Monday, November 30, 2009

Playing a big hand live when you just sit down

This Friday (Saturday morning), I decided to go to play some 2-5 @ The Venetian, I got there around 2AM (nice starting working hour heh), and ask for 2-5 NL, there was a table with 2 seats open, so they sent me there and looking the stacks at the table I decided to buy $600, at the Venetian you don't need to post your first hand, so you get to play it for free and since I was on late position I decided to start playing. I got Kd3d, I was still busy with my wallet when the action came to me, nobody has called, so, I decided to just play the hand and call the $5, nobody called, just the blinds and we got to see the flop.

Flop: Qd7d4d

Wow, really nice for a first hand, but since almost no people in the pot and no preflop action, usually you don't win much, they checked to me and I of course checked. Turn was the 4s, LB bet $15, BB called the $15, nice, somebody had to have something, so I decided to raise to $65, why $65, since I was new to the table, they have no image of myself and I wanted them (or the one of the two with the better hand) to think I was buying the pot and called me if they have a Q, well, little blind didn't disappoint, but instead of calling me, he reraised to $115, BB folded; interesting, what does he have?, I saw no point on raising, so I decided to just call the $115 and see what happens with the river, river card was Kh, so we have a board:

Qd7d4d4sKh

He then decided to bet $250, mmmmmm, wait, a Q does not make much sense, so maybe he had a 4, a flush or a boat; or maybe he was full of air, continuing a failed resteal on the turn, betting that much with a 4 didn't make much sense either for me, if I was weak, that was way too much if he wanted me to call, so, flush, boat, air, I didn't see much value by reraising, so I decided to just call. He had 10d3d and I won the almost $800 pot.

Probably I would have played differently if this wasn't my first hand at the table, but I was pretty content with the way I played it, some may say I should have gone all in after the $250, but I don't really think it's the best play in the long run, since most of the hands that call my all in with that board (boat, A high flush) had me beat.

It was a good thing to start winning that night (morning?), since for the next 3-4 hours, I was not winning anything, not flopping any pair, lost the minimum with AA and KK, lost a turn all in, when I was a big favorite, all that crippled my stack, but I didn't lose my temper, just wait and wait, and eventually things came my way and after playing some 9-10 hours I scored a pretty good session.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ira lo, Glad I checked back. Good to see you back in action. Are you going to head down to New Orleans for the Dec tourneys?

Viva la raza,

Htown Joe

Enrique Treviño said...

Nice hand. When you say you called $115 in the turn you mean 115 on top of $65 or 50 more?

David (sirio11) said...

Hey Joe, nah, I don't think I'll go to New Orleans, in fact, I mostly play cash now.
How have you been?

Quique: $50 more

Anonymous said...

Been great. Still grinding at the lower live stakes, and trying to build a BR online. Glad to see you posting again. I've been following since your nice score a few years back. Keep us updated, and if your ever in Htown look me up. I'll get you a few free nights in a hotel for you and the family. Not cuz I'm a baller, pero my family works in the hotel business.

Orale, keep us posted on your daily grind.

Joe

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