Tao of Poker

Decorously Significant Online Hands

By Pauly

I finally have time to play online poker and I dove head first into the shark infested and trout-centric waters. I played 15/30 and 10/20 on Poker Stars along with 8/16 and 10/20 on Full Tilt. I donked around the 2/4 Limit tables and played some HA on Full Tilt.

And, I played another Limit tournament. I didn't cash but I used up all my mojo in that tournament when I cracked A-A three times inside of an hour. I rivered a flush with As-Qs and I flopped sets with Q-Q and J-J to take down a trio of Pocket Rockets. That must have been the reason I had a devastating Tuesday at the cash game tables. I had a tough run on PokerStars and lost 40 big bets in one session but stormed back last night thanks to a monsterpotten that I scooped after flopping a set.

I also played in The Mookie last night for the first time in I don't know how long. And of course, I didn't cash.

Here are some interesting hands that I played over the last couple of days:

7c-7h 10/20 Limit on Poker Stars

UTG raised and I called with 7c-7h. The button and both blinds also called. Five people saw the flop of 7d-6s-2h. The blinds checked and UTG bet out. I raised with my set because sets are vulnerable in limit hold'em and I never slowplay online. The button folded but the small blind check-raised. The big blind smooth called, but the UTG capped it at four bets. We all called. I put one of them on an underset, another on two-pair, and one an over pair. Four players. The turn was the 9h. The small blind bet, the big blind and UTG both called, and I popped it. Everyone called my raise and I felt that I was way ahead. Four players still left. The river was the Qs. I prayed that none of those yahoos held the Hilton Sisters. Everyone checked to me and I bet. The small blind called, the big blind folded, and UTG called. My set of 7s held up against the small blind's Ks-Kh and the UTG's Js-Jd. That was a $477 pot.

9d-8d in The Mookie $10 NL MTT on Full Tilt

You gotta gobble up chips early in blogger events so whenever I see coinflip situations, I take them. I doubled up in Level 1 when I rivered a straight with 9d-8d. The flop was Qd-10d-7h and I picked up an OESD and also had a gutshot straight flush draw. I bet out 405 or the size of the pot. PirateLawyer re-raised to 810. I typed "Let's gamble!" and pushed all in. He called with Kc-10c and was ahead. The 10s on the turn gave him trips but the 6s spiked on the river filling in my straight.

As-Ks in The Mookie $10 NL MTT on Full Tilt

A few minutes before the first break, I busted out when I pushed with another draw. Second in chips at my table with 2960, I limped-called a raise UTG with As-Ks. I flopped a nut flush draw with two over cards on a board of 8s-7s-2h. I bet the pot or about 1K. Papi Justify waited until the last possible second and moved all in for 3295. If I won that pot, I would have been the chipleader or near the top. I called hoping he had a middle pair like 9s or 10s. He flipped over Jh-Jd and I missed all of my outs. I was eliminated.

9h-7d at 10/20 Limit on Full Tilt

I titled this hand, "Why you should not slowplay!" I'm in the small blind with 9h-7d and everyone folded to me. I raised and the big blind just called. the flop was Js-7s-5h. I bet out and the big blind called. the turn was the 4d. I bet out and he raised me. He could have been slowplaying the Jack or turned two pair or made a straight or was simply trying to steal the pot with a bluff or semi-bluff. I called. The river was 9c which gave me two pair. I bet out and he called with Ad-Jd. That hand would have materialized differently had he raised me pre-flop or on the flop. If he three-bet preflop I'd call and fold once the flop comes down. Even if he smooth called pre-flop and raised me on the flop, I quickly fold with second pair. Once I got to the turn, I was going to see the river no matter what. He got fancy, tried to trap, and missed two opportunities to get me out of the pot.

9c-6c at 8/16 Limit on Full Tilt

I had not played any pots in a while and decided to make a move. In middle position I raised with 9c-6c and the button called. The small blind re-raised and I called along with the button. Three players. The flop was 9h-9s-4s. Small blind checked and I bet my trips. The button raised me and I had to put him on A-9 or K-9. the small blind called as did I. The turn was the 5s. If that other player was on a flush draw, I was fucked. The action was checked to the button who bet. We both called. The river was 6h. The small blind checked, I fired out, and the button raised to $32. The small blind folded and I re-raised my boat. He called and was all in. My boat held up and he mucked his hand. I checked the hand history and he had As-Qc. Nice bluff raise on the river with Ace high when I had a boat.

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