SATURDAY COMMERCE

Marci and I went to see UNITED 93 while the kids were at a birthday party. After we all got back home at 530P, I checked out the Commerce schedule because I remembered that they are holding some nice tournaments this weekend. There was a $540 shootout starting at 7P. I got permission from the family to go to work, so I got dressed and got on the road. As soon as I hit the traffic, I knew I was pushing my luck to get there before 7P. I decided that even if I got there with seconds to spare, I would forget about the shootout and just play some NL at the cash tables. I had $600 in my pocket.

They started a new table of $3/5 NL at about 730P. I sat down with $200 and began collecting chips right away. On the first deal, I was under the gun with 86h. That is a hand I love playing in cash games because the right flop could double me up. I decided it was wise to let it go and just study the table for the first hand. There were a few limpers, then the flop came 975 with two hearts, which would have given me a straight with an open-ended flush draw. Two guys managed to get all-in with something like Q9 v Q7. I would have made $400 if I had played this hand.

Well, the Q9 doubled up and a few hands later, I played A2h on the button. The flop came 643 with two hearts. it checked around to me and I bet my draw. Mr Q9 put in a hefty check-raise, which I called. The turn was a 5, giving me bottom straight. He checked to me, and I could have bet, but since he had me covered and could have been getting tricky with a 7, I decided to check to see what the river brought. If I would have missed my heart, I would have called any bet with my straight, and would have bet out strong if he checked to me. I wanted to make sure the board didn't pair also since he was playing as if he had trips. The river was the jack of hearts, giving me the nuts. He bet $50 into me and I bumped to $100. He thought a good while before calling. I didn't see his cards, but he was saying "straight is good" so either he had trips or some kind of two pair he fell in love with.

I was hitting flops all night. I never had a pocket pair above jacks, and I only saw AK once. I lost with both of those hands. Also, I played every small pocket pair, but never flopped trips. I wasn't exactly a card rack, but I just played four hours of good solid poker and turned my $200 into $1450. I never really bluffed outside of a few continuation bets and semi-bluffs, but people were still throwing money in whenever I lead at it. It's much easier to win money off of real people on a Saturday night than online. It helps to be able to size them up, but also, people in casinos are just much looser. They actually had to leave the house and drive to a casino to play poker, so they are going to play, dammit, cards be damned. I only showed down one loser all night, when I called down QT against a guy who was holding QJ (with an ace on board).

The time I had JJ was relatively early in the session. UTG limped for $5 and I bumped to $20, which attracted two callers then an all-in bet. The all-in was $60 more to me, so I saw that and bumped another $100 to get heads-up. He was sitting on AT, but hit two pair to take it. I played it right, so I wasn't too distressed. UTG told me he had dropped the other two jacks. That shows you a contrast in styles. Even though he only lost $5 and I lost $80, I gave myself good odds to win $130 by not being timid. He said he hates jacks and doesn't want to invest any money because he's lost too many big pots. Well, if he was getting heads-up, he wouldn't be losing so often.

Whenever I hit top pair, I was betting, which would generally attract two calls. I would fire again at the turn and take it down. One time, I hit an A53 flop, holding A5. There was a bet and a call, and I was ready to take down the pot, so I made a nice raise. The first bettor figured me for two pair and folded A6. The second guy thought his A7 might be good and gladly called off all his chips on the turn.

When I played K2c, the flop came AK2. The angry-looking Hispanic guy bet out and I smooth called. The turn was a king, filling me up. He bet $45. I had no doubt that I could have smooth called and gotten all his chips at the river, but he only had about $75 left and I didn't want to come across as merciless. People at the table were enjoying me as I was taking their money, since I was just straight up catching cards and betting for value. I was up about $900 at this point, so I figured I'd raise it up and let him get off the hand, or chase if he wanted. I bumped it to $100. If he had a king, I was going to get a call; he may even call with his ace if he likes the kicker enough. He decided to let it go. Just as well, because if I had smooth called, I was opening myself up to letting an ace spike the river.

The best hand of the night unfolded thusly: I limped with J9 and the flop came JJ4. After a check from SB, the old man to my right who was no threat lead out with a bet. I called and SB called. Even the old man recognized that one of us had a jack, so he surrenderred at the turn, which was a 6.

SB had already checked after overcalling the flop. Obviously, he had a jack too at the least, but maybe he hates the kicker since he entered the pot from the blind. I made a smallish bet to see what he would do. If he came back all-in, I'm likely folding. He merely called. Now I'm sure he has either a weak jack or pocket fours. I figure I'll call a bet on the river, but fold to an all-in. There's no way I'm raising unless a niner comes.

The river was a 9 and he was barely paying attention to it as he was pushing a huge stack of chips across the line. Now, I was 100% sure he had 44, so I said all-in as fast as I could. I knew he held the nuts in his own mind, so I didn't want to give him time to think. He called instantly and walked away cursing his luck. Thing is, it wasn't bad luck so much as bad play. At the flop, you've got to ask yourself if you want to play a small pot with these cards or a big one. If you want a big pot, you've got to make it happen. In this case, the big money didn't enter the pot until he was beaten. If he makes his move on the turn, then I probably lay my hand down. Even if I don't, then at least he gets his money in good.

My last big pot came when I played 53d in homage of the 53o that crushed my aces in a cash game online not long ago. The flop brought AKx with two diamonds. Angry Hispanic lead out, but with a meek little bet. It was called once before me, giving me a no-brainer call. I was just hoping nobody else had diamonds. The turn didn't help me, but again, his bet was so meek, that I overcalled with great drawing odds. The river was a diamond and Angry Hispanic checked and Calling Station checked. I declared "well, I guess I'm the only one playing diamonds" and I bet out $60, which was a call-me sized bet into that pot. Angry guy came out of the tank calling and that pot put me over $1200 profit on the night for four hours labor.

I could have stayed at that table for the rest of my life, but I figured I could get home while the wife was still awake and I could indulge in a celebratory single malt, which is the play I made. Before I left, I checked out the tournament. It had begun with 18 tables of 10 and was now playing the final two tables, comprised of all the individual table winners. The only face I recognized was Jean-Robert Bellande, who has a huge Vince Vaughn-sized head. I had my usual misadventures driving home through the ghettos while replaying scenes from GRAND CANYON in my head. It took me 90 minutes to get home, but the scotch was still waiting, though the wife was asleep.