The Poker Chronicles, Entry 8.
The Smittie home game….. Sans Smittie.
Tuesday, May 10th
7:00 PM- Smitties house.
Still reeling from last Fridays ' dream the impossible dream hand ' I brought a minimal amount of cash to Smittie house, fearing my woes might start to become a pattern. When I arrived there were lots of people already there, Pe was on the grill cookin' burgers and dogs, Kim, Jim and Nate were counting out and stacking the chips. Long haired Matt was chatting with Eric and Rob ( someone who doesn’t usually play).. everything seems to be in full swing and it had been two weeks since we played here at 'Smittiewoods', all were eager to play. I was instantly asked to retell the story of my loss from Friday night. Of course all were shocked and we had a good laugh as it would become the running joke of the night. We all sat down to play, but someone was missing, perhaps one of the most important, if not the most important man of the venue.. the guy who pays the mortgage, lights and paid for that sweet hot tub on the back deck. Smittie was currently sitting on a runway in Philly. He had spent the day testing for the highest certificate Cisco systems has to offer. Though he had failed, as 97% first time testers do with this very difficult test, he was in good spirits and was looking forward to playing when he got home. The first hands were dealt, and I had decided to play tight. Only a few hands really stick out in my mind as the night was really just kinda fun.. which is unusual for me to not take it so seriously. I do remember a hand where my read was almost dead on. I had pocket 2's. I called the dollar preflop raise by long haired Matt. the flop came 6- 2- 10. I now sat pretty with trip 2's. Matt bet out $1. I suspected that he had made top pair and he had a 10 to match the board. I raised. Throwing in triple his bet. He thought for a moment and called. Interesting. 4th street came down another 10.... where Have I seen this before?! hehe. Matt Checked. If I was correct. Matt had a 10 in the hand and two on the board.. but I had made a full house, 2's full of tens. He checked.. he was going for the check raise the bastard! I wanted to thwart that right then and there.. " I’m all in.." As expected, he quickly called.. I showed my full house. As did HE!!!He has the 10 I thought he did, but also a 2! I never put him on a 10-2 or even raising preflop 10 X the big blind... My misstep cost me, nearly 30 bucks in chips, and I was left with about 15 bucks. The previous 2 hours, working my way up from 7 bucks to 45 was all for not. But what could I do, he out played me, really out drew me. Truth is, if that 10 didn’t come on fourth street, he probably doesn’t call the all in, and if he does, I’m up to 75 bucks. I am beginning to see a pattern with 10's on 4th street! :) the very next hand I am dealt A of hearts and 7 of spades. If I were at the casino, I would fold. With this much looser table in a home game, I call the 25 cent raise. Its a multi handed pot and Rob, who apparently stays in with just about anything and cant get away from the second best hand calls every raise. There are 3 hearts on the board. Some one has a flush, I suspect it to be Jim or Rob. I have made my straight with the 7, and am hoping for another heart on the river to give me the nut flush. After the flop I had an open ended straight draw and was 3 to the flush. The river comes 2 of hearts. MAN! If only I had won that full house prior Id be sitting with allot of money, cuz Rob calls my all in bet as does Jim. Rob shows the queen and jack of hearts, Jim out does him with the king of hearts and an off suit 10, I show just my ace of hearts, and rake the entire pot. It felt good to catch a break. Rob was sort of angry, but I didn’t care, he plays like shit all night, he is a call station. Calls everything. He deserves to lose.. ( hehehe) Anyways, Smittie gets home, he’s tired but wound up from his flight. He sits in for a while. I start to see my stack sliding. I decide to cash out, almost back to the pre Matt’s hand. All in all, I caught myself before falling, and had a decent rate of earning. I bought in with 7 and left with 37. If playing at a higher rate table, I would equate my winnings to $370, off of a buy in of $70. I was happy with my play, and looking forward to getting back to Foxwoods when my schedule clears a bit more.
Tuesday, May 10th
7:00 PM- Smitties house.
Still reeling from last Fridays ' dream the impossible dream hand ' I brought a minimal amount of cash to Smittie house, fearing my woes might start to become a pattern. When I arrived there were lots of people already there, Pe was on the grill cookin' burgers and dogs, Kim, Jim and Nate were counting out and stacking the chips. Long haired Matt was chatting with Eric and Rob ( someone who doesn’t usually play).. everything seems to be in full swing and it had been two weeks since we played here at 'Smittiewoods', all were eager to play. I was instantly asked to retell the story of my loss from Friday night. Of course all were shocked and we had a good laugh as it would become the running joke of the night. We all sat down to play, but someone was missing, perhaps one of the most important, if not the most important man of the venue.. the guy who pays the mortgage, lights and paid for that sweet hot tub on the back deck. Smittie was currently sitting on a runway in Philly. He had spent the day testing for the highest certificate Cisco systems has to offer. Though he had failed, as 97% first time testers do with this very difficult test, he was in good spirits and was looking forward to playing when he got home. The first hands were dealt, and I had decided to play tight. Only a few hands really stick out in my mind as the night was really just kinda fun.. which is unusual for me to not take it so seriously. I do remember a hand where my read was almost dead on. I had pocket 2's. I called the dollar preflop raise by long haired Matt. the flop came 6- 2- 10. I now sat pretty with trip 2's. Matt bet out $1. I suspected that he had made top pair and he had a 10 to match the board. I raised. Throwing in triple his bet. He thought for a moment and called. Interesting. 4th street came down another 10.... where Have I seen this before?! hehe. Matt Checked. If I was correct. Matt had a 10 in the hand and two on the board.. but I had made a full house, 2's full of tens. He checked.. he was going for the check raise the bastard! I wanted to thwart that right then and there.. " I’m all in.." As expected, he quickly called.. I showed my full house. As did HE!!!He has the 10 I thought he did, but also a 2! I never put him on a 10-2 or even raising preflop 10 X the big blind... My misstep cost me, nearly 30 bucks in chips, and I was left with about 15 bucks. The previous 2 hours, working my way up from 7 bucks to 45 was all for not. But what could I do, he out played me, really out drew me. Truth is, if that 10 didn’t come on fourth street, he probably doesn’t call the all in, and if he does, I’m up to 75 bucks. I am beginning to see a pattern with 10's on 4th street! :) the very next hand I am dealt A of hearts and 7 of spades. If I were at the casino, I would fold. With this much looser table in a home game, I call the 25 cent raise. Its a multi handed pot and Rob, who apparently stays in with just about anything and cant get away from the second best hand calls every raise. There are 3 hearts on the board. Some one has a flush, I suspect it to be Jim or Rob. I have made my straight with the 7, and am hoping for another heart on the river to give me the nut flush. After the flop I had an open ended straight draw and was 3 to the flush. The river comes 2 of hearts. MAN! If only I had won that full house prior Id be sitting with allot of money, cuz Rob calls my all in bet as does Jim. Rob shows the queen and jack of hearts, Jim out does him with the king of hearts and an off suit 10, I show just my ace of hearts, and rake the entire pot. It felt good to catch a break. Rob was sort of angry, but I didn’t care, he plays like shit all night, he is a call station. Calls everything. He deserves to lose.. ( hehehe) Anyways, Smittie gets home, he’s tired but wound up from his flight. He sits in for a while. I start to see my stack sliding. I decide to cash out, almost back to the pre Matt’s hand. All in all, I caught myself before falling, and had a decent rate of earning. I bought in with 7 and left with 37. If playing at a higher rate table, I would equate my winnings to $370, off of a buy in of $70. I was happy with my play, and looking forward to getting back to Foxwoods when my schedule clears a bit more.