School’s in Session

This past week has been interesting.  I haven’t actually had much time for poker; at least not time enough for a proper $8/$16 or higher game.  Instead, when given the opportunity I’ve spent some time at the lower limits like $3/$6 and $4/$8.  In a way it feels good to spend some time with players who aren’t necessarily there to make money, but rather, to have a good time.  I tend to make more money from those players.

So after my March losing sessions, I’ve come back to a run of luck that has overcome my losses from last month and made quite a bit more money on top of that.  Last night, a friend invited me to a tournament at a casino I don’t visit very frequently – but they had an 11:30pm tournament where the buy-in was only $30.  It was a fun tournament, but in the end I didn’t cash.  After, I decided to play in the $3/$6 cash game, and had a very interesting hand.

I was at seat 5, and sitting at seat 3 was a young, loud, and naive player.  This story reminds me of that quote – something about “pride comes before the fall.”  Anyway, the table is somewhat passive – every once in a while there’s a preflop raise, but mostly it’s 5-6 people seeing the flop for one bet.  I’m in late position and I have my favorite hand – pocket 8s (8 of Clubs, 8 of Spades).  I limp, and I think about 5 of us see the flop.

The flop comes 10 of Clubs, 10 of Diamonds, 8 of Hearts.  This is basically a dream flop; unless one of my opponent has pocket 10s, I’m ahead.  One of the early position players (the prideful one) bets out, and I think a couple of people call.  I think for a second about just calling, but decide that if anybody is holding something like Ace-Ten and they spike an Ace, I’d better give them a reason to fold and play aggressively.  Besides, I had just started playing at the table, and wanted to show them that I am aggressive, and won’t let them push me around.  I was also the only woman at the table.

So I decide to raise and represent the strength of my hand right then and there.  The early position player says “Honey, I think I have a better kicker than you.”  He then raises.  The other players get out of the way, and I reraise, capping the bets on the flop.  He keeps repeating that he thinks he has a better kicker – which gives me the information I need – he thinks I have a ten, and he has a better kicker.

The turn comes – the Jack of Spades.  His eyes couldn’t have lit up any more; he announces yet again that he thinks his kicker is better than mine, and shows his neighbor his cards.  This is a very novice move – it was pretty easy to figure out that he was holding Ten Jack and made a better full-house with Tens full of Jacks.  My eights full of tens wasn’t the best hand anymore.

Still, he was all-in when he bet on the turn, so it was only $6 to me, to see the river and find out if I’m right about what he has.  He stands up as I call his bet, and the dealer brings the river card.

The 8 of Diamonds.  Wow – I just hit quad 8s, and my opponent obviously thinks he has me beat.  I’m only sorry that he was out of chips; he would have bet/raised and reraised all the way and I would have taken a lot of money off him.

He is very loud when he says “BooYA!” and lays down exactly what I thought he was holding:  Jack Ten offsuit.  I flip over my pocket eights, and the dealer announces “Quad Eights!”

The rest of the table laughed as I just sat there and watched as the pride left my opponent.

So in addition to the money in the pot, I also won a Monte Carlo of $360 for quad 8s – to which my opponent tells me, “You owe me a drink after that suck-out.”  The dealer came to my defense saying, “She had you beat preflop, and then had you beat on the flop.  You spiked a Jack on the turn, but she made quads on the river.  The only street you were ahead was on the turn; when exactly did she suck out on you?”

I loved that dealer; I gave him a healthy tip.  :)  And I didn’t buy my opponent a drink.  I told him that I don’t drink at the poker table; why would I buy somebody else a drink?

Good luck at the felt!