True Grinder

Friday, October 14, 2005

When Big Slick Hits, He Hits Hard

I returned to the casino last night for the first time in a few months. This time, I actually hit a few draws and Ace-King suited hit both times I had it. The first time, I called the big blind. The flop was King-Queen-7. With a rainbow flop, top pair, and an Ace, I checked it hoping to check raise someone with a King and a weaker kicker or a Queen. The turn was a King. There were now two diamonds out there so I felt a need to protect my hand. I bet $15 and took the pot down. I got one kid to fold a shitty flush draw and another kid to fold a gutshot straight draw. I told them that I wished they had hit because I had a full house.

The next time I had Big Slick, I once again limped in. The flop was all low cards but I had a gutshot wheel draw and the nut flush draw. Someone bet $10 and I called. I figured I had a shitload of outs. Any spade, any three, any Ace, any King. The turn was a spade. The board had straightened and I checked the 2nd best possible hand (only a straight flush could beat me) hoping someone had a straight or wanted to represent one. No-one did. On the river, I bet out $15 but no-one called. Still, a nice little pot.

In the two hours I played, I was dealt two pocket pairs. Jacks and Aces. Someone raised to $7 preflop, I reraised to $12. I was in late position, but I wanted to ensure that I would be last to act. I also wanted to go heads up with the original raiser. Everyone else folded but the raiser. The flop was 9-8-7. He checked, I bet $15 and took it down.

With the Aces, the same guy who raised my Jacks raised to $7. Once again, I wanted to go heads up and eliminate the players in between me and the button. I re-raised to $20. Once again we were ehads up. The flop was 7-7-Queen with two diamonds. He bet out $25 and I called. The turn was a blank. He checked, and I checked. I was afraid he had pocket Queens. The river was the Ace of diamonds. Now I was hoping he had pocket Queens or a flush. He didn't though. He checked, I bet out $30, and he folded.

Overrall, I profited $93. The only hand I lost a significant amount in was my 10th hand in. Me and the player to my right both had two pair. He had Aces and Deuces, I had Queens and 6s. I actually thought about folding when he check-raised me. Stupid me. I wound up losing $40 on the hand but it couldv'e been worse.