The Most Beautiful Thing In Poker

Last night was spent at Casino Arizona networking :-) and watching the National Championship Game.

I sat down at a nice loose passive 3-6 game and proceeded to hit a lot of draws. I was up a quick 100 and having a good time.

One of my last hands was where the most beautiful sight in poker occurred. It was a kill pot and I was in middle position. UTG calls, the next guy raises, and I peek at my cards......Pocket Aces baby! So beautiful! I reraise and everyone folds to the UTG who calls 2 and the initial raiser who calls one. $69 in the pot to the flop. The flop is all low cards. Check, Check, I bet. I get two calls. $87 in pot to the turn. The turn pairs one of the low cards, still no flush out there. Check, Check, I bet, one fold, and one call. The river is a Jack. Check and I value bet and he calls. I turn over the aces and he mucks. $135 pot heading my way.

The other beautiful hand was me raising Ace King of Clubs preflop and getting 3 callers. The flop only has one club but I have over cards and I don't think it helps anyone. Two checks to me and I bet hoping to buy the button. The button calls and everyone else calls. The turn puts a possible straight on the board but it is another club. Now the first player bets into me, a call, and it's to me. Should I pump up the flush draw? I am sure at least one of the three players has the straight, so my only outs are the clubs. I decide to just call. The button calls. The river is a beautiful club. Now it goes bet, bet, I raise, call, call, call. All three of my opponents had the same crappy Q-8 for the Queen high straight and I had the nut flush. Hah, Hah, Hah, Hah, Hah. I love punishing fish for playing crappy hands. Especially when I hit a runner runner flush.

The only way last night could've been better was if Illinois had hit a 3 pointer at the end of the game. That would have made the score 75-73 and I would have hit my numbers in the Basketball promotion at the casino. That was worth $400. Oh well I can't be too greedy.

On another note, thank god Party Poker has started tournaments to get into the World Series of Poker. It looks like a pretty good deal to. I will have to figure out what my "qualifying budget" is and get to work. I should probably finish Dan Harrington's book before I get too serious.