The Return of Trip McNeely
I was wary to bring up my poker "resolution" for the new year, only because before I had a chance to discuss it, I got in a big hole, and felt pretty embarrassed. Not anymore.
Anyway, after last year, I realized I didn't keep track of my poker winnings/losses, so I had to start doing that. And I told myself that I had $1,000 that I could play with over the year. If I lost a grand at any point this year, I'd be done. Come mid-January, I went up to Joe's, and lost $200 in the span of 2 hours. I was distraught. I realized that I was not playing correctly, having only read Hellmuth's book, which really isn't very helpful for the 3-6 games I'm used to. Thankfully, after my quick meet-and-greet with Wil, I got reenergized, and started reading up on small-stakes hold 'em strategy.
I've been incorporating some new tips and tricks in my home games, and noticed an improvement. Only problem I've found is that while I play right, and last a while, I just couldn't kill people in final heads up action, so it appears I've traded some tournament skill for full table play... which is what I wanted, really. Tournament style is fun, but one really needs to be able to play a straight game to make any money. Which brings us to last night's trip.
Hawk and I, decided to hit Sonoma Joe's at 9 last night, and seeing as I don't think I ever went up there on a Friday, I was game. Man, it was insane, packed to the gills. We had to wait more than an hour, but then we got to sit at the same table, a rare event at the cardroom.
Sadly, after a great night last month, Hawk couldn't catch cards, and he got blinded-out after less than an hour, going all in with Big Slick suited, and missing his flush. He bid adieu, and I decided to stick it out... I was a tad up at that moment, and was having fun with some of the players.
After another hour, I've gotten some of the table pissed at me, and I mean royally. Now, while I'm a huge fan of Hellmuth, there's nothing I hate more at a 3-6 table than cry-baby whiners. When they can't let a hand go, three games later, and say things about getting lucky, or even worse, complaining about being a mathematician and losing when the odds were in their favor. I had two guys at my table doing this, nicknaming me River Boat Queen... yeah, real original.
Anyway, it's about 1am, and I'm preparing to leave up a hundred, when, I pocket 7's. I raise from late position, and get called all around, we've got a great pot already, and when the flop hits 2s-4h-7h, I'm ecstatic, but playing it cool. I'm betting heavy, as is the MathBaby, and before the turn comes, there's only three of us. Much to my fear, a heart hits on the turn, and the MathBaby bets. It get to me, and I raise, to get a feel on whether he has hit a flush. He simply calls, but I know he has hit his flush and is trying to lure me in for more betting on the river... he thinks he has me, and true, at the moment he does.
Then the turn comes: 4 of Spades. He obviously put me on a high pair, and didn't think the 4 had helped me... thankfully, the board pairing gave me a boat... only thing that could beat me was pocket fours, and the odds of that were fuckin' rare. Suffice to say, after raising and re-raising eachother, I flip over a boat, and what does he flip over? 10h-2h.
Holy shit... I mean, if he had some painted hearts, I could understand how pissed he got... but trust me, I have no sympathy for people who lose with 10-2. You deserve what you get.
So, to make a long story even longer, by the time our table got broken up at 2am, I had nearly $400 in front of me, after becoming very aggressive (you know you're getting respect when you can bluff a 3-6 game). So I quit way ahead, and headed home, feeling damn good about myself. I'm finally positive in my poker winning for 2005, and if I continue playing as good as I did last night, I think this'll be a very good year.
posted by Holz |
5:09 PM |
Rant & Rave, Bitches! (0)
Watching: Lost, Heroes, 24, Criminal Minds Listening: Brobdingnagian Bards Reading: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman Playing: Final Fantasy XII Eating: Healthy...er Doing: Running... hopefully Wishing:
Comic Quote of the Week
"It's trying to end the suffering of everything. Do you want to discuss our options? Maybe together we can, you know, workshop?"
"Okay, best way to stop a ten-story godlike monster from destroying existence? I'm gonna go with hitting, you have anything?"
"You took mine."
Wesley and Angel, Angel: After The Fall #15
Who Am I?
Name: Holz Home: Sonoma County, California About Me: I'm a comfortador. See my complete profile
AKA: Ozymandias, DrOzymandias, Darth Angelus, Darque Feonix, Trip McNeely Kicking ass for: 29 years Job: UWing Systems Design Specialist Walking Theme: Believe It Or Not by Joey Scarbury Most watched movie: The Princess Bride Most read book: The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King
"Let a man get away with fuckin' you once, you stay bent over so's he can fuck you again whenever he damn well pleases. An' if one man can do it? Another will too. An' another, an' another still. So's being fucked, that's yer life. 'Til who you were, you ain't. 'Cause all you are is an asshole." 100 Bullets #42
