth chip position at the table. Got knocked out on a tough hand. I was left in with 10-6 in the big blind. We are down to five players, and on this hand, it is the button, the small blind and me. The flop comes A65 rainbow. I decided button or small blind would raise before the flop with an ace, so I moved in - about the size of the pot at this point - and was called by the button who had A5 and hit two pair. So I was dead to a six, which didn't show, and made my way home.

And immediately stripped naked and took a shower to get the smoke out of my hair and clothes. I wonder what effect it would have to make just some of these non-smoking affairs. Bottom line is I can only do it when Katie is with my parents, but I would aim for that more often without the smoke. Oh well.