Badger Poker...Playing the small crowd

Monday night football knocked out most of the crowd on Monday. It was off to the Bay View Bowl to play some cards on Monday, with only 42 people starting. With the Packers playing, we lost roughly 30 people. It would make for a fun crowd that was playing, and a lot less smoke.

Going through the second season, there are fewer and fewer new faces around. The starting tables are filled with people I have played against before. This night wasn't any different as Tigers hat sat to my left once again (this would make 4 consecutive nights of starting against him) and his wife were there. AK Slowplay, PBR, the Black Widow, and Grape Soda were there. The whiny guy's brother was there. He is a funny loud guy when he is winning. Quite quiet when he is not. Tighter than tight was there. This older guy didn't play a single hand that wasn't a blind for like 2 hours. The last at the table was Leather Face. First impression I had of him was how Kramer looks after he started smoking on Seinfeld. His face looked dark and rough like a catchers mitt. Too many Marlboros for him. And after we had gotten started, Wes added GI Joe to our table. This guy looked like the old GI Joe doll. No, not the action figure, I am talking the doll that had the short fuzzy hair and beard. All this guy needed was dog tags. This first table was quite fun as people were cracking jokes and having a good time.

GI Joe would also set the pace. He joined us after the second hand. On his second hand, he caught A A and slow played them taking in a decent pot. Within a hand or two, Funny loud guy does the same thing. Slow plays the aces. So what do I do with the next hand? Act like I have aces. I bet out with K J from UTG, raising it 500. I announce that I don't slow play my aces. There seems to be 5 callers. Anyway, the flop comes 9 10 x, rainbow. I bet out 1500. Leatherface calls. Turn is a Q. Having made my straight, I bet out 2500. He calls quickly. River is an A. Having the nuts, I push. There is a good pot there and even if he doesn't call, I take down some chips. He called, though never showed and I double up.

Next hand I avoid a trap. From the big blind, it comes around to me with 3 callers, including Leatherface who is all in for his last 1000. I raised it to 2000 with Q Q. Tigers hat's wife re-raises me. Ouch. I know she has me beat here. But with the raise of only 1700 more, I call to see the flop. It comes A high. I check and fold as soon as she bets. I know she has slow played A A like everyone else has. Sure, enough, she shows the rockets and knocks Leatherface out.

Two hands later I would get my chips back from her though. From mid position I limped in with A 10 clubs. Flop came with 2 clubs, Q high. I bet out 2000 and only Tiger's wife calls. Turn is a club. I check. She comes out firing 2 more. I take my time and give the reluctant call. River is a rag. With the nuts I push. She folds. I believe I made a mistake here. I should have bet out 2500 or so. I could have looked her down and tried to make it look like I was buying the pot. My bet was too big for her. That I should have know. Anyways, I do win a nice amount still and am sitting pretty at the first break.

The second session wouldn't be as kind to me. I gave some chips to Tiger's hat's wife on one pot when she re-raised me again. I limped in and didn't hit the flop on a couple. Then I got involved with AK Slowplay on a hand that that about put me on tilt. I limped in with Q J diamonds. Flop came Q 2 2. I bet out 3000 on the flop. He thought about it and called. Turn was a rag. I bet 4000. He thought about it and pushed all in. Nice bet. I thought about it. My gut was that he was bluffing at it. I was pretty sure my 2 pair was good. I counted out the 7900 it would cost me to call. It would leave me with my original 10k. I thought about what he could have. My two pair, J kicker seemed good. I couldn't see how he would have a two. I was concerned about A Q or K Q. I decided to fold. He then showed A K. Damn, I knew I had him. It was a good bet, one that I had considered making myself but of course didn't. From there, I would win a couple of small pot but never really accumulating many more chips. When they broke us down to 2 tables, I believe I still was hovering around 24k.

The new table had the same faces. The Marine was there with a good stack in front of him. Frito Lay looked to be giving chips to everyone. There was a bald guy who somewhat reminded me of the bass player from Anthrax and his friend to his left with the Badger hat on. Flannel man was on my right. There was a guy who kept buying cans of Lite just so he could get extra chips. GI Joe and Tigers hat were moved there as well. Not much happened for me there. Flannel man went out soon. He re-raised the Marine all in from the blind with A 8 suited. Marine had A Q and it held up. Stupid play. I knew he didn't have anything.

I believe I made only one move here, raising one pot to 15k with Q Q. It bought me the blinds so that wasn't bad. Otherwise, I wasn't catching cards. What a bad time to get cold decked. I may have stolen one more set of blinds but hat was it. They got us to the final table and I was blinded out. Went in blind with my last 20k just to lose to a flopped straight. Thus, my night ended in 6th place. Not bad, but with such a good start, it could have been better.

Bagmans words or wisdom- From AK Slowplay, who may have been a little drunk when he started as he was pretty smiley all night. Perception is key. That became his mantra. I came back though with "Deception is victory". Not bad for making stuff up on the spot.