Put your hands in the air, if you think you're a playa....Poppa

Long time, no see, I know. I finally got motivated to start this up again after having some good sessions lately, and reading Daniel Negraneau's blog over at www.fullcontactpoker.com. It would be a shame for him to lose the POY this close to the end. But what a story it would be if Juanda came back. Judging from Daniel's posts, he seems to have lost interest in the big picture, which could be his undoing.

Anyway...

Tuesday night game at Hall's, which is funny cause it's not even his house, but he runs the game. The game had 20 players and I was at a pretty tough starting table with loose aggressive players. Dycka had a better table and would've traded in a hearbeat. For some reason I always have Greg Maltese to my left, and he always always always calls me down with bottom pair if I'm making a move, and it's usually good. I made a vow to not let this happen at this particular game. I was sick of playing scared against certain people. I didn't have to worry long as he busted out of the tournament while we were still at 3 tables. Erod wanted to play Worlds of Warcraft and didn't last long either. I went a little card dead for about 30 min, and was blinded away, and didn't even make the final table.

And then the fun began.

Some of the elminated players decided to have a NL cash game with .25/.50 blinds. High stakes, I know, but getting people to buy in for 10-15 bux at this game is like pulling teeth. We started 5 handed, and I only had 8 dollars to play with. I lost it fairly quickly, and borrowed 10 from Hall.

After winning some pots, I found KK in the BB. The raise was usually to about 1.50 or so pre-flop, so with 3 limpers, I raised it up to 2, middle position and the button called. The flop came 10 high, and i put about 4 bux in my hand, and decided to make it look like a bluff, so I checked with the other hand. I got someone to bite with a 2.50 bet or so, and Hall called, so he could have anything. I popped it to 6.50, not leaving me with much but I knew I was getting it all in anyway. Big Daddy (Eric) called and Hall folded, and a blank hit the turn so I went all in for 6 more. Long story short, I won this hand and couldn't really miss a pot. Players would sit down and play for about 10 minutes and I would get their chips.

One hand I should not have even won. 4 players in an unraised pot. After action on the flop and turn, I miss my straight on the river, and Ralph bets out in 1st position. Only other person besides me mucks, and Ralph doesn't know I'm in the hand and says something about how he had a straight, and mucks face down. I announce that I'm still in the hand, but we can't discern his cards from all the ones in the muck. The fair decision is that I win the pot if the cards hit the muck. I guess action out of turn is still action.

5 handed, I got QQ and Maltese was SB, I was BB. Finally on my right. He raises, I smooth call, hoping for all undercards on the flop. Flop comes J high, and bets, I raise, and he thinks for a second and pushes all in. I call quickly, and he has QJ. He had about 15 or so, but didn't realize I had over 25. He muttered something about not knowing I had that much when he bet.

Eventually it was heads up with Hall and I, but we decided to finish it after we played our 2nd tournament of the night.

12 person tourney, and the cards kept falling for me. No notable hands that I really remember well, but I ended up chopping up 1st and 2nd with Big Daddy. Then it was back to the cash game with Hall to finish up business. At this point Hall was in for about $35 , and I had about $40 in front of me, and even gave him back his 10. I had him by 2-1 here. After a few hands, Hall succesfully swayed people to play in the game. But eventually it was he and I heads up again, and I had $85. He threw me a $20 when he busted out, and I gave him chips and off we went again.

I lost some of my chips and almost cashed out at $50 when the following hand came up. I'm dealt KJo and I have the button. I raise to 2, and Hall just calls. I decide for some reason that I'm making a move on this hand regardless of how I hit it. Flop comes 2 9 3 with the 3 being a diamond. (This is important for later) Hall bets $4 very quickly, and I think and raise to $8, he re-raises to $12, and now I'm in a pickle. He hasn't been this agressive all day, and with Hall he's usually very aggressive when he protects his crappy hands, or when he has a monster. So now I think A9 or A 3. or 44?

I keep thinking...

I say what do you have? A 3? and his brow lifted with a maybe??? and a very honest face told me that yes he did have A3. I call knowing I can outplay his bottom pair. Qd comes on the turn and he fires out $5 immediatly, I call. Last card was the 7d and he checks so I think about it and go all in for $22 roughly on a bluff. I know he didn't have the flush cause the 3d was on the board. He thinks for a long time, and shows me the As, then flips it back over, and says "i fold". I show him the bluff because I know in about 10 minutes I can get the rest of the chips if I tilt him enough.

circa 10 min later, I get KJ again and this time Hall raises to 4, and I call. Flop comes Q 7 4. Hall fires out $4 again, and I just call. A J comes on the turn, and he bets out $5, I raise to $10, and he goes all. "Just Jacks" I say, and he curses while flipping over 99. No help on the river and I ended up taking every dollar in the pot. I look forward to the action next week. Post for Wednesay night's game at Eddie's soon to follow.

Playing time: 8 hours. +$140 Sleep: 4.5 hours

I need a haircut...