blonde poker forum

Cash Game at DTD last night. £0.50/£1.00 NLHE. 9 players

Some Background - It's 10 pm and the table has only recently opened at around 8.45pm. Sitting opposite me is a good friend of mine, he is a novice player but to be blunt, a calling station. He is however, flush for this level of poker and consequently likes to run a bluff. He has no idea of the maths of the game and will chase lost causes all the way.

I have agreed to take him to DTD for only his second ever live game and he is understandably nervous. I have played with him before but only in the pub where he throws his money around for fun because the currency is peanuts.

I am getting it in the neck from the other half for playing poker three nights in a row (and on a Sunday!) so I compromise and agree to only play for three hours max and to not re-load should I get stacked.

My stack has taken a severe dent when my Kings ran into a flopped flush (don't you love it when people call an 8xBB raise with Ace-rag suited and hit the nuts straight away and of course it's the only outcome that can beat you when you are holding the overpair to the board). Anyway, I've had a sneaky top-up, only £20, but I tell myself to be good to my word and not do it again.

Now, the hand in question. I am in mid position and get dealt pocket Queens. There have already been three limpers so I raise £10. It's folded round to my friend who calls from the small blind. He calls a lot and only a few hands ago I have pushed him out of a pot on the river when he was flush chasing.

There are no other callers.

The flop is Jack, six, nine and they are all different suits.

He checks, I fire out a bet of £12. He calls again. Now I am scratching my head a little.

The turn is another Jack, leaving two hearts on the board.

He pushes all-in for around £38.

He looks unperturbed. He is the sort of player who would call a big raise out of position with Ace Jack, King Jack or even Queen Jack. Equally he could be just bluffing pure and simple. I count out my stack and if I call and am wrong I am going home (if I stick to my earlier promise).

I am taking my time deciding and do the old chestnut, asking him if he will show if I fold, to which he says yes. This often means a bluff but for some reason I am still unsure. I take a little longer and he says, "Come on mate, wars have been fought in less time.."

He has been looking away a lot and seems a little rigid. He is normally a chatty bloke but is now a little quiet, although he hasn't been his usual self tonight, as he has been nervous, so I can't be as sure about this tell as I normally would.

Anyway, as you have guessed by now, I folded.

As he is stacking his chips he mouths across the table to me that he had A,Q.

So, in retrospect -

I still don't know for sure what he had, he didn't actually show.

I have been in very similar spots as this before against similar players calling big raises out of position and then been shown Q,J ( I feared a similar holding). But what really bugs me is knowing that I would have called in the following circumstances -

a) It was at a relevant stage of a  tournament
b) It was against a trickier player
c) If I knew I could re-load

It also bugs me that more often than not I get these calls right and this time I didn't and it was against a friend of mine...aaaaghhh!

I think my judgment was clouded by my Kings taking a hit earlier and the fact that I had promised not to re-load.

Reading between the lines, do you lot agree?

and the fact that I had promised not to re-load

This is the only thing that cost you. You can not promise not to relaod..it is seriously -Ev (try to explain THAT to the other half lol) to promise this if you have an edge on the table but just got unlucky once. it also makes you play scared...which is bad. 

If you cant reload, your not playing properly...  & 'play properly or not at all' is a golden rule...


As for the hand I call...

no.

When did you get so big time?

Also, i beat him into the pot.

I knew the real answer was in not promising to re-load. I shall show the missus this post...

Big time?

Must have missed something

I meant 'promising to not re-load'.

It sounds better.

Tell her she owes you a £100.

Were you there last Saturday night?  I was on a good table on Saturday.  Unfortunately, I had to leave relatively early (at about 1:30) to make sure I was back for the Calzaghe fight.  Was a profitable session though.

I think quite a few from here will be there this Friday.  Say hello if you're there.

Good idea Boldie, although technically she owes me £79 as I left the building when I had run out of effective ammo and didn't want to drop my last £21 quid. I knew I was in danger of tilting so got up and drove home with Godsmack on full volume.

Don't be silly, it's not going to help, you know you did wrong, just don't do it again.

Hi Kinboshi,

Yes I did play on Saturday night on the first cash table. My winnings on Saturday night paid for my stupid fold last night...lol

If you are who I think you are, then you were sat opposite and left about forty minutes before I did.

The question is - am I who you think I am? You'd make a good detective   Lol

By the way my mate has just texted me to confirm he had A,Q

Feel much better. Not.

it's £100 as you have to take fuel into account and all that..she also owes you 3 nights out...without her. This is to compensate for the ental distress she caused in the first place :)

Always happy to help.

Dammit Graham...please edit your post into one of support for our friend here! Us men have to stick together!..it was never his fault! :)

I was on the first table.  So I guess I am who you think I am ;D.  Which seat number were you in?  It was a good (profitable) table, and the cards were particularly kind to me as well. 


He might still be lying...

Lol. Nice try Boldie, but it was my fault for agreeing (and sticking to my promise!!).

Although to be fair, she is a wonderful girl who supports everything I do. Having a partner who tolerates and encourages my poker is a dream come true for most I would imagine.

Kinboshi, I think you had Aces on Saturday night if I remember rightly

oh... and seat 3, I think

Call baby and don't take too long about it.

Does this guy really play a jack like this, he is a novice and generally novices like to "slowplay" what they consider to be a big hand. Whereas on the other hand he loves to bluff.

With all that taken account, looking at pot odds mean you are getting well over 2 to 1, surely you are good 1 time in 3 here. In fact given those odds an opponent is virtually going to have to show me their jack to get me to pass.

No kidding..it is only one of the many many qualities MrsB has but I am definitely happy about it and have heard complaints from loads of players who don't have a supportive girlfriend/wife or, in Kin's case, paying gay customer.

Longy, I know I know (but thanks anyway).

I still can't fathom why I passed. I just had this perverse feeling that I was beaten. I hardly slept when I got home because I just couldn't justify my fold - even if I knew deep down that what caused it was my promise to not re-load.

jesus, just seen this. TLDR.

TLDR anyone?

I fear this may be an insult. (I am a sensitive soul).

Too Long, Didn't Read.


Oh yes, it was me with the aces (twice).  Managed to get paid twice as well with them.  See you on Friday if you're there.

Thanks Kinboshi. TLDR isn't really an insult..

I don't mind if anyone can't be bothered to read my long winded posts!!

Yes, I will almost certainly have another go on Friday at DTD, I can hardly stay away, it's only 20 minutes away - LUCKY ME !!.

(My mate swears blind he had A,Q and when we were discussing the hand he says, "..oh, I didn't realise there were two jacks" !!!!!!!! The mind boggles. I won't give him any credit for a hand next time, just value bet the **** out of him!!)

and he'll be sitting with AJ ;)

More than likely