Back at the table

Irish Jim being out of town for 3 weeks has me taking on the home game in his absence (although Mrs. Chipstack volunteered it before me--how cool). So, a 6 handed game broke out at the homestead, and I was playing fairly well, considering I haven't sat in a game in a while. Nothing out of line, seeing cheap flops with connectors, 1 or 2 gappers, small pairs, and so on. Had KK once, along with 55, and 22, and only saw 2 bully aces (an AK and suited AJ). My hands were holding up, too, so it was enjoyable.

Until....(lol).

Blinds are 100-200 with a 25 ante, I have 4250 (roughly), and in the SB I have 10d-4d, no raises to me, so I simply complete. The BB had a shorter stack than me, so it was all-in or check, I assumed it would be a check, and it was.

Flop:

7d-2d-X

Nice flop for my hand, picking up the flush draw. I check, BB checks, button checks (we are still 6 handed at this point).

Turn:

Ad

Bingo. I hit my flush, and I am fairly sure the ace hit one of my 2 opponents. I decide to slow play this for a couple reasons. I want to build the pot now, and the ace was a perfect card to get someone to make a move at the pot, thinking they have the best hand. I check, SB checks, button shoves for 3900.

I call, roll over the flush, he tables A-7 off, for 2 pair. I'm in the lead, he has 4 outs to win.

River:

7h

Ack.

I'm down to 250 after the hand, and go broke a couple hands later.

Now, while this is a bad way to lose (notice not a bad beat, because I was behind pre-flop, and after the flop, took the lead on the turn, and then lost on the river--I trailed for only a fleeting moment), I really wasn't mad about losing the hand. I executed the hand as well as I could have (and I am open to your thoughts on this too). I made the button believe he had the lead when his ace fell, even though he was trailing big time.

Turns out I was a 90% favorite (see odds calculator above), to win the hand, with him have 4 wins in the deck. That's how it goes sometimes--poker is a beautiful and cruel game all at once. These things happen. Again, though, I was pleased with the way I told the story in the hand to make my opponent feel he had the lead, and I was able to get him to go all-in without the lead.

In the end, it's about correct decisions. I made a lot of them there. I'm happy.

~M