That was a crazy game of poker....

No lie. Saw more craziness than we have seen in a league event, ever. First off, I made the final table (nothing crazy about that, thank you very much), but got knocked out in 8th place when this hand came up:

Blinds are 100-200, 25 ante. I'm one ahead of the cut off with AdKh. I raise to 1000 (and have like 4K behind it). Cut off shoves all in. All fold to me--I call, knowing I am behind to a pair of somethings. Cut-off (a.k.a the Villain) shows 8d8h
Flop: 7-10-x the 7 & 10 are hearts

Turn: 9h

River: 6h

I make a King hi flush, while the Villain goes runner-runner straight flush.

Now don't get the idea that I am calling this a bad beat, because I am not. I never once had the lead in the hand, and when the 6 fell on the river, I was ready to scoop the pot. The dealer then halted me and noted the straight flush had me clipped. The chips were so warm too...I could feel the heat coming off of them and then, the cold gripped me as I had to let them go...ok, a bit dramatic, but still, it was a rollercoaster of thoughts in like 2 seconds...."FLUSH!! GIMME THAT POT" to...."He hit what? Dayyyyyuummmmmmm" NH, sir. Best part about the hand was the dealer then saying, "that's gonna make some good blog material." You were correct, sir.

Getting to the FT, I played pretty darn well, but was kicking myself for an early laydown. I raised in early position with QQ, got called by the BB. Flop is all clubs with a King hi....BB pushed all-in.

My thoughts: He flat called my raise pre-flop, and then the board comes all suited, with a K. He either has AK (unlikely) or any King (KJ perhaps--more likely), and just outflopped me. I knew he didn't have a flush, because if he did, he would have let me bet first at it. I mucked my QQ face up, and he showed me 8-9 off suit, hitting a pair of 8's. He bet at it, made me think and got me to lay down the better hand. Well played, B-Dub.

My stack actually dwindled from 3K to start down to about 1900, but I won a double up when I hit trip 4's, against QQ. I then doubled the player who doubled me about 9 hands later when her 88 beat my 55 (she actually made a set on the flop to really crush me). We kept tangling all night, until I finally had the best of it preflop. She went all in under the gun with 2h2d, I had 55 in late position, called her all in (weak call I know), and someone at the table said, "she'll hit a deuce...watch..." and before the flop rolled out, I replied, "as long as there is a 5 with it, that's fine..."

Flop: 2-5-7

Very Negreanu-like spooky call of the cards. Another 7 hit the board, filling my boat, and eliminating her.

I ran my chip count to 9200 when we condensed to 2 tables, winning a 3 way pot with 2 all-ins, when my KcQc caught a Q against a KhJd and Ah7h. I never really got any traction after that, and admittedly got a little too froggy, splashing around in pots I really should not have. That's one of the biggest leaks in my game. I try to be too cute sometimes, when I should just remember to stay within my own game. It is something I have to work on, no doubt.

As for the FT, "they were suited," and "I got a gutshot straight draw and a flush draw" were a couple of sayings I don't think anyone else wants to hear for a while. Pug ended up winning, as he.....how to say this....dug his way to victory. I think he knows he was digging--many times digging a grave for himself, but in big pots, he dug out of holes to scoop. He was all in on a straight draw with a suited 46, against a non-suited 86, also a straight draw. Pug had 2 hearts ...1 hit the flop (5-7h-X). All the chips went in AFTER the flop, incidentally....the turn was a 9h (filling the 86 straight), river Qh, giving Pug the heart flush. And it got worse from there....I saw it, and lived it. One time was enough. Sorry bloggers, I just don't have the heart, or stomach to go through it all again.

The Vegas trip gang will be convening this weekend for a nice cookout get-together, and then maybe a small card game--nothing big stakes wise, just a fun night so the wives can meet each other, and the Vegas "veterans" (I think I may be the only "veteran") can talk about where we can play poker while out in Sin City. Should be a fun night, especially since I already have 11 beers at the guys place!

~M

EDITOR'S NOTE--I mistakenly typed a J instead of a 7 in the straight flush hand. The board was 7-10-x-9-6, thus making the straight flush. I apologize for the error.