Beer and/or Poker

Been busy over the last couple of days. Anyone care to guess what I was doing? I was being a civic minded person. Yes, helping the community.

I am proud to say I have done my part in Forbes naming Milwaukee as America's Drunkest City. I shed a tear as I type this.

Unfortunately, the beer couldn't help my game last night. The play at Absolute is quite maddening at times. Including my own. I should be doing better than I am there. I think I have finally adjusted my play in order to reap the rewards.

There are two things I have noticed lately that boggle my mind. First is the preflop raiser who will never fold. Last night, I defended my blinds with A 8. Flop came all clubs. I have no clubs. I checked and called the bet. I figured my opponent didn't have clubs either. When another club hit the board on turn, I took a chance to take the pot and bet it out. He just called. On the river I fired again with nothing and he called, showing 10 10. No club. There are two overcards on the board and a flush possibility and he calls it on down. Yeah, I know it is my fault to try and bluff, but to call down when the likelihood you are beat is high?

The other play that is interesting is the aggressive blind stealing that occurs. 95% of the time if it is folded to the cut-off or button, they will raise. If one of the blinds call, they will bet out. they will continue to play the hand aggressively, trying to push you out. In most cases, they have nothing. I watched one guy raise with (according to hand history) 3d 2d. He continued the bet on the flop, even re-raising. Same on the turn. Same on the river. Absolutely nothing. There were 3 hearts on the board on the turn and he kept firing away. That takes some balls.

After watching this, I have altered my game. I am willing to call these players down to the river when I have overcards or even second pair. It may be -EV in the long run if they ever figure out that I will defend my blinds, but after tagging certain players, it should be profitable in the short haul.