First off, the table seemed to have its fair mix of decent to terrible players; the most notable of which was a slightly rotund and comical looking fellow of far-eastern origin who was a total gambler. Before my rush started I was in a hand against him where I looked down at AK suited. A £15 raise with this, of course, wasn't enough to push him off and he re-raised me by shoving his stack of £63 into the middle. I insta-called, of course. He held J2 suited and spiked a jack on the turn but I was happy to see club, club on the turn and river to complete my flush. (~£60 profit.) This put my stack at £250 and I really was thinking of just banking the win and going home (after the next hand I wish I had) but I carried on...
Key Hand #2
As I started spewing, yet again, and seeing my stack dwindle back down to £200 I played a dubious hand once again with AK against Mr Comically Rotund; but there was another player in the hand who threw a spanner into the works. It was preflop and Mr Comically Rotund limps. I look down at AK and chuck in £10. Mr Button calls but then Mr C.R. chucks in his £38 stack. I flat call (which is weak, I know) hoping just to see a flop as I sense Mr Button wants to get involved. Yes, he wants to get involved as he throws in the rest of his £90 chips. Sensing Mr Button is strong I make what is probably my worst play of the evening and fold my AK! (Maybe I just didn't like the idea of spewing more chips but sometimes you just play crap, right?) Anyway, as the low dry board is dealt out Mr Button shows JJ to scoop the pot. I would have lost anyway but I can't believe how weak I am playing! (~£40 loss)
---------------
After 5 hours of break-even play where I knew I was playing badly and my table image was poor, three hands in about 20 minutes came along which changed everything:Key Hand #3
I get dealt KK from early to mid-position and raise £10 and get a call from the small blind. The flop comes Q 6 7, with two clubs. The villain checks and I put her all-in for all her chips amounting to about £75. She calls but misses her draw. (~£90 profit)Key Hand #4
The very next hand I get dealt KK in the big blind. There are a few limpers and I see that the aggressive button has raised to £15. I re-raise to £42 and the limpers, along with Mr. Button, all fold. (~£20 profit) I mention this hand because, in conjunction with hand 3, it started to repair my dodgy table image.
Key Hand #5
About three hands later comes the jackpot hand. The hijack seat brings in a raise for £8. I'm in the cut-off and look down at JJ and re-raise to £21. The button calls and Mr Hijack calls. The flop comes down A J 8 giving me the set. Mr Hijack checks and I raise to £60. The button calls and Mr Hijack folds (he later reveals that he folded QQ). The turn comes a K, giving an A J 8 K board. I move all-in for my remaining £180 or so and he calls. The river comes a 10 which puts three spades on the board; plus it would have made the straight for Mr Hijack. This doesn't improve my hand but, more importantly, doesn't improve my villain's hand either who shows AK for two pair. I scoop in a large pot. (~£280 profit)
---------------
Soon after this I went for a stroll to stretch my legs and grabbed a beer. I returned for another 30 minutes or so and left at around midnight with £550 in chips. (I cashed out at the casino, rather than the poker room, of course.) I really was thinking of returning to The Fox for another cash game but felt this would be pushing it so decided against it. This means, with the £10 loss at The Fox taken into account, I ended the evening with £340 (~$520) in profit. I try not to brag, I really do, but this means that my last two visits to The Empire have netted me a cool £1000! Online poker? Who needs it? Happy days indeed!
---------------
One last thing I will mention is that Mr Idiot Floor Manager has cost his dealers a few pounds here because, after my last visit, I really didn't feel like tipping as much as I used to. Yes, I tipped, as always, but it was just the 50p chip here and £1 there rather than my usual generosity. My message? Keep the customers satisfied for crying out loud!
No comments:
Post a Comment