Straight Up

Since the lottery retirement plan isn't working out, I decided to go to plan B and try my hand in a $1-2 cash game.

My table was short-handed most of the evening, even getting down to four players on a couple of occasions. To my left were two aggressive players, both of whom liked to chase draws. One of them kept hitting and chipped up his $300 buy-in to over $1,000.

I had one of those nights where you wear out your wrist mucking cards. After an hour or so of play my $200 buy-in had dwindled down to $140. The few hands in which I was involved totally whiffed the flop and I would have to toss when one of the aggros' c-bet.

We were six-handed when I peeked down at 6-5 sooooted on the button. There was one limper in front of me, so I popped it to $8, figuring the two to my left would put me on a big hand since I had played so few. Of course, both called, but the limper folded and the three of us saw a flop of 3-4-T with two hearts. Naturally my cards were spades. Dang the luck!

Both opponents checked, so I tossed in three redbirds with both opponents calling.

The turn was the 7h, giving me the nuts, but also putting TWO flush draws on the board. The SB checked, but the BB overbet the pot (not unusual for him) by chucking $80 towards the middle of the table. I knew I was ahead and figured if he was gonna draw for a flush, he was gonna pay for the privilege and shoved my remaining chips.

I was surprised when the SB called, but not so much when the BB did also. The river was the Qd, completing the diamond flush-draw for one of them.

"Crap," I thought.

The SB checked and the BB shoved, putting the SB all-in. The BB flipped Q-7 for two pair and the SB folded. I've got no idea what he was thinking.

The BB won the side pot, but I was the big winner, tripling up on the hand.

I pretty much stayed even the rest of the time, cashing out for $418. Anytime you double your buy-in, it's a good night!

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We begin the fourth season of our Vegas or Bust Poker League tonight, and I'm hoping for a quick start. Although I was able to win a seat last season, I felt my play wasn't as good as it could have been the second half. Hopefully, I'll get rolling again tonight!

Till next time, win the flips.