Ugarte's Poker Grovel #44, or CancelledIt was a strange couple of days for poker. The kerfuffle at the Blue Parrot took a live venue off of my roster and, sadly, made it unlikely that I would be playing with Pauly live any time soon. Still, I had Wednesday to look forward to: the monthly game at the Churchwarden’s and the A.M. tournament and its Loser’s Lounge ring game that lasts well into the morning.
But first, before things get out of hand, I interrupt my post-in-progress to put everything in black and white. I don’t want to play at the Blue Parrot becuase of the decisions Ferrari has made about how the game is run. That is the end of the story. Yes, I am welcome back if I agree to “behave,” but I have been told that the things that bother me won’t change. I choose not to go back. No more Parrot for me. That is the whole story.
And now the rest of the story on Wednesday’s game…
As I was getting ready to leave for the Churchwarden’s, I checked my email for the first time in a staggering four hours. (I usually hit refresh like a rat in a heroin experiment.) I found out that the Churchwarden was sick and was cancelling the game for the night. This was particularly disappointing because Brother of Ugarte had agreed to play, and we were going to have a table of eight for the first time in memory. And then, like a ray of sunshine from the heavens, Helmut announced that he would pick up the slack and host a game. As long as the players at the Abbey respond quickly, we still have a game…
Helmut, Brother and I are in. Joel (not the one from the Parrot) is in. Former nemesis (one can only be upset for so long) Heidi(!) was coming. I gave a quick call to Nixma and invited him to join me at the game - with the carrot of a ride up to the A.M. tournament as part of the bargain: IN. We’ve got six, so we can play some cards.
Once again, I started the night poorly. Four handed, the table opted to stay away from the 2/4 games; the blinds come around too fast and a short-handed table encourages loose play. We weren’t looking to make the game too expensive. Helmut started with five card draw. Strangely enough, this put Nixma at a huge disadvantage. Although none of us really know the odds in a game of draw, Nixma actually DOES know the odds in hold ‘em. Not only did it bring him back to the pack, I think being out of his comfort zone tilted him a little. On the hand I remember, he underbet two pair on the deal and got sucked out when Joel caught his flush on the draw. A lesson he learned about protecting his hands in hold ‘em was quickly learned again for a new game.
I got burned a few hands later, when the table filled up and we started playing hold ‘em, when I was dealt 82s in the BB. Heidi and Joel limped in, and the flop was A-A-2. I felt that I had to bet out against the limpers to see where I stood. I was confident nobody had an ace, but I was worried about a small pair. Both players called. The turn was another ace. I was certain that nobody had the quads, so I bet out again. Again, two callers. The river couldn’t be a brick as far as I was concerned. I kept getting called, and I didn’t want to get raised by a better hand - time to check call. Joel beat me to the pot, though, and bet from the SB. Still, I have to call. Heidi did also, and Joel showed 33 to scoop the pot. Ouch. I don’t think I could have played the hand any differently, though. Joel can’t really be pushed off a hand; he’s either in or out. Knowing this should be an advantage for me, but I haven’t been able to make it pay off.
The bittersweet hand of the day came when we were playing Omaha. I don’t remember my whole hand, but it included a pair of Queens. That is, I am told, a pretty good hand for a flop of Q-6-6. (Though not the nuts. Right, Ferrari?) I didn’t think that a slowplay would work to my advantage, so I bet. Brother came over the top and there were two other callers. I called, to save the raising for the big bet on the turn - I didn’t want to cost myself money down the road. The turn was a brick and I checked to Brother. He bet, one call, and I raised. Again, two callers. I was really hoping for a reraise, and in retrospect I think I cost myself a bet by check raising. The turn was a 9, so there was no qualifying low. Unless Brother had 66, I was going to take a big pot. I bet, Brother called, I think Heidi called as well. Brother had Q6. Ouch. Flopping the bottom full house is exactly the kind of hand that either wins or loses a lot of money. There was no suckout, but I was empathizing with Annie Duke when I watched the TiVo of her knocking out Howard Lederer in the WSOP Tournament of Champions.
The sweet hand of the day came much later during a hand of 7stud. By the time we got to 5th street I had KJ/ATx. Brother had a low pair showing (That low pair was a pair of aces, bro. - Brother of Ugarte So it was. You should have been betting much more. - Ugarte), but kept tossing in fifty cent bets. Heidi had a low board, but I suspected that she had paired up a low card in her hole because she made a minimum raise on 4th street. With my high cards and gutshot draw I thought it was worthwhile to take another card. 5th street almost saw another “incident.” I checked and Brother made another minimum bet. Heidi again only called. All of this weakness screamed for a steal-raise, so I did. $4 more to see 6th street. Brother called. Heidi pondered and pondered and pondered. And flashed her hole cards to Nixma and asked for advice (none was given). She said “I’m out.” I considered that verbal declaration to be a fold. Because, you know, it is. The table decided to let her change her mind and call the bet. (Hey Diane! If you are wondering what really happens to the only woman at a poker game ...) I took a deep breath, dealt the cards and flipped over a Q for myself. This time I just bet out the $5. [EDIT: Brother folded and Heidi both called.] I didn’t care about my last card; I knew my straight was good. (That isn’t exactly true. Heidi had suckered me into betting her hand for her in the past.) I bet out $5 again and was called twice again. The straight was good. I can’t even remember what I was called with, but I do remember thinking that both Brother and Heidi had to assume I was bluffing to call me. And Brother knows that I’m not really a bluffer. (Yeah, that’s why I folded on 6th St. - Brother of Ugarte)
At 10:15, Nixma and I had to cash out to head to the A.M. tournament. I was up $38.50; he was down $22. Om had already rebought, Joel and Heidi were up. Brother was down, though not as much as this post would make it seem.
Nixma and I were looking forward to the tournament, because it is the first in a series of $5 rebuy tournaments that are acting as supersatellites for a $70 buy-in tournament amongst the group with as many entries in Foxwood’s October 31 $500+65 no limit tournament as the buy-ins generate.
But it wasn’t to be. A United Citizen’s Brigade bigshot happened to be in town and he took priority over the poker game. Unfortunately, we didn’t find out until we arrived at the door. Ordinarily we would have found out sooner, but the message board where this would have been posted is apparently having domain name problems.
There was no reprieve from this cancellation. I drove back to Helmut’s to pick up Brother of Ugarte. I’ll fill in the tote board as I get the news, but so far ...
Joel: +$65.50
Ugarte: +$38.50
Heidi: -$1
Brother -$4.50
Nixma: -$22 (Never got any cards. Ever. More folding than a laundromat.)
Om: -$76.50
And the WSOP Tournament of Champions was waiting for me on the TiVo when I got home. Apropos of nothing, Phil Hellmuth is a dick.
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