But I do have a hand from long ago I'll post, along with a rather minor interesting experience: I found Tom McEvoy's email address on the CardPlayer website, so I sent him an email asking if he was truly at the Pendleton Poker Round-up last fall. And he wrote back! He said that he was indeed there, and that if I had brought my book to him he'd have signed it for me. I thought it was pretty nice that he wrote me back.
So here's the hand. I think it was maybe one of the best hands I've ever played. It's $2/$5 no-limit, and I'm on the button.
Everybody folds to the cutoff, who just calls the big blind. I look down and see Jack of Diamonds/Ten of Clubs, and limp as well. The small blind completes; the big blind checks; and it's four to the flop.
Flop comes Eight of Diamonds, Three of Diamonds, Nine of Clubs. So, I have a really nice open-end straight draw, and an inconsequential backdoor flush draw. At this point, I'm willing to call a bet if the pot odds are in favor. So my call would have to be less than about a third of the pot (not counting other callers, if any).
Everybody checks to me, so I'm thinking I might have the best hand after all (especially with such a rotten flop). I bet half the pot, $10, as a semi-bluff. My goal is to chase away some of the players -- maybe all of them -- but if anybody calls, I have decent outs. The small blind calls; the big blind folds; and the cutoff calls, so I only chased out one player.
The turn is the Ace of Clubs. Somebody on a club flush draw picked up some outs, but I can't imagine anybody staying in with just that. Nevertheless, anybody with an Ace pulled ahead of me here. The two remaining players check to the raiser (me), but I don't fall for the bait and check behind. Basically, my big flop bet bought me a free card.
The river brings the Seven of Spades, completing my straight (which is the nut hand). Now the small blind comes alive with a big $50 bet (the size of the pot). The cutoff folds, and it's to me. How do I get the most value for this hand, anyhow? I raise it $90 to $140, and get a quick call. I show my straight, he shows his three eights, and I drag a $300+ pot.
I understand his call, because my straight was so well-hidden that it was pretty much impossible to see. But I don't like his initial river bet. I think it was too big as value bets go (which is what he should be trying for here). It will chase away potential callers with inferior hands, and only be called by hands that will beat his, like mine. I also think it was a mistake for him to slow-play his flopped set with such a coordinated, draw-heavy board.
But I am pleased in how I played this hand!
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