After a nice dinner, I was enthused about playing another session and seeing how much more of the way I could claw back. I played for 4.5 hours, and had multiple chances to book a small yet decent win, and sadly I passed them by and quit down. I had several chances to win huge pots, but it wasn’t to be.
I was +700ish at one point, when two deep stacks limped and I raised Ks Js to 30, and they called. Flop was J-7-2 with two clubs, and one of the deeper stacks donked out for 60. I thought about raising, (and in hindsight I definitely should have), but anyway I just called. The turn was an off suit 5, and he checked. I think a minute and bet 105, then he raises to 330! I’d seen him get aggro in weird spots before, and my impression of him was that he’s…. impulsive.
The key here to me is that he overlimped pre, and didn’t iso when he had the chance. I guess 22 is possible, but here I’m putting him more on an 8c 9c or Tc kind of hand. I think if he has a Jack, then I have the best Jack. 89 did just turn double-gutted. Anyway I call the raise, and the river is a red 9. I would have puked and had a decision if he shoved, but he bet 280, which was less than his turn c/r. Now I’m thinking maybe he’s run out of heart and has busted clubs, so I call. He announces “two pair,” I say “it’s good.” …and he turns up Jack fucking nine.
Back to about even. Grind some more, and I think I was playing pretty well. Made a big call down with KQ high on an A-A-5-7-2 runout after the flop checked through. Floated a flop check raise on a Jack high flop with 2nd pair, sensing a move, and checked back the king turn. He led the Ace river and stared at me intently, so I shipped as a bluff, and he folded and showed a Jack, bemoaning how lucky I got to catch an ace. I didn’t show the bluff, obv.
Then I open black 8’s to 20, and a guy who’d been playing tight 3bet to 80. I called out of position, and checked the T-5-2 two heart flop to him. He continued for 85. I don’t know if it was the way he bet, or the size, but I just didn’t believe him. I could have checkraised, but I didn’t want an overpair or two heart over cards to ship on me, so I just called. Turn was the 7s, putting two spades out to go with the two hearts. I check again, and this time he bets 180. Again, I just can’t shake the feeling that I’m ahead, so I call. River is an ugly queen of hearts. I think a bit and check. He tanks for a full minute, and checks back with KQ, no heart, and I’m mad at myself for the way I played it. I pay attention, I make good reads, I need to be more confident in them!
Just a couple hands later, that same guy opens for 20, the deepstack from the J9 hand calls, and I look down at AQo in the big blind. I wanted to show him that I, too, have a 3bet button, so I make it 105. He 4bets to 340 fairly quickly. After seeing him just 3bet and double barrel an airball, I’m thinking he has a rather small penis, so I call. Flop comes Q-9-6 with two spades, and I giggle inside, because I’m about to check/ship on this guy SO hard and it’s gonna be AWESOME. I check, he bets 425, I wait a moment and rip for about 1200 effective. He calls, and his KK holds up. Rats. That was an unfortunate setup, with the game flow and table dynamics in play at that specific time. I don’t regret my play on either street.
I sigh, call that a night, and pick up the rest of it, ending that session -1110. Still up over a grand on the day, still stuck less than 3k on the trip. Progress. If I had caught a couple different rivers, I could have crushed the nightcap as hard as the day shift. Story of my life, I guess.
The overarching theme is I played disciplined, made some big lay downs, and for the most part trusted my reads. It restored the confidence I have in myself that if I’m patient, AND observant, then the results I want will follow.
So now, bed…. With a full day’s grind at Venetian ahead of me for a football Sunday! The Bengals are in town, and a hoo-wasted guy in Bengals gear came by our table and thoughtfully dropped off 500 in under 20 minutes (though not to me, unfortunately).
Hopefully that kind of nonsense continues. Focus, patience, and discipline.
