"A" Game

Last night, we had 5 players at pablosplace, and I brought the A-game. From the opening, I was making perfect reads, even though it was resulting in a damaged chip stack.

After dropping to about 50 or so chips in the first 30 minutes, I was content that I didn't loose more. On a board of Qh-5h-9h-10d-Jd, Tim lead out for another 18, after I called bets of 10 on the flop, and 12 on the turn. Holding K-Q, I thought back to the play, and put Tim on A-Q. I said it aloud, folding it as I tabled my cards, and Tim flipped it A-Q. My first good read of the night.

A little later, I folded after a pre-flop raise and put Amber on a K when she made a boat, and later I put her on J-10 and was able to away from that hand as well.

Robert was the first to go, as the flop came out Q-6-7, he led out with a raise, and I called, then Traci called. 3 handed, a 9 fell on the turn and Robert led out all-in. I snap called, and Traci folded. I tabled 6-7 for two pair, and Robert flipped 8-9 for middle pair and a straight draw. However, the J on the turn was no help and Robert was eliminated in 5th place.

Traci would go out in 4th place. After nursing a very short stack for some time. She took the biggest hit on her stack with a board of J-5-6-8-8, and Tim led out for 24. Traci went into the Tank for quite some time, and finally laid down Q-J. Tim turned over his semi-bluff of J-7, and raked a good pot, sending Traci down to about 15 chips or so. She was able to triple her stack at one point, moving all in with Q-J, and found calls by both me and Tim. On the board of 10-7-4, I led out for 12, and Tim called. With the J on the turn, I fired 12 more, and Tim let it go. I took the side pot, and tabled K-10, and Traci's J held up. Finally, she made her stand with K-J, and I made the call with Jh-9h. The board played out 6-7-8-5-10, giving me a straight on the river, and sending Traci out in 4th place.

Things had really picked up for me just a few hands before that, as I was dealt Qd-Jd, and raised the pot to 12 pre-flop. Only Tim made the call, and I checked the board of Ad-10d-Ks. Tim checked behind me. The 10h came on the turn, and I fired out 12 more, and Tim made the call. The river was the best possible card for me, the Kd, making a Royal Flush for me, and I led out with 24. Tim went into the tank, and was wondering if I was just playing the board. After about 4 minutes, he gave up his hand, and I tabled the nuts. From there, it was a steady ascension up the ladder.

I bluffed a hand a little later, and got Tim to make a big lay down, and eventually was able to bust Tim, calling his all-in. He'd made a couple of moves for his last 30 or so, but found no action, and just picked up the blinds. I can't remember the bust out hand for the life of me at the moment, because I keep recalling some of the other great hands of the night. There was one that doubled Tim, where on a board of 10-9-7, I made an all-in move with A-Q, and Tim went into the tank. He finally made the call with A-K, and the turn and River bricked out giving Tim the hand. The other was a couple of laydowns that he made, folding to my Pocket J's which was an over pair on the board, and also laying down a hand pre-flop after debating an all-in. I tabled pocket 7's, and the board ran out with me dominating having flopped a set.

Amber and I were heads up for about 15 hands, and she started out short stacked. She made a great play on the second hand when I raised to 40 on a board of 4-5-J-Q, and she made the call. When the 3 fell on the river she moved all in, and I got away from K-10. That moved her to almost even in chips on that hand. I was controlling the heads up match for the most part, and ended it on a board of 6-7-J. I led out with 20. Amber made the call, and the turn came out 5. I made a move all-in, and Amber quick called, with a A-4. I tabled 8-9 for the straight, and had her drawing dead, and raked the pot.

I was able to make some really amazing reads last night, and was right on just about all of them. Add that to the third Royal Flush in pablosplace history, and it was a really great night.

Next week looks like a no-go, as everyone seems to have something else going on. We discussed the possiblity for a pablosplace Mountain game, as Tay has the possibility of a cabin in Big Bear. And we've also discussed the possibility for pablosplace coastal, for a game at a beach house in Mexico for my birthday, or another Team7Deuce event, including a wine tasting trip in either Napa or Solvang, followed by a tournament at the Chumash Casino. More details on those events to come.

Thanks to everyone who played last night, and I'll see you all next time. Cheers, P