THE CONFRONTATION

It was getting late last night and I was ready to go to bed when I found the perfect (AA) hand to end on. Unfortunately, I was under the gun and this being pot limit, I knew I couldn't raise enough with the current texture to get heads up. I decided to call and hope for a raise behind me, but I got five callers. The flop came (J97) all spades and since I had the Ace of spades I lead out and bet half the pot got one caller. The (4 of spades) came on the turn and I bet about 40% hoping for a call and I got one. The river paired the 4s. My stack was short and I only had enough to bet about half the pot. He called and turned over a full house holding 99.

It was just the kind of hand you hate. I couldn't have raised him off the 99 preflop and no amount of betting would have gotten him off the set, especially since my stack wasn't that large. I had to sit and let the poker gods laugh. But instead of just being happy he won, he gloated in the chat box below "NEXT" as if he were playing giant killer today.

I didn't say anything and bought back into the game. Mouthy guy was really on fire. A half hour earlier I raised in late position with AK and he cold called. I missed the flop and he wiped out another guy with a set of Queens.

About five minutes later after beating my (AA), I'm two off the button with (Kc7c), and I decide to gamble and raise it up after a bunch of limpers. I would have been happy to collect the limps and move on, but Mouthy guy calls and I'm heads up. The flop comes (Qc6c3d) so I couldn't ask for much more. I lead out and bet half the pot and he raises me all-in. Not the situation I wanted any longer, but the pot was laying me 3-1 at this point and with a flush draw and an overcard I figured to be a 60-40 underdog so the call was perfunctory. I hit the (King on the turn) and the (flush on the river) and "Mouthy Guy" turns over yet again another set of Queens. His third set in 30 minutes.

He can't believe that I would raise with trash like K7s. I was the stupidest player he's ever seen. Haven't I ever read a book on poker, he asks. I must have learned by watching it on TV. I usually don't answer these punks, but this being the second outburst, I said "You should show some class when you're winning. "

He answers, "You stay at this table and I'll break you in an hour."

I say, "You've hit sets against me three times tonight and anyone can win when they hits sets. Let's see if you can beat me actually playing poker."

He continues to call me names. Another player asks him to settle down. He says to that guy, "There's a method to my madness. Are you with me?" The guy replies yes. So, Mr. genius has found a fish and he's going to rile me up and stick a fork in me.

I say, "It's 11pm EST. I'll give you an hour to bust me out again."

He says, "Oh, so you can read a clock?"

I reply, "Just get permission from your dad to stay up until midnight."

He actually complements me on the funny line and doesn't say anything in the next hour. The war of words ends and the poker war continues. I spend the hour up and down a little with no real hands of interest. At around 12:30, I get dealt (KK) on the only blind. Mouthy guy is already in and one other caller. I start to raise and realize it will only let me bump it to $4. I figure I might as well check and make my money on the deception factor.

The flop is 9 high with two hearts. I bet and Mouthy Guy calls. The turn is a king and I have a well-hidden top set. I bet it out and am surprised that mouthy guy raises me. A set of 9s? We continue the raising war until he's all-in. He turns over the dominated K9, is broke and leaves the table. Most of the guys who heard our earlier exchange are gone and the ones still around don't reference it. I take my own advice and don't gloat about it.

About 10 minutes later, mouthy guy returns with the minimum buy-in. He starts the conversation, "Hey Change -- Hey Chance."

I reply, "Sorry about the tough beat. Two pair is hard to drop."

He ignores it and tells me that he has some friends who work at the site and he's going to find me and collect the money.

I suppose, I'll be waitin' up with my shotgun.