GAMBLERS IN POKER

In the movie, Cincinnati Kid, Edward G. Robinson says poker is about making the wrong move at the right time. His wrong move is calling a $2,000 bet with a 3 flush in 5 card stud. I’ll ruin the movie and let you know that the 3-flush turned into a straight flush on 5th street. I was handed a similar beating last night when I moved up to $50 buy-in pot limit.

I quickly doubled my money to about $120, but bled a little bit and was settled around $100 when I got pocket Jacks. I was going to raise but a $4 raise in front let me limp in disguising my hand. It also put me on the button.

The flop came 335 Rainbow. The pot was $17.50. Under the gun checked to the raiser and he threw out $5 and the next guy called. A $5 bet into a $17 pot told me that he didn’t have a pocket pair. I raised the pot to $36.65.

Under the gun and the opening bettor both folded, but the caller between us saw the $36.65 bet. What could he have that he would call a $4 dollar bet before the flop? I Just couldn’t put him on a 3 to save my life. Maybe he had a pocket pair bigger than me, but he should have raise after the flop and he just called.

The turn came 7: The pot was $95. Maybe he had pocket 5s, I thought. But I was starting to think he had pocket 8s, 9s, or Ts. I threw in my last $59 and gambled I was the favorite. He matched it.

The River card was a 6. We were out of money and the pot was $209

He turned over 64s. He made his straight on the turn.

I went back over it and how in the world could this guy call a $36 bet with a straight draw while the board was paired? How could he call a $4 bet before the flop with 3 other players holding a 64s?

Had any card fallen but a 2 or a 7 I was the winner. Had I paired the 3s or the Js, the 2 or the 7 would have been void. I couldn’t put him on 64 to save my life. I should have been scared of 55 maybe, but my hunch that I had the best of it was right. I just ran into a gambler and he rolled the dice.

Making the wrong move at the right time as Lancey Howard says.