Straight Flush

The purpose of this post is not to gloat in my straight flush but to make the point that players need to raise and bet enough to prevent draws from calling you. I was in my regular $1-$2 no limit hold 'em game and picked up 9s-7s in late position. The pot was not raised so I limped in for the $2. There were about 6 players in the pot as is typical for a low stakes game. I know some people would argue to play my position and raise the pot pre-flop, but that is just not my style. I know I can out play my opponents after the flop and if I happened to hit a monster flop I would probably get paid off.

The flop came Js-10s-x. That is a great flop for my hand. I figured I would win with any spade or any 8--that is 12 outs. After a couple of checks a player led out with a bet about 3/4 of the size of the pot. I know raising is definitely an option, but I didn't want to go crazy without a made hand. I flat called and so did a player to my left. Everyone else folded. I hit my 8 on the turn--it was the 8 of spades. I just turned the nuts. The player to my right moved all in. You just can't ask for a better situation. Now I still had a player behind me so I didn't instantly call. I debated raising, but figured my best chance for the other player to get involved was if I just called. I called, the player to my left folded and the player to my right turned over a jack. He was drawing dead and I took down a nice pot.

Big Tournament

A few months ago, I took a stab at a 4 figure buy in tournament. I was confident in my game and wanted to see how I fared against some better competition. I got off to a rocky start. I lost almost half of my chips in the first level. It wasn't due to bad play--I was just getting cold decked. I limped in the small blind with 9-2 off suit. My opponent flopped two pair and trapped me while I turned a lower two pair. I held A-2 in the small blind. My opponent on the button held A-Q and didn't raise the pot. We both make trip aces on the river and I lose the minimum.

I was struggling for chips when I picked up K-K in the second level. I raised and then got reraised. I raised again (of course, the third bet is always aces or kings) and got called in two spots. I didn't like that at all. The flop came jack high and action was checked to me. I moved all in and got called instantly by Q-Q. The kings held up and I was back in it. I picked up a couple more pots at that level and things were going well. In the third level, I raised with 7-7 and flopped an open end straight draw. My opponent led out and I raised with my pair and draw. My opponent called and then moved all in when an ace hit the turn. I had to fold and gave up a big pot.

For the next few levels, I was treading water. I really went card dead, but did manage to pick up a pot here and there. However, I proceeded to get short stacked. I was in the small blind with K-J and faced a minimum raise. I felt as if was dominated here, so I just folded the hand. I later picked up A-J and raised all in and won a pot pre-flop. I called a raise with 3-3 on the button. The flop came all clubs and my opponent led out. I probably should have reraised all in pre-flop, but that is hard to do with a small pair. I finally made a move by limping in and then reraising all in with 6-6. Of course, I ran into K-K and was out after surviving about 50% of the field.

If anything, that tournament taught me that I can hold my own against solid amatures and professionals. I was surprised that there was some extremely bad play in the early levels. While I'm not planning on playing bigger buy in events on a regular basis, I will certainly play one every now and then.