My hottest Riverchasers run ever....

OR...... WHY I SUCK AT HOLD'EM.

I had a run of cards last night in the Riverchasers game that well.... let's just say that I would have made Astin pretty proud. I was dealt pocket Aces four times in the first hour and miraculously, I won with them every time. I also did what I thought was pretty smart considering the group at my table, I showed them all four times. I also played them different all four times, another thing I thought was pretty good poker on my part. Oh and another thing! The only other hand I played in that hour was the trip Aces - Queen kicker I showed, after three players limped into my BB while I held A-Q.

A little recap -

-Five hands played total.
-Five pretty premium hands in the end.
-Five pots won.
-Five nut hands at showdown.

I read somewhere, (in one or eight books) that this was setting up a pretty tight image.

Halfway through the second hour, I decide to pop it up 3x with crap in what would have been my sixth hand played of the night. Riggstad was directly to my left and made a bizarre $1000 raise from the BB. Now I had absolute garbage and was making a move on his BB. I had no intention of pursuing this hand any further at all. Thinking to myself, 'how can I get the most out of this raise and fold?'

BamBamCan: lol
BamBamCan: "Hamma" raise Riggs?
BamBamCan: folds
Riggstad: shows 7s-2s

Of course, it doesn't take a genius to get that lucky and look good in that situation. But after the only other five hands I'd played all night and getting lucky to make the perfect read on an opponent in front of everyone at the table, I'd like to think I was setting up a pretty descent table image. (comments welcome)

So hand number seven that I play, goes like this. There is a standard 3x raise made by early position. It is folded around to me OTB. I was just dealt my fifth pair of pocket Aces. I make it 9x to go. The early position player is the only player to come along and he just simply flat calls. Ok..... I can put him on a high/medium pair and up. (my gut says 10-10 is possible, probably more likely J-J or Q-Q) Flop is total garbage, 2-3-7 rainbow or along those lines. There is a check and I make it pot to go, or approximately 1/2 of the players stack. There is an instant call and I feel like I need to re-evaluate my read. I might be lucky enough to have caught him with K-K ! Based on my play so far, all of which this player has seen for over an hour now, that's the only thing that really makes any sense. Unless we're in an A-A confrontation I suppose. The turn is another un-matching fourth suit junk card. My strategy is simple now, pay attention to something that could make a miracle gut shot draw, or watch for the King that I really think I'm up against. It goes check, check. River is a 9 and means nothing at all to the way the hand has played out. Let's get'em in there! I was shown pocket 9's for the rivered set.

I lose 1/2 my stack and the chip lead on the 7th. hand I'd played in just over an hour and a half, to pocket 9's that are worth shoving the vast majority of your stack into the pot against the second tightest player at the table. (my man G_Cox was there after all! :) ) All I can say is, well played hand sir.... all the way down.!

These are the things that typically make me lose any focus and interest I have for the game. This time, I figured I would not let it get to me. I was playing well and I was playing smart. I still had just over a starting stack and there was lot's of time left. I played two more hands total. I was dealt the JJOK while OTB and Gary and Riggstad both folded to my raise. Then the cards went dead. Really dead! I stayed patient and kept myself busy in the chat box as usual. No cards, chat, No cards, chat etc.... Nothing comes....... nothing at all. Finally while in the SB, I get dealt the Ah-3h and it has been folded around to me. This could be greater than or possibly equal too, what Riggs has been playing in the BB. I make it 3x to go and Riggs of course, makes it my stack to go right after.

Riggstad: hamma raise?

Now I don't know about you folks, but this instantly puts two thoughts into my head. The first is the hammer. Nothing would give my buddy Riggs more enjoyment in the poker world, than showing the hammer one more time. The second is obviously A-A or K-K. All-in pre was not exactly where I wanted to be, to be honest. But when I was just folding and folding and folding, I was also doing what I needed to be doing. I was watching the hands being played and how they were being played out. I can say this, Riggs was having some fun with the chipstack he'd managed to build up. He had all the gears working last night and he was shifting them often. I made a conscious decision to race him. 'I'm probably behind.' is what I said to myself as I hit the all-in button, but I need to win a race to get anywhere no matter what. Heads up with Riggs range tonight, seems as good a time as any. He had K-K and despite having what seemed like 46 outs left in the deck for straightening and flushing possibilities, the river did not bring me anything to help in the Riverchasers. IGHN, GG and Weeeeeeeee / BOOOOOOOOOOM !

So as is almost always the case in NLHE, I couldn't win the big pot with the best hand and I couldn't win the big pot when I needed to win a race.

It was fun though, getting lucky enough to have a table with so many of my friends at it and having the opportunity to play some good poker. (even if i do say so myself!) It's been a rough week around these parts and it was good to get out to a game once again. But this weeks really gotten to me and last night just put the bullet into the chamber for me. I'm outta' here for a while. Back Monday I think? I just really need a break from everything.

Special thanks to "The Champ" for railing me a bit last night. It was great to see you!

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....