Time Limits

3-8-2010

At times I may put myself on a time limit when I go play and when it gets closer to that time to leave I tend to play a little more aggressive. I also, forget to go through my progressive thought process during proper decision making. That is an opportunity for me to fix and I will figure it out. Let me take you through my last hand of the session and what I learned and need to apply going forward. The guy involved in the hand with me is an older gentleman who sat down with $300 and as most calling stations, passively called it off to everyone even me at times. Well he rebought and started playing a little better and got his stack back up a bit, but was getting very lucky.

1-2 NL game and I am in the cutt off seat (one before the button) and look down at a couple of nines. Three people limped in so I make it $17 to go. Everyone folds but my buddy calls.

He is in the hi-jack seat (two from the button) his range of limping and calling is wide open. Plus he made a comment earlier that I had a lot of chips and he likes playing with me. So I do not have him on a big Ace, maybe a small pair, a weak Ace, some type of connectors, I do not put him on anything bigger than pocket 10s he is just not that savy or he just has crap.

The flop comes 8 5 3 rainbow, he checks and I fire out $30. He calls.

Now, if I would have went through my progressive thought process I probably put him on at least second pair, A 5, or even top pair with a six being the weakest kicker, since he only called. I would have also looked at the call as him thinking I am on a big ace maybe even an over pair, and he is hoping to hit his second pair on the turn or even his eight, remember he is a calling station.

The turn brings another 8. He checks, I think for three seconds... and fire out another bet. He says how much, and calls.

My freaking radar should have gone off at this time. Everything in his body is saying, I have three of a kind, and everyone at the table can probably see this but me, because I am leaving after this hand and if I get this guy to play a big pot here I can leave up quite a bit of money! YES!

The river is an off suit 3. He grabs his chips and puts in a nice value bet. Now I go into the think tank and start thinking the wrong things.

"Did you call me with A3? I freaking bet you called with some kind of three, what else can you have?" Inner small voice..."Fold Ray." Yet I did not do the right thing in this spot. Think about his range here and what he may have, think about what you beat and cannot beat. I can beat pocket sevens, sixes, fours and deuces or a bluff. He could have everything else that beats me and the way he bet it looked like he wanted a call. I was not in that place and thinking like this during the hand, I usually do this, but at that time, before I was going to leave, it all went out the window.

I called and he showed the 8 7 off suit. Now it was a lunchbox call from him pre-flop but I played this hand so bad and did not catch all of the blaring reads that told me that I was beat on the turn. I hope you learned something from this, yes I play bad 70% of the time, but seriously, do not rush your decisons and if you have a way to play the hand back do it and 8 out of 10 times you will be correct. 80% is a pretty good figure.

Some other notes of interest:

I believetheir is a huge convention downtown this week that involves Doctors. Doctors have a lot of money and they do love to play poker. So if you get to Harrah's this weekend look me up, I will be there extracting as much money as possible.

AT&T is back in town and he may roll through with me. Harrahs has a tournament twice a month with a $300+$40 entry fee. 8000 in chips and 40 minute levels...maybe something to jump into, hopefully this takes off.

Alright, until next time you all stay nice as rice and mello as jello!