Some of the time you have a horseshoe up your ass, some of the time you are the horseshoe

Today's miracle is a "fairly standard" hand ending in a straight flush.  I wish I could have a written hand history instead of the viewer.

I'm in the SB at .05/.1 on a deepstack table with $117.92.  Folds around to middle position with $23.04 who opens to $0.3 (3x) and gets called by the HJ.  BTN who previously posted, folds.  I opt to call the mighty Js9s and BB folds.

Goes 3 way to a bingo flop of 2sTsKs and I opt to check.  Without fail, original raiser leads for $0.83 (75% pot?) into the $1.1 pot.

I feel as though this is a reasonably strong bet - He's either got a naked As, AsKx, AsQx, AsJx, AsTx, etc.. or QsJx (I have the Js, don't forget).  There's a TON of combos that he has here that can withstand a check/raise, and given how deep we are, I'm going to juice the pot if I'm going to get the 230BBs into the middle.

I go for a smallish c/r to $2.55 and he snaps.  At this point, I'm almost 100% certain he has the As and some combo rather than a naked As.  I guess I'm forgetting that he can also show up with AsAx, and I guess sets of KK, TT, so there's another several combos.  Pot size: $6.20

Turn card hits him even more perfectly for his range - Qc.  Given my c/r flop, I press for $4 into the $6.20 pot, setting up a close to pot sized all in effective.  He snaps off the $4, leaving him with $16.49 and the pot with $14.20.

The river is a beautiful Qs, which gives him the nut flush and/or a boat and/or an unlikely quads (there's a bad beat on the site, so this would be really great!).  I'm worried if I lead, he'll simply call behind given the strength I've shown, PLUS I want him to commit himself with whatever hand he may have... even if he has AxJx without the As, though I'm extremely confident he's far stronger than a straight.

As planned, he leads into the 2sTsKsQcQs pot with $5.30 - lighter than I hoped, but still enough to commit.  I c/r to $17 and he snaps it off with AsJd.

Like I said, sometimes the you have the horseshoe, other times you are the horseshoe!

If you want to see the replay, sign up at ClubsPoker with my referral link (they give you a free $0.50 / day)and view the following:

https://play.clubspoker.com/d/external-table.html?tableId=756003&entryId=0&secondary=true&gameId=13989201&appMode=replay&useLobbyHands=false

A good beat, a bad beat & a little Zeebo Theorem

I rarely call when I'm beat.  That's the way I've been since I started playing 6 years ago.  I like to be correct, and hate burning money, so my preferences fall strongly in line with my overall life outlook.  Sometimes, however, logic gets the better of me.  This time, at least, logic didn't cost me too much money.  Let me explain:

First, a bit of background.  This had been a mostly sideways session.  I'm sitting on about $110 above my original buy in, $410 total (or thereabout).  I'd seen some very poor play from my table mates, but since earlier in the session, my table had tightened up quite a bit.  One hand that particularly pissed me off was when a short stack called my $12 raise with 9d5d with $32 behind as first in, (I had AQo in the SB), saw a 7 5 4 flop and jammed.  I called after all folded around ($60 in the pot), and did not improve.  That set him on a heater from $48 --> $500 by the end of the night.  Total fish that got lucky!  I guess if it happens to him, it can happen to anyone.  It was that kind of table, though... and up & down night.  Now back to the title and point of the post; the setup:

EP raises to $10 and it gets called in around 4 spots when action turns to me with JThh in the SB.  I of course call (again, sitting on $410) and we see a decent flop: JsTcQc.  Not thrilled, as my 2 pair are behind a lot, but the hand has some potential.  I check to the raiser, who in turn checks... in fact, the whole damn table checks around!  Interesting...

Turn kills my hand a bit more: Kd.  Great - 4 straight out there, and undoubtedly, someone has an Ace.  Original raiser [finally] leads for $15 and gets called in all 4 spots; I come along, getting odds to boat my 2 pair.  I remember thinking at the time, though: "I'm beat here - he has KK, KJ."  I can't raise because I'm only getting called by better hands.  I just come along for the ride by calling.

River is where it gets interesting: Jc.  Scared of the prior thought: original raiser has KJ, KK, I once again check.  He carves out $60.  It folds around to the button (terrible player) who just calls.  Action to me.  I say to my neighbor before I even see the bet: "I'm beat here," and show my JThh.  He's surprised.  I think for a bit, wanting to fold, but logically am unable to do so.  In other words, I Zeebo'd myself.  How can I fold for $60 when I'm going to be good some percentage of the time?!?!?!?!?  Well, I call and wait for my opponent to flip his hand.  He's hesitating for a bit so I decide to show, hoping that given the delay, my hand is good.  Nope!  He shows K9cc for the flopped straight, rivered straight flush!  FWIW, the button claimed Axcc for the turned straight / rivered nut flush (like I said, terrible player; how does she let the hand continue on the turn without a raise).

I honestly did not put him on a straight flush, even though I thought I was beat...  It was a good misread, though...  saved me a bit of money.  After pausing for a little, I started piecing the hand back together and realized that I hit a mini bad beat!  Horseshoe pays $200 for Jacks full getting beaten!  Technically, I won $125 on the hand!  A good beat, a bad beat, and Zeebo, all in one!

