"Not So" Small Potatoes Poker

 

Our regular Friday night poker game was cancelled, so I decided to join Bobby Dee at another game where the stakes were quite a bit higher than our usual ten and twenty cent blinds.

I was placed in the 8 seat and was fortunate to have the two tightest players at the table to my left. I pulled two Benjamens from my pocket and we were under way in this $1-2 no limit hold'em cash game.

After only a few hands I picked up A-K in early position and raised to $7. Four callers later I realized that seven bucks was not a big enough bet to thin the field at this table. I whiffed the jack high flop and c-bet $15, receiving a call from one player. Another blank on the turn and I shot a second bullet with a $30 bet and again received a call. A queen on the river and I put my opponent all in with a $50 bet. I wanted to show the rest of the table I was capable of betting strong without a made hand, figuring it would give me action later in the evening when I did have a good hand.

I did get that accomplished, but it cost me over $100 when the villain flipped over two pair. So in less than one lap around the table, I was reloading with another Benny.

Not much later, I was in late position with pocket nines when I limped in behind three others. The K-9-5 flop hit me between the eyes and I was pleased when the loosest player at the table bet out for $15. One other player called and I did likewise. Another 5 on the turn gave me a boat and I smooth called a $20 bet and call by my opponents. The river brought a seemingly innocent 7 and Mr. Loose Aggressive tossed 5 redbirds out. The next to act min raised to $50 which left me in a quandary.

Mr. LAGGY had $27 more behind and I figured he would call if I did. The second player had $110 behind, but I worried he might fold if I 4 bet, so I opted to call his $50 three bet. Mr. Laggy went all in for two more dollars. Of course Mr. Three Bet and I both called. The only hands that could beat me was pocket kings or pocket fives. I wasn't worried about the kings since he hadn't raised, but he was the BB, so pocket fives wasn't impossible. I was relieved when he turned over 7-5 for a boat, but my nines full took down a nice pot. Mr LAGGY mucked, so I don't know what he had.

I was pleased to win the pot, but I know I misplayed the hand and  left some money on the table. Looking back, I believe Mr. Three Bet would have pushed in the rest of his chips with his full house. Grrrr...

I continued to get playable hands and connecting with the board. I hit sets on the flop two more times and got paid on both. I also won two hands in a row with 6-5. I was the BB on the first and checked a limped pot only to hit two pair on the flop. I bet and received one customer. The turn brought another 5, giving me a boat and I bet out again.

Call.

I bet big on the river when a third spade hit the board, hopefully giving my opponent a flush. I got the call I wanted, but it was because he completed a straight on the river. My opponent in the hand was the same one I had tried to bluff earlier, so I guess my advertising paid off in this instance.

As the SB on the next hand, I once again peeked down at 6-5. With numerous limps in front of me, I tossed in another dollar and saw a Yahtzee flop of 7-8-9 rainbow. I bet strong and was called by a tight player to my immediate left. I put him all-in when an ace hit the turn and he flipped over pocket aces. I was very surprised, because he had not raised preflop from the BB, even after so many players had limped. He was just asking to have his rockets cracked.

"Pair the board!" he shouted at the dealer before the river.

 But it was not to be on this night, for it was MY night.

What's better than a loose game when you are getting good cards and plenty of action? And the hands hold up for the most part.

SAH-WEET!

By the time the dust cleared on the evening, I walked away around $400 to the good. Hardly Small Potatoes for this ol' boy :)

So, I'll be going back again and will do a write-up when I do.

I doubt the results will be anywhere as good as I've reported here, but you never know!

Till next time, win the flips.