It’s a New Year

The great thing about a New Year is that I have set out some poker New Year Resolutions and am going to stick to them.

The main one of these is that I am going to play a lot more live cash games as looking back on my results in 2004 I was barely in profit both online and in tournaments but cash games I did particularly well on.

So I kicked this resolution of by heading down to the Vic last night. I put myself on a waiting list for the £250 Omaha and Dealers Choice table and the £100 Omaha table. I was well down on both lists so decided to take up a seat at a new game they are running. A NL Holdem cash games with a minimum sit down of £50 and a max of £300. I have a mental block about sitting in games that I don’t really want to play in because I nearly always lose a few quid before I take a seat at a table I want to play at. I started of with £200 and the table was playing pretty crazy with 5 or 6 players quite often calling a decent raise. I lost my initial stake when I raised pre flop with AK and it flopped KJ4 and found myself all in against an opponent that had KJ. My bogey hand struck again….

Then I witnessed some terrible play. With blinds of £1/£2 a new guy who had just doubled up to £600 raised £15 to play before the flop. There were two callers. Flop ATT. The initial raiser raised £100 to play. A bit of an overbet I thought. Then the guy on the button declared himself all in for £600. The initial raiser without hesitation put the rest of his money in which was around £475. What did he have? You would have to think he must have a T or TA or AA to call such a reraise. He turned over A3 and the other guy had TK and won a £1200 pot. The guy who called with A3 then said, “This is my first game live… guess I have to pay for my lessons.”

Obviously after playing that hand so terribly he managed to hit a monster against me when he flopped the nut straight and I had a smaller straight. Luckily he didn’t bet much and I just called so it only cost me £100. I was down £300 and cursing my “stop gap” poker table. Then this hand happened. I had AQ diamonds and raised £30 to play and got 3 callers. Flop was 2TJ with two diamonds. Before the action got to me two people were all in. With three way action this was an easy call all in for my remaining £125 with a Gutshot or a diamond to give me the nuts. Turn brought a 4 and the river a Q. Well I hadn’t figured my Q as an out but it was good as both my opponents showed AJ. That pot of about £500 put me up £50 and I won another pot shortly afterwards when I made a flush on the turn and check raised my opponent who made a massive overbet of £100 and then passed to my reraise. I then went card dead and a seat finally appeared on the £100 Omaha and I left the NL Holdem table £2 in profit. That was hard work for just over an hour.

I decided to sit down with £650 on the Omaha table as I like to be amongst the deepest stacks and noticed there were a couple of maniacs on the table. Had really abysmal cards until I picked up TJQA double suited and raised £15 to play and got 5 callers. It flopped TK4 to give me a complete wrap and the second best flush draw. I raised £70 to play and got one caller on the button. The turn brought a 2 and I decided to try and win it there with a £150 bet and all I held was a pair of tens. The guy on the button called immediately and the river bought a 7. Now I had a decision to make. The pot was nearly £700 and I had put my opponent on a big draw… probably the A flush draw and maybe a similar wrap to mine. I knew the only way I could win this hand was to try and get my opponent to fold so I moved all in for £400. My opponent went into the think tank and asked me if I was bluffing. Normally I wouldn’t respond but decided too on this occasion. I just said, “If you can beat two pairs call me.” 10 seconds later he mucked his cards. I couldn’t resist showing my bluff. I knew next time that I made such a bet that I would definitely have a solid hand. I was up to £1100.

My cards then went dead and I lost one big pot when it flopped AA4 and I held AKQ8 and someone put me all in for there £250. They could only win with a 9 as they held AK98 and he hit it on the river. I was around £800 for about an hour rarely getting involved as I waited for a big hand. I then called a £10 pre flop raise with 77KQ double suited and it flopped 772. I had hit four of a kind on the flop and expecting no action. Amazingly under the gun bet £60 and three people called including me. Next card is an 8 and under the gun bet £200. I am loving this now and put on my best I have swallowed a wasp look. I call after a 1 minute think and the other two players fold. Last card a 2. he immediately bets again for £400 and I go all in for £500 knowing that he has to call which he did. I show four sevens and scoop and £1700 pot. He later tells me he had 88KK and filled up to make a 88877 full house on the turn. I then play for another 30 minutes and stay and win a few small pots and lose a few and finish with £1646.

I was just extremely happy to start 2005 of well and made a profit of £998 for my first live appearance of the year.