Side note: After the hand, my opponent was so tilted that I didn't raise there - how could I just call?!!?!?!?!?  How did I not ship him all of my chips!?!?!?!??!  I had a small heater after dropping my profit down to $35 on the night after that hand - walked away up $200+ not including the bad beat.  Ship it!

Update: One interesting note for the session was that on my very last hand last night, as with my prior session, here, I was dealt AA.   This is becoming a pattern.  Moreover, I open to $15 and get raised to $40 by a short stack!  Folds around to me and I raise to $100, which more or less covers him.  He calls and we both have AA!  Runout is 3 diamonds by the turn (my opponent holds the Ad), but the river is clean and we wind up losing a few $$$ each...  Oh well...

Flopped straight flush

It's been awhile since I caught one of these.  I think I should lead the flop here, given the turn action.  However, I get an okay payout for the stone cold nuts...

Bodog $0.50/$1.00 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

CO: $89.00
BTN: $39.85
SB: $73.80
BB: $100.00
UTG: $43.20
UTG+1: $96.50
UTG+2: $98.50
Hero (MP1): $113.15
MP2: $117.50

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is MP1 with 6s 8s
3 folds, Hero raises to $3.00, 1 fold, CO calls $3, 3 folds

Flop: ($7.50) 5s 7s 9s (2 players)
Hero checks, CO checks

Turn: ($7.50) 4h (2 players)
Hero bets $4.50, CO raises to $12.00, Hero raises to $20.00, CO calls $8
Assuming he has a set or As; I should have led flop.

River: ($47.50) 4d (2 players)
Hero bets $30.00, CO folds

Final Pot: $47.50
Hero mucks 6s 8s
Hero wins $45.15
(Rake: $2.35)

Flopped straight flush

Oh how I wish I could get paid...

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Hero (UTG+1): $197.50
MP1: $100.00
MP2: $100.00
CO: $137.85
BTN: $85.45
SB: $63.80
BB: $101.15
UTG: $143.10

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is UTG+1 with 5d 6d
1 fold, Hero calls $1, 4 folds, SB calls $0.50, BB checks

Flop: ($3.00) 3d 7d 4d (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($3.00) 2c (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $2.10, SB folds, BB folds
Anybody willing to hold on for the Kd or Ad maybe?  Please?  What about straights?  You guys surely have a card or two that will complete your straight!  No?  Come on?  Courtesy call?  I'm not bluffing here, I swear it!

Final Pot: $3.00
Hero wins $2.85
(Rake: $0.15)

Hand of the night - Straight flush

Nothing interesting.  I get a decent payday... nothing great, but still...

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter


Hero (UTG+2): $71.90
MP1: $90.10
MP2: $12.65
CO: $52.55
BTN: $26.45
SB: $17.30
BB: $25.00
UTG: $50.35
UTG+1: $74.50

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is UTG+2 with Qh Th
2 folds, Hero raises to $1.75, MP1 raises to $6, 5 folds, Hero calls $4.25

Flop: ($12.75) 5h 8h Jh (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $7, Hero calls $7

Turn: ($26.75) 6d (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 checks

River: ($26.75) 9h (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $21, Hero raises to $58.90 all in, MP1 folds
Did I get a little overzealous?  Perhaps raising to $42 gets me paid?  I figured there's not much difference between $42 & $59, so shove & make it easy...

Final Pot: $68.75
Hero wins $65.75
(Rake: $3.00)

Flopped straight flush

Before this hand gets too old, this is from the archives, sitting in Drafts that I never posted.  I'm trying to clear out some of the old stuff I have laying around...

It's so easy to play a hand when you have the nuts vs. an opponent's modestly big hand...

Full Tilt Poker $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BB: $49.22
UTG: $10.55
UTG+1: $15.73
UTG+2: $19.60
MP1: $12.60
MP2: $35.18
Hero (CO): $84.22
BTN: $22.66
SB: $16.44

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is CO with 4d 6d
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $0.50, 3 folds, Hero calls $0.50, 3 folds
I honestly don't remember why I'm calling here.  It seems somewhat strange in retrospect.  I'm sure there was a reason - but it certainly is a weird call on my part given his partial stack...

Flop: ($1.35) 2d 3d 5d (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero requests TIME, Hero bets $0.75, UTG+1 calls $0.75

Turn: ($2.85) 4c (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $1.75, UTG+1 calls $1.75

River: ($6.35) 9c (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $12.73, UTG+1 calls $12.73 all in

Final Pot: $31.81
UTG+1 mucks Ac Ad
Hero shows 4d 6d (a straight flush, Six high)
Hero wins $30.22
(Rake: $1.59)

Hand of the night - Straight flush!

It's not often where I get paid on a straight flush, but I certainly maximize here:

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 7 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BB: $30.25
UTG: $50.05
UTG+1: $50.00
MP: $49.60
CO: $51.00
Hero (BTN): $52.00
SB: $30.80

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BTN with 4c 5h
4 folds, Hero raises to $1.50, SB calls $1.25, BB calls $1

Flop: ($4.50) 7h 6h 3c (3 players)
SB checks, BB bets $4, Hero calls $4, SB folds

Turn: ($12.50) 9h (2 players)
BB bets $24.75 all in, Hero calls $24.75

River: ($62.00) 8h (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $62.00
BB shows Qh Qc (a flush, Queen high)
Hero shows 4c 5h (a straight flush, Nine high)
Hero wins $59.00
(Rake: $3.00)

Good thing this guy overplays his QQ like I overplayed my KK.