Thursday, March 01, 2007

The Poker Enthusiast is One Year Old

Yesterday was the anniversary of the birth of The Poker Enthusiast. As I look back I realize I’m a much different in many was and still the same in others. My $5 quest to riches has been up and down but has also been a lot of fun along the way. JJ and http://tripjax.blogspot.com were some of the early commenters and I even had one from the good doctor encouraging me and wishing me luck. I now have many make believe acquaintances out in cyber space and I enjoy each and every one of them.

So after my second place finish the other night I thought I would take a shot at one of the bigger events at Full Tilt so the 19K seemed to be the right one. It was a tight table to start with but that change quickly as one of the players started seeing every other hand. He was aggressive and players were letting him run the table. He was my mark. I had been tight to this point and made a raise from middle position with A8 suited. It was more of an attempt to steal some blinds but I got three callers. The flop hit me in the face as I hit top two pair and took it down. I also started attacking limpers when I had strong hands and accumulating chips. I won a big hand with Q2 suited from the BB when I flopped top pair and a flush draw. I bet it out and got one caller. The turn was a 10 and I put him all in and he called with K10 and I scooped. I also won a nice pot with AK on a king high flop. I made a continuation type bet and got re-raised by a solid player. I saw this as a steal and popped it way up and he folded. I got involved with aggressive guy and earned a nice pot when I bet out on my flush draw and gut shot straight draw. I chipped up some with aces and then hit the mother load when I caught trip 8s and stacked a guy. I’m 11th of 260 at this point and I’m really on my game.

Now look at this scenario. Blinds are 120/240 with 25 ante. Three big stacks at the table and two shorties. I am the chip leader with 10900. One shorty betss to 600 and I raise 2640 to put him all-in and to isolate with JJ. The next player (10,077 chips) calls. All fold including the original raiser. What hands can you put him on here. I think any hand that that you would call with here for 25% of your stack is worthy of a push. Maybe not middle pairs put would you risk 25% of your stack with a middle pair? I don’t think so. Anyway the flop is 1095 two hearts. I have the over pair and feel I’m ahead. I can’t check because I don’t want to give a free card for a flush or a straight draw so what do I bet. There is around 6000 chips in the pot so I make raise to 4000 and have 4100 left behind. My opponent pushes. I’m not crippled if I fold and I don’t have a read on the guy as it is a new table. I’m thinking it is an act of desperation and hope to push me off my hand so I call. He has KQ.

Is there anyone sane who would call for 25% of there with KQ after a large bet and a re-raise in front of them. I know of one guy because he hit his queen on the turn and crippled me. I could have check folded but I don’t ever like that play in that situation. He may have checked it down but probably not. I’m calling any bet he makes if I check and maybe I could have folded after the queen comes on the turn. I will make the same play there and win many more time then I lose.

2 comments:

TripJax said...

Glad to know i was one of the original commentors. Keep it up and happy b-day blog...

23skidoo said...

Good job Dusty! Keep it up.

That is truly a horrible call in that position, unfortunately you want that guy to call in that situation, and he just got lucky.