Inspiration or a Death Wish...who knows?

I was inspired today as I listened to my buddy, Jeff, tell me what has been going on in his poker life. First of all three years ago Jeff was a newb, a luchbox, or a donkey, knew about hold'em and saw it on TV and wanted to learn how to play. You see we got together with a few of his friends once a while and played cards. Seven card stud, midnight baseball, follow the queen etc. Quarter ante and bet kinda stuff. Well after one of the sessions Jeff wanted to learn how to play hold'em, his step brother and I agreed to help. We basically treated him like a lunchbox and kept taking his money.

Fast forward to 2008, Jeff has a tight/aggressive game and has worked with his brother to develop it and it has developed.

Well to my original reason for writing, he called me today and we talked about his recent visits to Harrahs that started a couple of weeks ago. He told me he has won 13 of the last 15 sessions between the 2-5 NL game and the 5-10NL game. My thoughts flashed back to the time when we were playing quarter-fifty blinds and taking $100 a session from him so long ago. So now my eagerness to get back on the felt has increased ten fold...I'm freaking foaming at the mouth to get on a table and take my first pot down. He continues to say, the reason why he called is because he took down the biggest pot in his life. I know that Jeff had been playing 2-5 NL and mixing 5-10 NL in during 2007, he must have won several thousand at one time. That is what I say and he says just listen...

He is getting snapped off at the 5-10 game this weekend, he came into the Casino with about $4500, a good part of his bankroll. His first buy in was $1000, in three hands ALL GONE. He rebuys for $1500 an hour later...ALL GONE. He has $2000 in the game and has built it up to $2600, he is called for his seat in the 10-25 NL game.

"What!" I exclaimed.

He chuckled over the phone and continues with his story, he sits down with $2600, in about three hours he is up to $6500.

"You left, right?" I said

He smiled through the phone and continued his story. He is in the small blind and looks down at pocket fours. UTG pops it for $125, three or more call to Jeff who calls. The flop is K 4 6 two clubs. Jeff checks, UTG fires out $300, one caller to Jeff you raises another $1000. UTG calls (UTG has over $15,000 in front of him). Jeff wanted to take the pot down right here but is now very nervous and he felt that the guy knew that he was nervous. The turn is a red 9. Jeff is so nervous that he checks to UTG, who makes a big bet. Jeff contemplates and calls. The river brings a dry 8. Jeff looks at the guy and taps the table again! (My thoughts..."UGH!") The guy makes the hand movements and sorta mumbles "ALL IN." Here is what went through Jeff"s head...

"he has a set of Kings or he has nothing. Yes I see the set of sixes but I can not feel that he has that hand, not a set of 9's or 8's most certain that he does not have a straight. Why did he make the hand gesture and mumble all in when he could have value betted on the river to get me to pay him off if he had my set beat? I'm going to put him on air."

Jeff called and the guy asked him again if he had called and Jeff quickly said yes I call you. The guy folds and Jeff took down about $15,000. SO NICE!!!

Congrats Jeff for having the balls to sit in that game with so little money and being David and taking down a Goliath! Stay strong and thanks for the inspiration! Hell this could have been a death wish if it had done the wrong way...who knows?

Until next time stay nice as rice and mello as jello!