Part of the 45%

I’ve spent the last few days playing a lot of poker, some of it good but most of it pretty bad. After experiencing perhaps the most important win ever playing poker, I followed it up with the most miserable 3 days of poker I have ever seen. Here’s how it went down:

I played a one table satellite Wednesday night. The winner received a free trip to Atlantic City and the buy-in to the $1,000 No Limit event at the Borgata WPT tournament in January. I wanted it. Bad. I played well, and got lucky. Good. The table consisted of a pretty tough field. Here’s the list and what I know about them:

Jerry – Solid, I have no idea what he’s doing but he drinks while he does it and I like that.
Jay – Mellow, I have no idea what he’s doing
Kramer – Hyper Aggressive, just like his dog. I usually have no idea what he’s doing
Positive – I know every single thing about him, and he vice versa about me
Daryl – Solid, I have no idea what he’s doing. I do know he likes heavy metal
Ludey – Solid, he always has Aces when I have Kings
Jason – Solid, I have no idea what he’s doing
Buff – Action player, gambler, and all around good guy. I have no idea what he’s doing.

Ok, I exaggerate. I know a little bit about most of these guys, they are all solid players and playing with them the last year and a half has made me a much better player. I was looking forward to the challenge, I needed to be focused. The Ketel One would have to wait until after the game. Chips started at 8,000 and by the time a few players got knocked out I was up to about 15,000 and things started to snowball. After folding the big blind I ran to take care of nature’s call. The previous hand must have went quick because as I was returning people at the table were yelling my name and were about to muck my hand. I got back just in time to look under the gun at a pair of Kings. Lucky, yeah, and it was just starting. With visions of riding the range and punchin’ them dogies, I raised about 3 times the blind. It folded around to Kramer in the Big who went all in with Queens. No queen, no gnarly suck-out, see ya. I like Kramer but his removal meant a reprieve from his killer boxer puppy who had been viciously on the attack, licking everyone and everything in sight.

The dominoes started to fall. Mr. Positive moved the last of his stack on J-9 and my A-10 held up. A few hands later Jerry checked A-K in the Big. He would regret it, but I wouldn't have folded anyway at anytime in the hand. I was running good and I had chips. I flopped Aces and Fives and although my check on the flop allowed Jay to stay around to turn a straight, I got the lion’s share of Jerry’s chips and he was out. Ludey then made an ill-timed bluff against Sherriff Daryl who stuck his casted encrusted boot up his ass and sent him packing. Don’t bluff the Sheriff. In the words of One Arm Steve “He may not be a toker but he always knows what’s goin’ on”. On the last hand before the break Jason moved his last 4800 in the middle. I held 7-7 but I also held 28k in chips and it was time to get out of the kiddie pool. Jason had 9-9 but you know how sometimes you just feel it? 7 in the window and I’m feeling good. TALK ABOUT LUCK – as I type this I just watched Lidell Betts score the first touchdown of the Sunday night game. I bet 12 to 1 that would be the case. Props to my peeps!!!

Back to the action. Putting the bad beat on Jason meant one less tough player at a tough table, we’re down to 3 and I have over half the chips. Then deck then hit me in the face. What appeared to be a classic display of power poker was actually me just raising one good hand after another. Kings, Big Slick, Jacks, it was relentless. My stack was building and after suffering a couple losses, The Sherriff moved in his last 2800 on the button. I’m in the Big for 1000 already, I don’t even need to look. Of course my 9-3 offsuit took it down.

Jay and I were now heads up and I held a 2 to 1 chip lead. After almost an hour of heads up play I was really regretting checking the flop that let him catch the straight way back when. The man is patient. We tossed chips back and forth until we were right back were we started. With blinds at 1000-2000, he moved all in about 20k and I looked down at A-7. I’d seen him move with less and it was time. He flipped over 4-4. . The flop is 5-8-8, turn is a Jack. I need a 5, Jack, Ace, or 7 – 12 outs. The river is a Jack. Going to the flop we were in a 55% - 45% situation. That’s part of the 45%. I’m going to AC. I hope to have something good to write about in 5 weeks, I’ll let ya know.

COMING NEXT - The 3 worst poker days of my life.