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Crazy calls, bets and plays – part one

A certain hand came to mind when I first thought of doing a series of posts based on the above title. I was going to begin by mentioning the year as somewhere in the mid-nineties. However, I also remembered that this particular hand took place on the same night I had a bet on Liverpool to win 5-0, 6-0 and 7-0 against Crystal Palace (Liverpool actually won 9-0).  Google said the match took place in 1989. 1989? Wow, must be going senile! Anyway….

Pot Limit Holdem had just started to take off at the China Palace Casino in Birmingham.  And of course, as the name of the casino would suggest, the game was mostly made up from Chinese players who made the casino their home.   Most were young, but a few of the older generation also tried their hand at this new gambling game. And by gambling, I mean gambling!

As usual, I would sit with 100 quid in what was just a 1-2 game that was often played with a straddle of 5. To my right that night sat Alwyn, the only Chinese player I knew that didn’t gamble. The fact that our styles matched ensured that we had soon become friends. Perhaps for that reason also, we tended to avoid doing battle across the felt. Don’t get me wrong, we wanted to bust each other badly. It’s just that we never seemed to clash very often. And anyway, there was ample value elsewhere.  That night was no different. Well, until one crazy call by yours truly….

There was barely ten minutes remaining before Alwyn and I would be discussing how much we had each won. As it was, we must have had close to 3K between us. Anyway, to the game….

On then BB, I get to see a flop with my 9d-6d.  I miss the flop and muck my hand. Next hand, we see a small arise and a call before Alwyn raises the pot . The table smiled – we all knew the raise signaled A-A.  Looking at 6-6 on the SB, I try and get lucky and make the call. 

The flop showed three small cards but no six in sight.  I of course concede defeat and check to what would be certainly be another pot size bet from Alwyn.  But when the bet came, I found myself studying the board.  All I could see was that the 9d was the last of the three cards on the flop. This got me thinking….. I had mucked 9d-6d on the previous hand.  So what if the two cards were together? What if the 6d stayed together during the shuffle? Obviously, the top card would be discarded, but what if just one card had been shuffled between them?

Alwyn in the meantime is waiting for me. He must be wondering what the hell I was doing. I must know he had A-A, so why the tank?

Suddenly, I found myself checking if one of my 6’s was a diamond.  It wasn’t, and my crazy thoughts began to gather momentum. At the same, I flash a smile at Alwyn.  I don’t recall if I was smiling at him or at the crazy thoughts in my head. 

Part of me was telling me not be a f…ing  idiot. Another part of me was pushing to make the call. The thoughts came thick and fast. If the 6d was there, at least there would be no possible flush or straight, but could I get him to part with the rest of his stack? I guess the only way I was going to find out was to make the call. I flash another smile in the direction of Alwyn as I part with what was about 80 notes.  This was probably the craziest call I would ever make, but I needed to know if the 6d of was there. 

When the dealer turned the 6d, the smile that came with it was kept private. This one was just for me and my crazy thoughts.   

My check raise on the turn came as a major shock to Alwyn, but it still wasn’t enough to drive him away. My all-in on the river brought disgust from Alwyn, but the call came anyway.

Of course the inquest by Alwyn soon followed.  “Didn’t you know I had Aces”, he asked?  When I nodded my head in response, he followed that question with another. “Then why did you call when you knew I had Aces?”

I tried to explain my thought process, but Alwyn started spouting back at me in Chinese. I wonder how you say f…ing crazy idiot in Chinese?   

Alwyn and I actually become very close good friends over the years. He sadly past away just a few years ago.

Great Story Peter. Thats the intriguing thing about poker for me. Just once in a blue moon you have a crazy idea and bang that magic card appears.

I've fond memories of Alwyn. Never played cash against him just in comps. Whenever I saw him at China Palace he would always insist that I joined him for dinner at the restaurant there.
Don't know if you remember it but the food was fantastic and the sizzling beef was to die for. Alwyn never payed for food there and by association nor did I. :)

Bloody hell Pete, I was working in China Palaces cardroom then, and remember the games fondly. Regards your 1989 "Going Senile" comment you must be lol. Alwyn Sui was one of the biggest Punter Banco players in the country :) Really nice bloke, always wore white shoes. Only Chinese bloke I know that the Triads were scared of. Regular cash game was Yourself, Pete Evans, Devilfish (with only a smaller ego but still huge), Surinder, Danny Newman, Tony Worsley, Alwyn, Marc Goodwyn, Fish, (chinese bloke) ..... and  all the Wednesday night Liberty's crowd after they didn't pull. :)  Good times

dik9 - How do you compare how the game, attitudes and atmosphere has changed between dealing in these games and the games now at DTD?

Bloody hell Pete, I was working in China Palaces cardroom then, and remember the games fondly. Regards your 1989 "Going Senile" comment you must be lol. Alwyn Sui was one of the biggest Punter Banco players in the country :)

I meant that he didnt gamble on the poker table,

He was sooooooooooo tight and yet away from the poker, he was a fearless gambler

good to have you back writing your stories peter, always good stuff

the night in this one is still sung about at the valley. 9 goals went past perry, went past perry sucking

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUkDDmzgh-I

Honestly, back then it was lovable rogues. Some over stepped the mark occasionally but very rarely. It was like honour amongst thieves, every player in the Midlands knew every other player and their angle. The casino games were few and far between with all the poker players turning up to the same venue. It was either Rainbow, China Palace, Sergeant Yorkes, or Rubicon. Then there was the hardened cash poker player that would play for days without a break at either Barries, Austin's, Louis Savvas or Majestic snooker club. Speech play wasn't allowed and it was mainly pot limit Omaha or PL Hold'em and it was full of characters.

IMO players lack charisma now, the internet has made the modern live poker world dull. Ipods, sunglasses and the same old speeches every hand gets monotonous.

Players knew how to lose like gentlemen rather than being twatty about being called by a weaker hand and getting 2 outered, and it was more instinct than maths. You lost your money, thanked the table and said see you tomorrow as the money pretty much circulated anyway.

Oh and a 3 bet was just known as a reraise :)

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