I rushed to get to the Bike at noon for an el-cheap-o $40 NLHE tourney. This wasn't too bad. Starting chips 4000, 20 minute blind levels.. and 168 people came out to play. I was the only female at my table.. and it started off pretty well. There's was one guy who over bet ever raise and was annoying.. so I'd stay out of his way if I wasn't looking to play a big pot.. guy to my left went out early while getting a massage... and was replaced by a young player.. a talkative one. I found his voice very annoying and tried to avoid eye contact or acknowledgment because I didn't want to talk to him. However, he began chatting it up with the player on my right.. so I was the meat in their convo sandwich and the voices were getting to me....
I then played a pot with another player where I flopped the nut flush draw and bet out 300 into a 450 pot. I am reraised for 900 more. I figured he flopped a nice looking top pair, maybe with a flush draw to go with it or 2 pair.. I reluctantly folded and decided I didn't want to draw at that price and it was early.. well a few hands later I'm in the big blind and flop 2 pair.. 9-6 against the same player. However, it's a draw heavy board.. I bet out.. and get called. The turn means an 8 would make a straight. I check and he checks. The river is a useless 2. I bet out 3/4 the pot and get called.. He says, "Chop? I have an 8." Nope.. just 2 pair for me.. grossly overplayed that hand because in the back of my mind I wanted to win against this guy- badly because I followed that nut flush draw. I was now frustrated and angry at myself for throwing away so many chips.. 2/3 of my stack on a stupid big blind hand with that board. I had a nice steady tight aggressive play going and was building up a healthy stack.. oh, woe is me, right? Well, without any clear thinking I decided to seriously throw my last 1/3 of chips away on A-J.. and essentially A high.. the very next hand. I'm out. And that annoying guy to my right is still chatting away and it was killing me... Totally lost control of my head and play.
I took a short break and then went to play cash. The characters were out today. I decided I didn't want to talk to anyone so I put one head phone in.. and I never do that. This was the first time I decided to play with background music.. A gentlemen across the table was not the best player, to say the least... but I was new to the table so I was just getting acquainted with my table mates. I look down at A-8 off and limp in from the SB. The flop brings K-8-8. I check. Someone bets and narrows the field to 3 callers. The turn opens the door for a diamond flush draw.. I check again and the gentlemen bets about half the pot. The other player calls and so do I. (Maybe a good spot for a reraise?) The river brings another diamond. I bet half the pot. The gentlemen goes all in which isn't too much more.. definitely worth a call to see at least how he played his hand.. but I'm really thinking he had the diamond flush. So I ask, "Did you really just hit that flush?" He responds, "I have 2 hearts." That was enough to call because I looking at this not-so-good-player I decide he would not come out and lie like that.. he was not flipping over 2 diamonds after saying that. I call and he shows K-Q off. 1 heart.. and no diamonds. I take the pot. Shortly after he leaves the table "to make a phone call"... locking his seat. We all hope he returns because he was giving away money.. Upon his return he collects his keys and says he seat is open and that he has to go to the hospital- for surgery- he's a doctor.. he walks up to me and gives me a hand written note and says, "don't worry it's about poker".. I'm probably blushing a bit and the table is now cracking jokes like crazy.. The note said he was looking for me to give him poker lessons, he'd pay me.. and left this number. I did not share the note with the table although they kept asking. Someone says, "he could be a serial killer" and the tables laughs.. I say, "sure, it's real funny until I turn up dead in the Bike parking lot".. I don't see myself calling this guy to give him any lessons.. Sorry, dude.
Well, fear not, the Sea Captain is sitting to my left and he is cracking me up. We are in a hand together with a flop of A-A-5. I check and he bets. I call. Turn is a 6.. This gives me the boat since I hold A-6. He bets out of turn and I just call. River is a 10. I bet out and he calls.. but he was going for chips before I bet.. again. I figure he has an A and is real excited.. I was right but he also shows a 10. Damn. I caught up on the turn but he had a 6% chance to hit his boat on the river and he did.. oh, well... betting could have been worse but we were friendly and kept it that way.
Santa walks by the table and then eventually finds his way to seat 5. He's loud but friendly. Our table is fun and light hearted.. there's still joking about the Doctor and leaving to write me a note. Santa is drawn to me and is commenting on my facial features slightly making me uncomfortable.. luckily there's the Sea Captain and the young Massage Therapist right next to me who both empathize with my discomfort. Santa says, "Don't I look like Santa?" I said, "Yes, I thought so, but I wasn't going to say it." He then says, "Do you want to sit on Santa's lap?" I respond with a, "Ugh, really? really? No.... come on" Players leave and Santa moves directly to my left. New players join and the vibe of the table completely changes.. I need to keep checking the traffic on my phone because I have to meet ex-coworker friends near home and I'm afraid to get caught in LA traffic and miss my window to stop home. Santa starts getting louder too about the obnoxious players and people are just playing sloppy and gambling.. It's time to go.
After 4 hours of cash I left up with what seems like "only" $80 (and I won back my $40 from the tourney in addition too). However, with 4 hours of cash play that was $20/hr. So I'm not complaining... I'll take it.
I met the ex-coworkers and it was nice to see them.. I consider them friends.. However, it definitely played on my mood to hear the work chat, new changes, how they divided up my work and how it was all handled. I don't know. I'm not bitter and angry about being laid off but it still hurts to know I made that list in their minds. Oh, well... today I'm not feeling like driving to the casino and I don't think my head is into it.. I'm just going to play some on Poker Stars and see where that gets me... after a nice work out though.. that should clear my head.
Cheers.
No comments:
Post a Comment