Spring Poker Round-up

I spent last week in the tiny little town of Pendleton, Oregon; playing the Spring Poker Round-Up at the Wildhorse Casino. I've said before how much I enjoy this tournament, and how it is probably the premier tournament series in the entire Northwest.

This time around, I hardly played at all in the cash games. Instead, I entered four no-limit tournaments and cashed in one of them. It was a lot of fun, and I played some really great poker. One player who I had knocked out earlier in one of the tournaments stayed at the rail and watched me play until I busted (in the money), and when I did he came over to me and told me he thought I'd played really great poker. He said he didn't see me make even one mistake the whole time he was watching me. That made me feel pretty good!

On Saturday was the "Main Event", which had a $500 buy-in. I played really great poker in this tournament; knocked out five players (two in one hand) and, uncharacteristically for me, spent almost the entire tournament with a bigger-than-average stack.

The only hands I'm going to post are the two that knocked me out of the tournament. Actually, it was the same hand both times, pocket Queens.

The first time, I was at a table with WSOP bracelet holder Susie Isaacs. She had one of the short stacks at the table, and when it was folded to her in late position she pushed all-in. I was on the button with QQ, raised all-in to isolate her, and it was heads up. She had pocket Jacks, flopped a third, and took roughly half of my stack in the double-up.

It's probably worth noting here that I've played at Susie Isaacs' table three times in tournaments, and there's no question in my mind that she is the meanest, nastiest player I've ever played against. Every time she's said something to me, it's been with a sneer on her face and a snarl in her voice. Once, when I asked the dealer for clarification on a rule, she interrupted him and said "That's the stupidest question I've ever heard in my entire life." I have no idea what I could possibly have done to her that's made her so angry with me; maybe I remind her of somebody else. But she's one cranky witch.

My last hand came about ten hands later. I was in the small blind, and when it was folded to me I went all-in with pocket Queens. I was called by the big blind with pocket Kings, and lacking Susie's skill at sucking out, I ended out out and on the rail.

Speaking of Suckout Susie ... for many years, the Wildhorse had a poker hostess with that nickname. Her real name was Michelle Bylinga, and she was extremely gracious and friendly to everybody she met. She was particularly known for her elegant, flowing outfits and floppy, outlandish hats. Sadly, Michelle died unexpectedly in February. She was missed by everybody at the tournament and it was very sad to hear about her passing. Rest In Peace, Suckout Susie.

One of my best sessions ever!

I've just returned from a long weekend in Las Vegas. The trip wasn't really poker-related -- I was in town on other business. I did have the opportunity to play some poker, but I wasn't really in a poker mindset. Consequently, I stuck to the $1/$2 NL games (substantially lower than what I usually play), and played at some really small rooms on the mid-strip such as Imperial Palace, Harrah's, and Planet Hollywood.

I did have one truly extraordinary session at the Flamingo that's worth noting. I won more per hour and per big blind than I think I ever have before, and it was really two key hands that made it happen.

The instant I sat down at the table, with $300 in chips, I was dealt Ace/Jack offsuit. I was in late position (there was no blind posting for new players), and when it was folded to me I opened with a raise to $7. The only caller was the big blind, so it was heads-up to the flop.

The flop came Ace, Jack, Nine, so I had flopped two pair. My opponent checked, I bet about $20. It was an overbet to chase away the straight draws (there was no flush draw on the board). He raised me to around $75. Since I had just sat down on the table, I had no read on him. I was hoping he just had an Ace, although I suppose a set of nines was possible. But how can you get away from top two pair? I re-raised to $150, and he four-bet me all-in. I called. He had Ace/Nine, a lower two pair. The board bricked, and after one hand I had doubled up.

My very next hand was pocket Aces. I raised to $7 again and everybody folded, so I won $3 on that one.

The second key hand came near the end of the session. I was dealt the Ace/King of Clubs, again in late position. So beautiful! A loose kid on my right raised to $13 pre-flop. I called, as did the button, so it was three to the flop.

Ace, Queen, Nine rainbow came on the flop, so I had top pair with top kicker. The kid on my right checked, and I put out a bet of around $50 -- again, chasing away the straight drawers. The button called, the pre-flop raiser folded, and I was heads-up. I was hoping my opponent didn't have Ace/Queen! Maybe Ace with a worse kicker. Maybe even a straight draw paying a bad price. Regardless, even if I was ahead I would have to dodge possibly two cards that might pair my opponent.

The river was the Six of Diamonds. I thought, well, if I was ahead already, I probably still am. I bet $100, and my opponent just called again.

The turn was the Deuce of Spades. I put my opponent all-in -- around another $100 or so (I was the huge chip leader at the table had him, and everyone else, covered). He called. I rolled over my pair of Aces, surely losers at this point. He bellowed, "Nice River!" and showed his Queen/Five offsuit. Queen/Five!! He stomped away as the dealer pushed the pot to me. I turned to the guy next to me and said, "Nice river? What does he mean by that? The river didn't affect either of our hands." He said, "Well, that's just what losers say when they call off all their chips like that." I still think it's a weird thing to say in that circumstance.