Home Party

I had the guys over last night to play a little poker. The lineup was Steve, Chris V, Chris S, Rob, Carlo, Billy, and Jeff. The limits were 2-4. There was a lot of gambling going on and a lot of bluffing. There was not much good poker being played.

I finished down $2. I was the big winner early, I think I was up $70 but I lost it in a couple of bad hands. The worst is when I was on the button with King 7 of spades. I limped in with 4 others. The flop came King, King, 7. I flopped the nuts. Everyone checked and I decided to check it through for deception. I thought about betting it, because Carlo was skipped over and complained that he wanted to bet. If I bet, he definitely calls, but he's probably the only one. The turn is an Ace and it puts 3 of the same suit on the board. Now there's some betting in front of me but I decide to wait until the river to raise. Now the worst card that can possibly come hits on the river. Another Ace. Chris bets and Steve raises. Carlos struggles with the decision and finally calls. I make the crying call because the pot is too big and maybe I'll split with another King. Of course Chris has an Ace and takes down the pot. I checked on Card Player and on the flop I was a 99.7% favorite to win the hand. After the Ace on the turn I was still a 94.5% favorite.

Let me reiterate here, that slow playing good hands in this game is a huge no no. I don't know why I did it. I had advertised enough bluffs early that I should have got some action. Now Chris might have stayed with the hand if he made it to the turn with his Ace. He never throws away his hand if he has any piece of the flop. However, after seeing the odds from Card Player, I think long term that slow playing was the right move because everyone was such a huge underdog to me.

Billy was the big winner with a profit of $140. I don't know how you can win that much money in a 2-4 game, but he managed to do it. He was playing a game most of the night of raising every other pot and telling people what his cards were. I never caught him lying about it either and he must have done it 20 times.

The other slightly amusing hand was when I flopped an open ended straight draw on the button. There were a couple of bets in front of me and I raised on the draw. Everyone calls and the turn is a blank. Instead of taking the free card, I decide to bet again, because I feel like I have the best hand in spite of only having King high. Maybe they'll fold. Well the river brings me my straight. I even manage to get a raise in because Carlo is an idiot.

The funny part is that Billy could not believe I was betting the whole time before I even had the straight. I would try to explain it to them, but they weren't ready to hear the explanation. My philosophy with my friends is that I will help them in any way I can to improve their poker games. I make the vast majority of my money playing poker against people who are not my friends. If my friends get a better read on me, so be it. It won't cost me much in the long run.

Bad News on the WSOP Front:

I gave the step 4's two tries on Monday night. The first one I finished 4th and stayed at the same level. The next one I finished 6th and bounced down to level 3. I did not play my best game and I got caught trying to steal a little too often. I must choose my spots better.