Caller's Remorse... I should have folded at the Poker Table...
Recently, I play online poker and got into with a player I have a history with. I've played several large pots with this guy and he's usually come out on top. He just seems to have my number. When I decide to play poker online I usually try to avoid the guys that frankly own me, unfortunately I was into a juicy table when this guy appeared on my right. Okay, I'll have position on him, and most of my losses came when he basically had me coolered and had position on me.
I had my standard set-up I put together when the wife and baby are in bed and I decide to play online poker into the wee hours of the night. Water bottle, snack, and place to put my feet up. I also had a couple of tables open.
The water bottle is great because I can do a spit take when I am surprised. Can't do that in a casino. Lost some monitors and laptops by being too emphatic in my surprise—so funny or not spit-takes can be dangerous. Okay, I'm lying. I've never spit on my laptop or monitor and in fact the only reaction i have is when I punch the desk, much like I do when my team let’s sure victory slip out of their hands and let an opponent they have been donkey punching all day get back into the game and steal it in the final moments.
Sorry, I get distracted, back to me, the good guy, and the other guy, the bad guy. It wasn't too long that this big hand came up. He was on the button. A loose player raises from early position. Couple of callers. My nemesis calls. I complete with J5 of hearts. Yeah, I know...
Flop comes out Jack high, I insta-checked as I like to do in multi-way pots oop (out of position) on the flop. I like to think last and evaluate later. Online this isn't as effective as live, because live it's checking in the dark and your check gives them no information. Online poker they may not even grasp your insta-check is done barely looking at the cards.
Still, I also like the value of acting last in a multi-way pot because usually someone hits enough to bet and I get a chance to act on that information.
So this guy, who in the chatbox seems friendly enough, bets it. I look at top pair and a flush draw. Tasty like tastykakes. Do I fire back? It's a decent pot, but there are others to act, who could have really nailed the flop (set or two pair) and checked to disguise their strength. Tough to do when there are two to a suit and some baby coordinated cards.
Earlier the gentleman had typed in the chatbox, his favorite poker hand is 4-6 because is is so unexpected. I do not access this piece of information. There is also a 3 and a 4 to go with the jack. I call, and the others go away.
The turn is a 5. Tasty huh? Two pair and a flush draw.
I lead out. He shoves over the top for 3x the pot.
Standard call? Top two and a flush draw.
I said we had history and every time the guy has shoved he usually has it (nice tell huh?). Now perhaps he’s trying to protect against the flush draw maybe putting me on AJ (which would signify he’s probably got me beat). It’d be an ostentatious move with say K-J. A-2 is a possibility but I rule it out. Just doesn’t make sense. I can’t figure out how I’m beat… but here is the relevant part, I feel I am beat.
Still, I feel like if my two pair improves I’m cruising with a full house, if I hit my flush I’m probably good. So, I call.
For those curious he had a straight (6,7) and no I didn’t hit my card.
www.gulfcoastpoker.net
I had my standard set-up I put together when the wife and baby are in bed and I decide to play online poker into the wee hours of the night. Water bottle, snack, and place to put my feet up. I also had a couple of tables open.
The water bottle is great because I can do a spit take when I am surprised. Can't do that in a casino. Lost some monitors and laptops by being too emphatic in my surprise—so funny or not spit-takes can be dangerous. Okay, I'm lying. I've never spit on my laptop or monitor and in fact the only reaction i have is when I punch the desk, much like I do when my team let’s sure victory slip out of their hands and let an opponent they have been donkey punching all day get back into the game and steal it in the final moments.
Sorry, I get distracted, back to me, the good guy, and the other guy, the bad guy. It wasn't too long that this big hand came up. He was on the button. A loose player raises from early position. Couple of callers. My nemesis calls. I complete with J5 of hearts. Yeah, I know...
Flop comes out Jack high, I insta-checked as I like to do in multi-way pots oop (out of position) on the flop. I like to think last and evaluate later. Online this isn't as effective as live, because live it's checking in the dark and your check gives them no information. Online poker they may not even grasp your insta-check is done barely looking at the cards.
Still, I also like the value of acting last in a multi-way pot because usually someone hits enough to bet and I get a chance to act on that information.
So this guy, who in the chatbox seems friendly enough, bets it. I look at top pair and a flush draw. Tasty like tastykakes. Do I fire back? It's a decent pot, but there are others to act, who could have really nailed the flop (set or two pair) and checked to disguise their strength. Tough to do when there are two to a suit and some baby coordinated cards.
Earlier the gentleman had typed in the chatbox, his favorite poker hand is 4-6 because is is so unexpected. I do not access this piece of information. There is also a 3 and a 4 to go with the jack. I call, and the others go away.
The turn is a 5. Tasty huh? Two pair and a flush draw.
I lead out. He shoves over the top for 3x the pot.
Standard call? Top two and a flush draw.
I said we had history and every time the guy has shoved he usually has it (nice tell huh?). Now perhaps he’s trying to protect against the flush draw maybe putting me on AJ (which would signify he’s probably got me beat). It’d be an ostentatious move with say K-J. A-2 is a possibility but I rule it out. Just doesn’t make sense. I can’t figure out how I’m beat… but here is the relevant part, I feel I am beat.
Still, I feel like if my two pair improves I’m cruising with a full house, if I hit my flush I’m probably good. So, I call.
For those curious he had a straight (6,7) and no I didn’t hit my card.
www.gulfcoastpoker.net
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