Fun and games at Mandalay Bay
With 4000 stating chips, it was easy for me to keep my promise of playing funny poker. So for the first level, I limped as much as possible without looking at my cards. Not only did it turn out to be fun, it became very profitable as I had 7000 when the table broke.
The new table brought a period of inactivity. Small pair after small pair allowed me to limp and see flops cheaply - but no hit and no play. I was between the two big stacks. The one on the right was hitting everything while the one on the left was calling everything. Finally get A-A in late position. What the hell, lets limp again for 100. How sweet to see a raise by the tight player two to my left. You know, there is no way I can re-raise now. I have no choice but to just call and check the flop blind. It now gets interesting as he bets 1000 and I re-raise 1000 on a flop of
-Tc-7c. His obvious big pair pushes all-in. As it happens, with
-Kc, the hand would have been played out whichever way I played my aces.
Just as he compliments the slow play, the
hit’s the turn and he goes from two outs to nine.. Damn Ace! I didn’t need you, couldn’t you save yourself when I needed to hit a set?. Suddenly, it’s a sweat with the river to come. Well, don’t you just know it,
hits - I needed that Ace on the turn after all!
With 13K and in cruise control, I have yet to lose a hand. By the end of the second level the field of 145 is down to less than 100. Back to playing tight now, hate losing any hands, But a chance to limp develops on the button with
-7c. All five players check the flop K-J-2 rainbow. The turn bring a six an a bet of 600 from Mr call on the SB. When BB calls and the others muck, I see an opportunity for my first steal. The raise of 2000 more brings disgust from the SB. Field decreasing, stack increasing.
Very next hand brings another chance to limp with 7-8os. Again all five player check the flop of A-4-5 rainbow. Don’t you know it? The magic six hit’s the turn without a flush draw in sight. Each check brings dismay from yours truly. I check also hoping Mr Call on button becomes Mr Bet. I get my wish and his 800 becomes 2800 when it comes round to me. After the last hand, I know he is calling here. Although it pairs the six on the river, I bet 2500 and get a losing call. Mr Call had become Mr Bet. But like a chameleon, he was about to change to Mr Tilt. It was only a matter of time. As it happens, Mr Hiteveryfckingthing to my right lives up his name and hit a flush on the turn. Holding the bare ace, Mr Tilt pushes all-in before him. He never even thanked me for my part in all this. Too busy I guess with having to stack over 45K together.
The “Grinder” now moves to my left and he is very short-stacked. I gamble with him for 1000 with my baby pair. His daddy pair is good and I lose my first pot.
In December 2004, The Grinder busted me in 34th place ( or was it 38th?), from the 25K Championship event at the Bellagio. After all had mucked to me on the SB, I push all-in with Ah-9c. The cheeky fck, on the SB decides to call with J-6os? . Although he had chips to spare against my smallish stack, it was still never a call. As it happens, when the flop brought three further hearts, I was in very good shape to double up. With no pair between us after the turn, I had visions of a chance to come back. Of course, he hit’s a six on the river and that was that. The reason I tell the story, is that the Grinder now pushes after I limp with
-Th. Anyway, as it’s hearts and because of the history, I make my first gamble of the day. I lose a further 3K.Everthing went downhill after that as my stack of 23K went down further to 13K. With the end of the 200-400 coming to an end, it was time to change gears….
UTG, I pretend to look at my hand and raise it to 1200. One caller before Mr Hiteveryfckingthing on BB brings the ecpected call. The flop brings
-8d-2c. I guess its time to look at my cards when the BB checks. First card I squeeze is an 8 and that is enough for me to bet 2500. Not worrying about BB, I wait to see what the other caller does. When he folds, I feel much better. When BB calls, it was time to look at my other card. The second squeeze shows a 5 to go with my 8. And guess what? So does the turn as the dealer deals the
. BB checks his garbage and I go all-in with mine. Now MR Hiteveryfckingthing begins to tell us all that he has outs. My two pair tell him that he needs them. I guess the 9K wasn’t too big a bet for his
-8c. But for me, it would mean becoming one of the chip leaders with just 37 players to go. I guess I wanted him to call, it was time he lost one. Yeah right! The
hit’s the river and I have plenty of time to write this.
BTW, I must mention Michael “The Grinder” Misrachi” ( I think that’s how you spell it). Although I must admit that he probably has the most unsuitable nickname (he tends to party not grind), he is a real nice guy as well as a very good player.
Anyway, don’t know if I will bother with any more events at the Bay before I come back to England. But if I do…..
.
Author