After another minute or so and the guy calls, we turn over the
. He has AQo.
I wouldn't normally try so hard to get the call, but I didn't have another opportunity I could wait for. And I wasn't ready to surrender what I wanted so much, that easily, I couldn't guarantee a call with me staying stoic and relying on a flinch "top pair" calling reflex. Not from this guy.
But I just knew, I was sure... Some chat and a little showmanship, and he wouldn't be able to resist. What I later find out is that the previous night he had won around £350 in his first hand of a £1/2 and he felt more than up enough for the weekend.
This hand took me over the top, but I wasn't prepared to sit out the last 4 hands and let them make something happen.
I raised each of the last four hands to £20 pre, blind. And c bet boards that were good for £50. Unbeknownst to them I actually had
on the first
board (gl winning that pot from me) and made tpgk on the second dry flop. Now we're further ahead....
Virtually uncatchable... but I wasn't willing to risk it.
Final hand I have over £1000 with second having 600ish and 3rd around 250, with 4th having just more than 200.
I open
to 20 and they all call.
Flop
We check, with a plan of taking off if necessary in order to force a fold from seat 2.
He bets 40 having seen one card, fold from 4th (we now don't have to take off - 2nd can't win if I fold now), then 3rd raises and I fold.
Now the second in chips checks his second card after exposing the
he has seen...... The other card is an Ace.
Both of them all in
A3 vs A5.
Turn 5 and we are safe anyways but now he is going to take a hit...... probably.
River is a brick and 3rd doubles up
I had to play virtually every hand, dodge everyone as they kept trying to limp raise trap me.... and both get value when I had it but also to pull the trigger a few times when I knew they didn't have the nuts.
Twice I had someone fold a made hand thinking I had stronger. Overall I think I played very solid and aware cash game poker with the objective at the forefront of my mind but I think a lot of my manouverability was due to the only real cash reg being the guy on my direct right who actually gave up and left the table after 30 mins when he realised he had the nut worst seat.
☺☺☺
I was so glad to be able to get over the line, it felt hugely validating and enormously satisfying after coming second to a 2 hour Hu battle with my friend for the shootout title two days previously, I had a huge chip lead twice but in my caution to not give him free chips I folded a few 92o and 73ss hands and feel like I was too passive.
Sharplea suggested that I should resurrect this diary and I did enjoy it a lot.... We will see.