Macy Gray plays Poker, Richie Rich plays Poker,

Alright... let's get to some poker action. More on Mexico some other time.

Here's today's talking points. In journalism, I learned you should lead with the biggest most important bits first and leaving the boring details for the end. Unfortunately for you guys, I do the opposite today. Things are upside down in this post so feel free to skim around:

*Donkley
*Playing poker with singer Macy Gray
*"You'll never be as rich as me!"
*$3 costs me ~$600 to $700

**I had the chance to play one of the Donkleys at Harrahs last week. I traded ten per cent of myself to YardDog, we busted 11th and 13th. I got short and shoved from the sb with A10 suited unopened. I got a call from 8 4 or something or other. He hit a straight. Standard, except for the length of time it took for him to call. He was a monster stack and I had no fold equity.

Not too many things I would have done differently besides maybe bet AA on the river instead of checking behind after I got two biggish calls from my opponent. River was three to a flush and three to a straight maybe?

I also got involved in a biggish hand where I laid down pocket Jacks. I raised preflop and a solid regular called from the big blind after a guy called from the sb who was a bit of target so to speak. I had been raising the solid player's bb a lot but that had more to do with what I was dealt than picking on her... in fact, I prefer other spots as she loves to lead out all the time, and always seems to have it when she does it against me.

Flop came King high with two spades. They checked to me. I should have c-bet, but I felt like the sb because of recent history was looking to check raise. I gave it a free card and decided because of position I'd bet regardless. It came a rag. Check-check I bet. Sb insta-mucked (nice read huh). BB called.

River was brick-ish but put three to a flush, she went all in.

I stewed forever. I didn't give her credit for a king because she loves to lead and with two to a flush she checked twice? Unlikely.

When she shoved she had this weird hitch, where she started then stopped. I couldn't figure out if she was slowing herself down to not appear as strong when she just made her hand or she was authentically tentative. The other possibility was the flush scared her.
I folded and my cards were exposed and I think a couple of people thought I was foolish to tank so long.

She later confided, who knows if truthfully, that she had two pair. Which made a lot of sense. She could have flopped that and expected me to bet. Still think she would have protected herself from the draw but maybe not. Or she could have hit gin on the river and merely called me with something like second pair on the turn (which jacks beat).

**In the cash game I sat down and YardDog joined me. Then Macy Gray sat down. Half the table was there for Essence Festival (she was main performer Friday night) and I could tell who she was didn't really register. As soon as I heard her talk to the chip runner I knew it was her. I played with her years ago when she was in town for Celebrity Poker or maybe another Essence Festival.

On this day, in the short time I played with her she seemed pretty good. She was definitely trying to keep a low presence. It dawned on a couple of people who she was and she was quietly gracious. She also didn't say anything when the table were slamming the character's of the other Essence Festival performers.

I enjoyed it when after a big hand she got YardDog to fold and she exposed her hand and he refused to tell her his. She showed top set (queens) and came over the top of his check raise post flop. Finally, after she badgered him a bit he told her he'd tell her for an autograph. She ignored the remark, I think trying to stay low key.

**A kind of regular sat down and immediately started jawing in his fun way. I usually like sitting with him as he enlivens the table. I also seem to run pretty good against him. In one hand, we got to the flop heads up, I think I was raising with garbage again and he called me. I bet he called. I had top pair but it was like a seven. The turn came and I led and he folded showing me AK. I had made two pair with the brick. I said, "You sure you didn't want to catch on the river," in a friendly way with the intention of showing my garbage to get calls later.

This guy's always friendly with me and a joker at the table, but out of nowhere he just responds with "You know what you'll never be as rich as me."

As fast as lightning I said, "That depends, how long are you planning on playing tonight sir."



**Later I was getting the come home phone call from my wife, and I had a small profit on the day so was just waiting out the dealer basically. I had 6-5 offsuit in early position and decided to limp. This tight Asian kid told me had actually made it 5. For some reason I decided he had straddled, and was bored and going to jam a multi-way pot with a big bet (just flashed through my head). Yeah, I r stupid, so I insta pull back my chips and fold. Almost everybody else plays for 5. And ps I don't think it was a staddle but rather a raise to $5.
Flop comes 874. Of course it does.

Lady in middle position bets. Macy Gray right after her reraises. I'm trying to pull my cards out of the muck without security seeing me (okay, that thought went through my mind but I wasn't actually doing it). Asian kid folds. Rest of the table folded.

Lady pops Macy Gray again. Macy shoves, she calls. There is two to a flush out there driving the action.
Lady has a set of sevens. Macy has two pair 8-4. Neither had a flush draw (which didn't come anyway) and neither improved. I left five minutes later regretting not putting in $5 for what would have been a monster pot and what would have appeared to be a giant hit and run by me.