Bay Area Poker Meetup #1

Is it wrong that I get slightly excited when I put an ultra aggressive player on tilt? I don't think so.

I did just that the other night when, in the BB I re-raised "all-in" to a 3x raise...he thought about it and decided to fold. He threw in a "white chip" to see my cards and I show (As 10s) He steams. Musta had a pair. Probably shoulda called. I felt kinda bad but like I said...it was kind of cool putting someone else to the test for once.

So here's how key hands went down that evening...as much as I can recall anyway.

Hand #1: On the button (Jc 10s) call BB ($50) Flop comes (Jh-8s-3d) I bet pot-sized bet to round of checking...I win the first pot I play wahoo!

Hand #2: I'm holding pocket Jacks to the right of the button...I chase away limpers with 3x BB bet except for button who calls. Flop is rainbow (K-7-3) I do pot-sized continuation bet ($600) button calls. We both check the turn and the river which are blanks. The button turns over K-Q offsuit and I lose some chips...d'oh!!! At least I slowed her down with the continuation but I'd rather she had low pocket pair...see Hand #5

Hand #3: On the button I have Ad-Qd and player under the gun raises 3x BB and he gets call from player to his left and me. Flop comes (10-Q-10) all checks to me and I bet the pot (~$1200)...after all I have top pair with Ace kicker. The player under the gun folds and I get a call from player #4. We check turn and river. Player #4 has pocket Kings...do'h..I donkey off more chips.

Hand #4: With the low chip stack and the BB I get (As-10s)...player under the gun folds then next player raises to $600, I make note of his chip stack (I gots more)...everyone else folds...back to me. I think for exactly 3 seconds and then go all in. As he sighs and stares me down I try to look uninterested...lol...he angrily folds and throws white chip in. I show my As-10s and he slams his cards down in disgust...oh well...I win some more chips.

Hand#5 : The very next hand I try to ride the rush..."DUMB"...I pick up pocket 7's on the button. All players fold except for 1 player who raises 3x BB...more folding to me and I notice I have more chips than the raiser (and he's the one who got me with Cowboys) so I go over the top "All-In" I say and he immediately calls...to reveal pocket Jacks d'oh!!!! This makes Mr Tilty from Hand #4 extremely happy as if his revenge will be exercised through another player's hand. Rags come on the flop and the turn is yet another Jack making my hand dead. I lose most of my chips. (I'm down to $650 with blinds @ $100-200)...as if to get the greatest amount of pleasure from my loss, Mr Tilty counts out the chips I owe to player who turned trip Jacks.

Hand #6: The very next hand I pick up pocket Aces so I act tilty and go all in after a few limpers...then they all muck...no play for me...I take the blinds and a few of the limpers chips...that's ok, blinds are gettin' bigger.

Over the next round I actually pick up good cards, pocket Queens, Kings, AQ a few times, AJ suited. I raise with them but get no action. Hand over your blinds!!! My stack is actually increasing.

Final hand: With a low stack I try to make a play with As-Qc,...I go all in for about $2300. Thankfully, I get one caller who must have thought I was bluffing. She has (Jh-10d)...I'm ahead but then I say "I fear that J-10 will be the end of I me..." and sure enough the flop comes (7-8-9) in friggin' order...I smell a mechanic...ha ha just kidding. Oh well...it was a blast.

Overall, I feel like I did well except for the all in w/pocket sevens..I know now that Eugene (pocket Kings) will bet only if he has a premium hand and Odessa will call a medium raise with face cards...and that Aaron (Mr. Tilty) will get pretty steamed when he lays down the best hand. Well, who wouldn't?

Even though I didn't get into the money it was a really fun experience and hope to play at least one live game a week. I really want to get better at live tournaments and get away from the online garbage play.

That's it for now...more soon.