Poker report

I like posting detailed poker reports here, because in the future, I know I'll enjoy reading back through hand histories and stuff. Also, I want to keep a somewhat official record of winnings and losings, and doing so in a public forum will help keep me honest, so to speak. So (as goes without saying), feel free to skip these sorts of posts if you're not into it.

So, I went with Miami Kyle, Iwan, and Miami John to our local card house to play some poker last night. Intrepid readers will remember that the first time I went, I played very tighly, winning 4 of (only) 5 showdowns for a profit of $39.

This time around, I didn't play as well. I didn't get very good cards, and spent the first two rounds of the table folding literally everything, and watching people win with absolute crap. Playing any two cards can certainly be profitable in the short run, but I'm convinced it's not the right way to play in the long run. But watching people make their full houses with Q4o is rough.

I was prepared to cash in for $50, but no one ever showed up with chips. The dealer offered to cash in $20, so I did that, and ended up just playing with that, which I was pleasantly surprised to find was enough to play with for the night.

I went down a few bucks in blinds, and was dealt K2 clubs in a late position, and figured "what the hell". Flop came AK8 rainbow. There were a lot of callers (one guy, really tight player, going all in with his last few chips) and a few folders. I figured I was beat with an ace, but figured I'd stick around to see if another K or 2 came up. Turn came a 9 and everyone checked around. River came a 2, giving me two pair. It gets checked around to me, and I bet $2. The player to my left (who was all in) thought that everyone had checked around, and flipped his cards up, and I saw his A-J. Others folded. I win a pot. That put me up to about $35.

Some hands later, I was on the button and get Q10 hearts. Lots of limpers, and I call. Flop comes 8h-9d-Jh. I've got the nut straight, four-to-a-flush, and a straight flush draw. My heart is pounding! Checked to me. I bet, lots of callers. Turn comes some low diamond. Checked to me, I bet, get lots of callers. River comes another diamond. Checked around to the guy before me (who I just realize was the big blind), and he now bets. Fuck. I reluctantly call. He flips over 10-5 of diamonds, meaning he missed his open ended straight draw, but fell into a flush to take a huge pot. Stink. I was reeling.

Another hand I got pocket jacks, raised pre-flop. The flop came Q73. Long story short, the big blind won with 7-3o (calling my raise with 7-3o! Ugh).

Those two hands left me crippled and reeling, and I chased a couple more hands, and died a slow death. Best hands I saw over the night was A9 suited, JJ, stuff like that, which are really pretty marginal at a full table full of callers. In retrospect, I really should have played more patiently, and be satisfied to fold and not chase. Good poker is not necessarily fun poker.

During the evening, I saw Miami Kyle stand up and stomp out of the room. He lost an undisclosed amount. By the time I was out (which was about the time we all agreed we wanted to leave anyways), Iwan was down $18, and John (who was playing at the $2-$4 table) was up $84! Nice work that guy. From his descriptions of some hands, it sounded like he was getting cards and playing them well, on a loose table to boot. Very nice.

So, I think my lesson is patience. Don’t stray from (what I think is) the right path, even if that means not playing a single hand. The small and big blinds combine for $1.50, and an average pot is maybe $10 or $15, so I can afford to wait.

Two-day total: +$19