2/5 MGM Edition...

Happy New Year! Good luck on the first day of the year? Not for me at MGM Detroit today. Got there at about 12. There were only 2 tables of 1/2 tables going. I put my name on the 2/5 list and sat down at the 1/2 with 200. Once again, I tried to bluff the inbluffable mailman. He just check called my flop bet with top pair and backdoor nut flush draw, and i fired 2nd barrel, he called again and hit the nut flush with 4 cards flush on the board. he checked again, I thought about fire out a big 3rd barrel but something didn't smell right, I know he loves to set a trap for me, just letting me do all the bettings, so I checked and he was like "damn" and turned over his nut flush.

After about 1 hour, they finally got a 2/5 game going. I rebought 300 more plus the 120ish left from 1/2 to sit down with about 420. For the whole day ,I did not flop anything better than 1 pair on the flop. I flopped straight flush draw twice and bricked out both times. I had about 10 pocket pairs, not a single set. Here are some of the interesting hands I played:

Hand 1) I have about 400, I limp after 1 limper with 10J of hearts, another limper on the button and the SB raises to 25, the first limper calls, I call, and the button calls. Flop comes down 673 with 2 hearts and 1 club, the pre flop raiser checks, the first limper checks, since the table just started up, I have no ideas how people play. I don't know people's tendencies. So I decide to check too with my flush draw and 2 overcards. The button bets 40 after everyone checks, now the pre flop raiser smooth calls the 40, and the first limper calls the 40 too. I don't really like this, the pre flop raiser's action really puzzles me. I can't really put him on a hand, raises pre flop then check call on this board? I rule out he having a big pair, I think he would also bet with if he had nut flush draw. The hand I'm putting him is hands like 55,44. Again I don't know their tendency yet, I don't know if raising with suited connectors or small pocket pairs are parts of his raising hand range. With 3 guys calling on that board, my flush draw could easily be facing a higher flush draw. But with excellent pot odds, I call too. Turn comes down 8 of clubs, so now the board reads 3678 with 2 hearts and 2 clubs. Now the pre flop raiser comes out and bets 100, again, the first limper calls, I'm like "wow, this is really interesting". I really can't put the pre flop raiser on a hand, I know he doesn't have 88 for top pair, I don't think he would raise with 910 out of SB. I go over alot of hands in my head, I just can't put him on a hand. The first limper who's an old nit, I think he has some type of draws, I'm worried about him having a higher flush draw. But once again, I' m getting like 5-6 to 1 for my money if the guy behind me calls too. So I call the 100 again with gutshot to the nuts and flush draw. I don't count the 10J as live over cards, I dont think 10 J would be good if I hit top pair.After I call, the button thinks a bit and calls the 100 too. Now the pot has about 660, the river falls Ace of clubs, now the pre flop raiser goes all in for 350, the first limper folds, I fold with my "J" high, and the button instant calls. The pre flop raiser shows KJ of clubs and the button shows 47 of clubs. So the pre flop raiser check calls with KJ of clubs on 673 board with 2 hearts, LOL and backdoor his way into nut flush and won an almost 1400 dollars pot. Lucky bastard.


Hand 2) I have been card dead all day, now I have about 350. 2 guys limp, and button who's a regular MGM guy who knows all the dealers names and alot of people on the table. He's a very straight forward typical casino grinder, but he also knows what's going on. He raises to 35 on the button, I look down at 2 red kings at the SB. With about 350 left, my first instinct is to re-raise. Then I think about it and I know if I re-raise, the button grinder is going to fold hands like JJ, 10 10, AK probably too. QQ is somewhere between. Since I'm kinda of shortstack with only 75 BB. and I have 2 kings, there's only 1 overcard ace to worry about on the flop. I know there are 2 limpers, but the raise of 35 is fairly large, theres a good chance the 2 limpers might fold out, or just 1 call. i don't mind playing 3 way pot with kings even when I'm out of position. I really want to set a trap here and get it in on a low cards flop. If I re-raise him pre flop to like 100, it will folds out the 2 limpers and the button tight nit will be very cautious and I'm palying my hand faced up with AA, KK or at worst QQ. With only 350, I want to take a little chance and hope for a good flop to check raise him all in and hope he calls with QQ, or JJ. If he has AA, then I'm going broke either way. So, I decide the best pre flop play there is to smooth call and take a little gamble. I call and both limpers call too. Oh, man I don't like this. So it's 4 handed to the flop, it falls 457 with 2 spades, and I have 2 red kings. just terrible flop. I check, the first limper bets 70, the 2nd limper calls the 70, and the pre flop raiser instantly raises to 200. With this much action going on, I fold my 2 red kings. If the pot was heads up between the pre flop raiser and me, I probably would have check raise him all in. I just don't feel right about the hand on that super drawy board. I fold, and 1 guy call. Turn is a brick, and they both check, river bricks again, and both check again. The button shows 2 black Aces and win the pot. I got super lucky there escaping a cooler hand. If I re-raise him, he would go all in and I have to call and lose my 350. When you get dealt a set up hand like aces vs. kings, you know the luck is not on your side today.

So, at about 4pm, the floorman comes over and decides to make that game 5/10NL because more than half of the players are 5/10 players anyway just waiting for a 5/10. They finally have enough to get a table going. Since I only brought 1000 dollars with me today, its only 1 buyin for the 5/10. I only play about 1 orbit and when they start up a new 2/5 table, I move there.

hand 3) I have about 350 in front of me. We are playing 4handed 2/5. First hand we sit down, folds to the SB who casually tosses in 15 dollars raise, and I look down at 36 off suit at the BB. I call the 10 dollars raise. He has no ideas of how I play and I have no ideas of how he plays. Anyway, flop comes 85J with 2 diamonds, he quickly tosses in 3 red chips for 15 dollars bet, I smell weakness. Since he doesn't know how I play or what I'm capable of, I decide to float and peal a card off. I really think he misses the flop totally, with 85J 2 daimonds, there are alot of turn cards that I can represent and if he has nothing, he will check and I fire a bet to take it down even if no cards to complete draws at the turn. With that plan in mind, I smooth call his 15, and turn comes King of spades. Definitely not a great card. Once again, he casually tosses in 25, which is a tiny bet, I really don't think he has AK, with a such dangerous board, he would bet more probably to protect his hand. Another tiny bet just smell weakness for me. I decide to raise him to 60. If he has hands like 99,1010. I don't think he can calls what seems like a " value raise" here. I fully expect him to fold.
After thinking over and bit and he reluctantly calls the 35 dollars raise. Right there, I put him on a draw, or a slight chance of having a king. River comes 6 that doesn't complete no flush, he quickly checks and basically waves the white flag. Now, I have some showdown value, no point of betting here. Either he has a King or missed draw. I also dont think I can get him off a hand like AJ either. So I check too. He says" you are good", right there I know he probably has A10 or AQ. I table my 36 and he rolls his eyes and look at my hand and look at the board trying to put a story together. "Ok, this guy calls me with 36 on J85 with no pair no draw, then raises me when the king comes, what's going on here"? He looks utterly puzzled and I don't blame him LOL.

Play until 7pm, cash out 640,down 60 dollars for the day. I m generally happy with the way I played. got absolutely trash cards and down only 60. Well the 36 hand I got a little lucky hitting the 6 at the river. Actually, no, I didn't get lucky with the 36, the guy had zero chance of winning the hand. becuase if I didn't hit the 6, I would have bet again at the river and he would have to fold his AQ.