Res Ipsa Poker

I was a bit conflicted on Sunday. I usually don't play Sunday tournaments, but I got home unusually early and had plenty of time to sign up for the Big Game. Plus, it was the final event of the BBT2 series and I was sitting just outside the top 50, meaning that I needed points in order to get into the freeroll. Decisions, decisions.

Watching football instead won.

Thanks to Al and everyone who organized the BBT2. I wish I had the time and bankroll to have played in all of the events, but it wasn't going to happen. I did managed to squeeze in fifteeneleven - Mookies and Riverchasers with a MATH or two. That's a lot of bloggery goodness leavened by a hearty dose of donkeration. Thanks again, guys.


Yesterday was a home game.

On my way there, I had a "stay classy" moment (tm BG). I stopped by the local liquor store for supplies and was leaving with my purchases as a couple of toothless degenerates were fumbling around outside the entrance. I couldn't figure out what they were doing, so I used the other door to get out of dodge.

As I was getting ready to pull away, they came back out with fistfuls of scratch-off lottery tickets. I was also able to see what they'd been up to before entering the store: They'd walked over on break from the factory next door and didn't want to give up their half-smoked cigarettes. To keep the butts alive they'd wedged them into the gaps between the concrete blocks of the liquor store's walls.

My town. Very classy.


Anyway, the home game, or as I'd call it, Limpalooza '07.

One full table of ten. I've never seen so much limping. Lots of unraised family or nearly family pots. Since I could get in cheap, I think my VPIP was about 85%.

I chipped up early, including a hand where I stacked a guy with K7 vs. K4 on a K74 flop. (Did I mention there was lots of limping with crap?). I turned a boat with T8o. I avoided bad spots. It was unusual and by unusual I mean good.

There was one hand where I made an entirely appropriate fold, but which goes into the "if only I'd gone to the mat" category. I'm in the big blind with T9o. I don't remember if there was a preflop raise, but if there was it was a minraise to $1. Yes, I think there was. At least six players to the flop, probably more like 8.

The flop is 864 unsuited. I have absolutely nothing. There's a bet of $2.25 from the guy to my left, three callers and I close the action. I have nothing (wheeee a gutshot) but I'm getting something like 12 to 1. It's donkey poker, I'm calling.

The turn is a Q, completing the rainbow and giving me the double gutter. Now the SB leads out for $6 into about a $20 pot. I thought for a long time before reluctantly folding with three players still to act behind me. It was the right move, as there was a raise to $20, a push for $33 and the original bettor and raiser both going all in as well.

I'm results oriented. With the biggest pile of chips and the Jack on the river, I would have stacked three players. The small blind had flopped an 8 high straight and he took it down, part of a plus six buyin rush over thirty minutes.

I never did get any big pocket pairs, but in a loose, weak game like this it didn't matter. I did get the hammer once in the cutoff when we were down to six handed and tried to steal the pot preflop, but folded to a big raise from the button. He showed AA. Running good.

Ended up the night plus 3.5 buyins, less the 1.5 spent on bar pizza and booze. Continuing the luck, I wiped out hard on the icy driveway while walking to my car - I was very fortunate to come away with only a skinned knee.


Did I mention luck? I got to watch the Monday Night Football game while we were playing. I needed 12 points from Adrian Peterson to knock off the Patriots of our league (both because he was undefeated and because he had most of the NE roster, plus Tony Romo). Robert Ferguson gets tackled at the 1, touchdown Peterson. Jackson gets hurt, the backup hands off, touchdown Peterson, I win. Next week is the championship game and I'll be trying for my first league title in fifteen years of playing.

Which means I'll lose.


On an unrelated note, congrats to Maigrey on landing a new job, back in the heartland where the real Americans live. (kidding obv). Coming soon, I hope - not my idea but one I fully support - a WPBT gathering: Midwest edition!


Tonight is the Bodonkey. 9:05 ET. Visit smokkee for all the details.