Short live session

Had the itch to play, yet had some things to do until about 10 this evening. I played a nice session online this afternoon, and felt very good about the way I was playing.

When I finally got to the Tulalip, it was about 10:40. I was actually hoping to play $1/$2, but the list was like 12 deep, and the $3/$5 was only a five minute wait: no-brainer.

It's incredible how passive the table was. A LOT of limping; a lot of limp/calling of raises, a lot of checking around on the flop and the turn... thanks to Chad for reminding me to play opposite of the table - I loosened up my starting hand requirements, got selectively aggressive, and picked up a few small pots ($20-$25).

Here's a fun hand from about mid-way through the session:

UTG raised to $15 and got 3 callers before me. With $60 in the pot, I decided to speculate witgh 5s 7s for another $10 and see what the flop will bring (I hate, hate, hate playing this type of hand OOP, but I couldn't bring myself to fold for only ten bucks more).

FLOP: Kc 6d 8d

With an OESD, I bet $40. UTG min-raises to $80. Folds around to me; another $40 for a pot almost $200 with an OESD? He has no idea what I have; he's seen me play mostly tight, and I'd bet figures I'll fold to any pressure. I'm betting he's got a flush draw - maybe AdKd or AdQd. That means I'm whittled down to 6 outs.

I call, with the awesome plan of folding to any diamond.

Turn: [Kc 6d 8d] Qs

Well hell. If he's got AK or AQ diamonds, I'm very far behind. I'm done with this hand, so I check. Oddly, he checks right behind.

?? Now I'm wondering if he's got AA or maybe even KK (top set now), trying to get me to bluff at it.

River:[Kc 6d 8d Qs] 4s

Thanks for the free card, pal. If he has anything at all he'll call a not-too-outrageous bet. I'm tempted to shove here, but also want to get called. When I sat down he had about a $800 stack (max $300 buy in), so he's either gotten very lucky, or he's very good. Erring on the side of caution, I decided "good" and decided to not over bet.

With the pot at around $200, I dial in $100. He calls so fast that I kick myself for not betting more. I show my straight, and he mucks. I asked what he had, and he said flush draw. I asked if it was king high, and he said queen high.

Talking to him, it sure didn't sound like he was putting me on a hand at all. If he's willing to call that river bet with 2nd pair, he either thinks I'm a moron, or he's just not good.

I don't care which it is, I won a nice pot with one of my favorite types of hands (just not OOP), and hopefully loosened up my rock-tight image so maybe I'll get some more action here.

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Later in the session, I find Ad 10d in the cut off. I raise to $15, and the big blind - most definitely the tightest player at the table (me being 2nd tightest), so I figure he's got to have something - a pair, AK, AQ, perhaps KQs.

FLOP: Jd 5s 9d

BB bets out $20. I contemplate a raise, but if he's drawing to the flush I want him to get there, so I smooth call. I'm slightly worried that this will give away my draw, but - well, too bad. I wonder, though, if I should have raised to get more money in while I still have a big draw.

Turn: [Jd 5s 9d] 4d

Well OK, I've got the nuts. Unless the board pairs I can't be beat. With $70 in the pot, he bets out $50. Again, I contemplate raising, but I want to give him a chance to bluff on the river. I'm praying no more diamonds come as it'll probably kill my action. I take some time; I go through the mental routine of counting outs if I was still on a flush draw (though to anyone else it probably just looked like I was thinking), count out 10 red chips and push them over the line.

River: [Jd 5s 9d 4d] 8c

No diamond, but now that I think about it it's doubtful he'd have put me on runner-runner flush draw, calling his bets the way I had (he most likely realized we were the two tightest players at the table).

BB checks. God damn it, why couldn't he have bet? If he's got a flush I'd have expected him to bet. If he's got the 2nd nuts, I'd have expected him to bet. Now I have to dial in the right number again. There's approx $170 in the pot. I consider shoving, but it's very doubtful he'll call a shove, even with 2nd nuts, so instead I opt for a relatively small number: $50. If he's got a flush, this has got to look like a weak bet, and maybe even something like a pair or a set.

... and he folds...

I wonder what he had; I wonder too if my bet was so small that it was too obvious that I wanted a call. I figured he wouldn't have been betting the turn that strongly without the 2nd nuts, so I think he's got KdQd or KdJd. I figure he's got to put me on a flush, but since he's not holding the Ad he's got to be worried that I might.

As I mucked, I said to him "I had it." I didn't show it, just said it. Someone else asked him what he had, and he said "second nuts." I can't imagine folding the 2nd nuts to that bet on the river.