Ok. Let's back up a bit. More on the tourney later, but I have to mention my Friday at the T-Bird — where I was actually playing intelligent poker (for the most part) in contrast to Sunday's satellite fiasco.
This week's cast of characters features Mr. Yellow in the 1s; Coach in the 2s and, later Ms. Calling Station; 3s - Travis; Pops in the 4s; WPT Young Gun in the 5s then replaced by Mr. Fake Out; 6s was a Big Guy then Carey; Sean in the 7s; and me in the 9s, then the 8s. The stage was Table #3 at the T-Bird.
I hightailed it home from work (all of 5 minutes away) to change and get on the road as soon as possible. I aimed to get to the T-Bird before the evening rush as I didn't want to wait forever for a table. I got there just as the phone began ringing off the wall with people wanting to be put on the waiting list. One person was told they don't do that over the phone, and then the guy relented and put that person on the waiting list ahead of me - who had be waiting patiently for him to get off the damn phone. Color me peeved. He also seated others before me who had come in after me, too. I made a note to myself to not be so patient next time.
While I waited, I scanned the room for Duggle. He'd said on his blog he'd be wearing a red shirt. As I looked around the room, I chuckled to myself. This is the land of Sooner football. What guy doesn't wear a red shirt. I'd narrowed my choices to one possible candidate and geared up my courage, but then I got all shy. I kept trying to catch his eye, but no dice. Then I was called to Table #3 - right next to that guy's table. I was in the 9s and his back was to me at the other table.
I was nervous during the first few hands. I got some cards early on, in contrast to last week, but botched the play. The WPT Young Gun (think Paul Darden) played his draws very aggressively. I didn't catch on to that fact soon enough and folded some hands I shouldn't have, and then I went to showdown with AK and a wish, thinking my nothing was better than his nothing. Wrong. That was embarrassing. But he was bleeding chips and I wanted it to flow my way.
A couple of hands in, the Big Guy in the 6s went broke and left the table. I was still trying to catch the attention of the guy I thought was Duggle and was just about to finally say "Hey Doug" when he got up and left. So Doug if that was you - I'm sorry for being such a timid ninny. Next week, ok?
The composition of folks at the table adjusted for a bit. I moved to the 8s
to get a better line of view. My end of the table - the "west" end
- became party central for our table. Sometime in there I relaxed and began
chatting more with folks. My folding became the table joke when someone remarked
I had a tell and I replied "Yeah, when I bet - that's a big tell."
That cracked the table up. For any idiot person out there who
still thinks online poker is rigged get this - our table saw quads no less than
4 times. One of those times busted my full house. And there's not a bad beat
jackpot, yet. Yeah, so rigged.
When Natalie sat down in the 9s, the comedy team of Nat, Maudie, Sean and Carey was complete. She was a young, attractive, grad student and looked like a player. Cubby's ball cap, very serious, at first, and played conservatively. The guys honed in on her like bees to honey and engaged her in conversation. She didn't have to say much for it to be obvious she was extremely intelligent. She warmed up after a bit of conversation and was a frequent contributor the the "west end" hijinks.
We had a dealer change and Sara (2+2 Pokermama) was in for her down. I remarked "Good, some more female hormones at the table." She said,"I've enough female hormones for the whole table." and I replied "I take mine daily..." More laughs all around. It was during all this I learned that Carey had just returned from New Orleans after doing a Playboy shoot. He's a photographer and has a studio in Edmond. Sean has a two year old daughter and is a house-husband. Natalie is a grad student in Finance and her mom or grand mom (can't remember which) was once hit on by Harry Carey.
I continued to fold and was thinking it might be an early evening. I was getting few playable hands and those were going down in flames to suckouts. Finally, though, I had a change in fortune. I got KK and raised it up, I played fast and it didn't make it to showdown. I hit another set that didn't get busted. I had KK a couple more times. One of those times I had 7 - count'em - 7 callers. By the river I think there were 3 or 4 of them still with me. The cards had come out small and by some miracle, my cowboys held up. It was a big juicy pot. The "west end" was in awe.
One hand had me laughing so hard I nearly peed. I had AK suited and raised it up. I hit a king on the flop of 2 8 K and bet it all the way with Carey calling. When we flipped over the cards, my one pair went down to his monster 2 pair. He had K2. I was incredulous and started laughing. "You called a preflop raise from under the gun with King-2? King-2???? You should be ashamed of yourself." He said "Well, they were suited." I howled and replied, "Well, anyone who can beat me with a K-2 - soooted - and make me laugh, has my respect." The next hand he said, "Wait'll you see what I got this hand, it'll really blow your skirt up!" I lost it again. Oh, you had to be there. He had T-5, by the way.
Now Sean had starting calling me Chip Bully and then we began trading that status - we stayed pretty much neck and neck in chip count for the rest of the evening. The "west end" comedy troupe was getting pretty slap happy and cocky and at one point I remarked that the other end of the table needed to cheer up. Fortunately, that brought some smiles from that end. Mr. Fake-out was a stone face, so getting him to crack a smile was a real coup. I call him Mr. Fakeout because he had a habit of fiddling with his chips like he was preparing to bet and then he would check or fold at the last minute.
I had one hand with Mr. Fakeout where I was holding 33. The flop came A-7-3. Mr. Fakeout bet, I called. Turn came a blank - Mr. Fakeout bet and I raised. He called. River was a 7. He bet and I paused. I was contemplating the situation when Carey needled me with: "Look at her, pretending she's not going to call that. What an act that is. You must perform at the community theatre in Oklahoma City or something..." I started laughing again - I thought briefly of making something up, but my pride wouldn't let me. I called and we turned over the cards - he had trip sevens to my threes full. As I raked in the pot I said "Actually I have a masters in theatre..." What Carey didn't get is - I wasn't putting on an act, I was contemplating whether I should raise or not. I was concerned he had a better full with sevens full of aces - it was entirely likely he had A-7 in the hole.
After about 6 1/2 hours of these shenanigans and, oh yeah, doubling and then some, my buy in, I called it a night and cashed out. I was exhausted - from all the laughing! I had a great time with the "West End Comedy Troupe" on table 3 at the T-Bird. But, all laughs aside, one thing I learned about playing with the particular table texture you're likely to find at that level. With naive players, it pays to tighten up and play fast and aggressive. Because most hands will go to the river, you will experience what seems an unfair amount of suckouts, but when you hit you will gain huge pots which will make up for that and all the folding you've done.
The above is what leads me to my theory of why folks seem to think online poker is so rigged. Those of you who play at the higher limits tell me if you think I'm wrong or not:
With so many hands going to the river, and multiple people in those pots, the odds of suckouts increase accordingly. If folks were playing 'properly" with odds, position, hole cards, etc. in mind, more hands would be folded prior to the river, therefore less suckouts. No?
Friday night at the T-Bird was a great time - I haven't laughed like that since, oh let's see, December in Vegas? Have I mentioned how glad I am we have live poker in Oklahoma now?
