Poker21:42 May 10 2010
Times Read: 1,187
I haven't talked about it publicly, but last month I moved to the Las Vegas, Nevada area. Housing prices here have really dipped (more than anywhere else in the nation), so I decided to buy a home here.
I got a great deal on a great home. But that's not what this post is about.
I was playing Poker last night at a local casino. 1/2 no limit Texas Hold'em. I'm pretty good. I have all the math down, and I am a disciplined player. I like to think I don't gamble. I'm patient, wait for the cards I like, then I bet based on mathematical probabilities.
My system works for me. I almost never loose. But sometimes I have to sit at a table for 8-10 hours just to win $100.
Last night I bought in for $150. After about 7 hours of play I was up to about $400. It was about 3am at this point. Players left the table I was at, so I moved to the last table that was still open.
I probably should have taken my $250 in winnings and gone home, but for some reason I couldn't.
I took the only available seat at the other table. It was next to this real asshole. He had been running over players all night. He was bluffing a lot, but whenever another player called him down, he had good cards. He had close to $1300 in front of him.
I sit down. He looks at me and says, I know you want these chips, but you're not getting them. I'm going to take your chips.
I responded, do your best.
At this point I didn't look at him again for the rest of the night. I looked straight ahead at the cards and the flop. Whenever he said something I ignored him.
A couple of hands went by. I caught a good hand and got in. I bet strong on the flop, $50 on the turn, then $100 on the river. He folded.
He said, I'm going to take those chips of yours.
I said, you haven't taken 1 of my chips. I just took a bunch of yours.
The entire table laughed. I knew this would piss him off.
My stack was at $550.
I waited. I waited. I caught Queen Jack offsuit. I got into the pre-flop for $15. He got into the pot. The flop comes:
Queen Three Five
Suits didn't matter. I had top pair with a Jack kicker. I bet $20. He called, everyone else folded. The turn:
Nine
I wasn't in love with the card, but I didn't put him on Queen Nine. I bet $40. He called. The River came:
Nine
I bet $60. He went all in. He was 'representing' that he had a nine in his hand and thus, had three nines.
No one at the table could believe what happened next. I called his all in. I flipped over top pair and won the pot. He had jack shit. He yelled at me, You called my all in with Queens!.
I said nothing, got up, grabbed some racks, took the chips and left the table immediately. This made the rest of the players bust out even more. I was at $1100 and I took his stack down to about $500.
A friend of mine who was at the table told me later he couldn't believe I made that call. In retrospect it was incredibly gutsy. He easily could have had three of a kind. But I didn't put him on that. I was reading him and his style of play.
I bet my hand like I had a pair of Queens. $20, $40, then $60. He knew I had a pair of Queens, and that's why he tried the bluff. I knew he knew I had a pair of Queens. If he had me beat, he wouldn't have gone all in. Maybe a re-raise to get some more money out of me, but not an all in. By going all in he was trying to push me out of the pot. That told me he was bluffing.
No limit hold'em is a tough game. It's not as easy as it looks on TV.
Addendum:
When I racked immediately and left the table the management privately congratulated me. It's a general no-no to win a big pot and leave. It's a huge slap in the face to the loosing player, and that's exactly what I was aiming for. The room manager was so happy I cut the asshole's stack down and then left the table. The asshole had been bullying and taunting other players all night.
COMMENTS
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Morrigon
21:46 May 10 2010
You need your own theme music.
You've made poker interesting to me.
Bones
22:35 May 10 2010
Good job!
Are you addicted to the game yet, or just kicking other players asses?
imagesinwords
23:02 May 10 2010
Good for you! It takes a certain kind of person to be good at the game. I'm not one of them. But it's always been on my list of things I wish I were good at. When I go to a casino (we have several around here) I play for change at the slots for just a short time. It freaks me out, the thought of losing money. I guess if you go with a few hundreds bucks and honestly say to yourself 'this is all, once it's gone I'm done'... you can have a good time and won't be so down on yourself if you lose.
In 1999, we had a company dinner at a casino in Biloxi. Scott and I spent $75 on our two meals. As we were walking out I pulled out 75 cents to give one spin on the slots. I won $75 :P I cashed out and we left as if we didn't even pay for dinner :)
LadyKrystalynDarkstar
23:25 May 10 2010
Congratulations on your new house!
And congratulations on a superb round of poker. I've often watched the players but have never yet seen anything quite like what you described.
BLOODLIFE
23:27 May 10 2010
'Poker'! I thought that was a verb :-P
BelovedxTwilight
00:49 May 11 2010
Way to go on calling an asshole on his word and cost him while you were at it! I love to watch games like that :) Congrats!
Smile
03:13 May 11 2010
I was watching a poker tournament on ESPN and your entry made me think of the guy who thought he was all big and bad but in the end, he lost. Muhahah. Good job.
xxBlueFairyxx
03:35 May 11 2010
Sounds like he got a well deserved "kick in the pants". Karma have to love it.
Nightgame
14:51 May 11 2010
Congratulations on the new home. I love Texas Hold em but since I get too involved when I play, I know better than to play for more than pennies.
sahahria
17:38 May 11 2010
OMG... I'm tellin ya- Vegas calls :P
atyourwindow
20:48 May 12 2010
he got out played , plain and simple....i would have paid money to see that game lol
Alilyanna
22:32 May 14 2010
I do not know anyone quite as... deliberate, as you!
RedDragoness
02:57 May 15 2010
I commend you on your knowledge of the game and bluff, wish I could of seen his face LOL
congrats on the new home as well. Hope you enjoy Nevada.
evilsmiles
12:49 Jun 01 2010
awesome game!!!! you really kick butt playing it! And congrats on your luck finding a home in texas!
SexKitten
19:02 Jun 01 2010
Congratulations! I loved it!
Oceanne
01:11 Jun 18 2010
Nothing like a little Bully beatdown,Cancer style.:)
LadyVictoria
04:22 Jun 24 2010
Know when to hold and know when to flod, you my dear knew exactly what to do, wish I could of seen the guys face when you got up to leave and not even give him the chance to change it lOL that was priceless to say the least.. good for you.
AnaliethiaThionoeSangita
06:49 Jul 13 2010
I love that... I am a people reader too, and do quit well at that game, when playing for real money but like you said it's very slow going when you safty bet. It just goes to show good things do come to those who wait...