Some Poker and random football thoughts

So I root for the Richmond Spiders. They are in the semi finals in the divison of college football that actually has a playoff. They avenged their loss to Armanti Edwards and just plain nasty team that is Appy State. Appy State won the last three national titles, and last years team which lost a lot to graduation was probably as good as the bottom half of the top 10 in the BCS divison. So it was a bit of an upset. Though they did lose a lot to graduation. The Spiders though lost Tim Hightower the rookie running back stud for Arizona, so we lost some too. No excuses right. I'm pumped for that. If the Spiders can get by UNI I'm headed to Chattanooga for the title game. Problem is, beating UNI at UNI is near impossible so likely I'm not making a pre-christmas road trip.

In hoops those same UR spiders lost to in state rival ODU. What's the point poker fans? Well, I'm wearing my Spiders sweatshirt the night after in Harrahs, New Orleans, and an ODU grad sitting out my table (random) points out the loss. Then I see him snap off my aces chasing an inside straight. Yes, he put the rest of his money in on the turn chasing a four outer.

Later, I got snapped off when I play AJ the same way as I played my aces. Reraising large into a multi-way pot. I think I made it 45 more than the 12 everybody put in. My friend from ODU, the initial raiser called and waterfalled effect it. I thought he had a big pair. The next guy was a loose canon and could have had anything. The guy to my right a steady and at times very good player called. The price almost dictated it. I decided if it came out with an Ace I'd be good. It came A high with a 5 and a 10. ODU hemmed and hawed and checked what was probably queens. Other opponent checked but I could tell he would have pitched if he could. Solid player fired out 75. I had about another 50 left if I called. I didn't credit him for a big ace. Just the time it took for him to call both preflop bets.

10 was possible. So too a set of 5s. I thought he bet too big for a set. Seemed like he was protecting something. A10? 255 in the pot. I could be good here or need another pair. 3 to 1+ on my money. He could just have a gutter ball and be trying to steal. I shoved.

Two folds and he insta-called, and I knew I needed help. Turn was a brick, river another 5.

He turned over pocket 5s.

My mistake? I thought he was protecting when I didn't play the hand out in my mind. He shoved his set thinking I had an overpair, if Kings or less a bad play because I'd lay them down, or AK. If I had Aces he's beat until the miracle on the river. So, that's why the bet didn't make sense to me. Basically, he made a bet only a better hand could call and no lesser hand would call. Maybe I have AK, though I played it like a big pair. Yet, it worked.

Basically that was the only hand I could call him with was AK for him to get paid. Now, I expanded my range down to my holding of AJ because I felt nobody had me outkicked based on the action. Still, I think he made a mistake and got paid, because I made a mistake just as glaring.

I was also tilting a bit. Maybe he smelled that I was apt to make a loose call. Prior to losing with the Aces another guy had just sat down and rivered me twice with bad holdings to take a chunk out of my profit. Then he got up and went home. Argh! That stings.

One of the hands with the hit and runner, the flop came out KJx. Based on my read I put him on a draw and called with AJ (there is that hand again). The turned bricked and I called his bet rather than pounding him, but I feared he was looking to gamble and might call. I kept thinking Negreanu's strategy of small ball. The river was an A but delivered the third club. In the moment, I wasn't good enough to get away from the hand. I called his value bet because I thought it was possible I could have misread him and he was betting KJ all the way. No he was drawing to his flush.

That is an issue of my game I'm dealing with. I know where I am but in my quest to keep the pots small in marginal situations, I don't apply enough pressure to my opponents and let them draw to their cards too cheaply. Should I be raising the turns.

If I know I'm ahead with second pair, that should be a pretty standard bet huh? Or should I see if he hits his outs and check-fold in those river situations. For a while I espoused that belief in 1-2 because they'll pay to chase and sometimes pay you off when the miss with ass like ace high, it's better to let the donkey do the pulling then for me to do the shoving.

Need to study some more, I think.

Other football thoughts.

I kind of like Oklahoma in the National Title game. Florida is pretty nasty though. Should be fun offensive game.

Keep hearing Tubberville was pushed out no matter what Auburn says. I don't know who Auburn thinks they can hire that will get them even with Saban. Pete Carroll maybe? The boosters pockets are deep but I just don't see a big (err HUGE) name coming down to the plains anytime soon. I don't see Mike Leach being an improvement. Or really many of the names being mentioned.

The SEC has turned upside down. I think Bama and Florida are going to be good for a long time to come. Hard to believe that prior to this year, it was really the domain of the winner of the LSU-Auburn game. Not anymore.

Alright, good luck to everybody I know still playing in the Winter Poker Classic. I'll probably talk about some tournament hands including the one that bubbled me 10 or so from the money with a pretty big chip stack (and tilted me for a week) in the next installment. In fact, I got so awnry I decided I'd sit out until the Beau especially since I'm playing on my backer's dime and not my own.

www.gulfcoastpoker.net


Comments

Reid said…
Bill, I think this is the issue: "I feared he was looking to gamble and might call."

If you trust your read, you shouldn't be fearful to let your opponents put all their money in as 4-1 dog.

I know it's tough to follow through here with only 2nd pair, and it's much easier said than done... But your reads are almost always dead on!! Just follow through, bomb the turn after he 2-barrels you, and let him put all his money in bad if he wants to. This is what you want, anyway. To get your money in as an 80% favorite. And if you're wrong, well f*ck it and reload.

Also, the ancillary benefit here is that people will slow down against you when they see you are willing to shove the turn with 2nd pair. This is: 1) going to get you many, many free cards over the course of the session; 2) influence others to look you up light later on.

((I'm looking forward to reading about your tournament.))
GeneD said…
Good Stuff Reid....I agree 100%
GeneD

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