And The Beats Go On

Pokerblogen seems to be on life-support, so I’ll post this here.

I was playing in the 9:00 Full-Tilt 2,500-250 chip tourney last night. It was third hand, I was on the button, and I had just lost about 100 in chips from the small blind. The deal comes out, and I’m looking at K-K.

Now, generally speaking I’m a slow player. And a lot is going to depend on what the betting goes like before it gets to me. But I’m still thinking a bet of 60, or double the big blind, is in order. I don’t want to overbet and chase off all the possible action.

The betting goes fold, fold, call, call, fold. Now the action is to the player to my right. He bets 200. I raise it to 400, not worried anymore about betting too high and chasing people off. Chasing people off is desirable at this point - it’s far better to be in a two-player battle than a multi-player batter. The blinds both fold, and we’re back to the first player who called.

He goes all in.

Now, I assume he has a playable hand and isn’t just trying to steal a pot, but it still seems a little curious. After all, why limp in?

The next player folds, and we’re back to the guy who started the betting.

He calls the all in.

Now I’m really thinking. I’m certain he’s got a good hand, based on his original bet. But I’m looking at pocket Kings – pocket Kings! – and there is only one starting hand better.

So I call the all in.

The cards are revealed, and the first player to go all in shows Q-Q. The guy to my right shows A-A. And I show my K-K.

Now, I know I’m an underdog. And I know I’m all in, and if the odds hold up, I’m going out. But still. Q-Q, A-A, K-K? That’s pretty cool. That’s pretty damn cool.

And if you think about it, at least I’m not the Q-Q guy. I mean, he’s got Q-Q and it’s still just the third best hand showing.

Until the flop goes J-7-Q rainbow, that is. Then he’s sitting with a set of Qs, in a pretty commanding position.

But then the turn comes up a 10, giving me an open-ended straight draw. An A or a 9 on the river gives me the win. The odds improve for me, albeit very slightly. And they shrink even more, albeit slightly, for the guy with A-A. The only card that gives him a win now is a K, for an Ace-high straight. Anything other than a A, K, or 9, and the guy with Q-Q wins.

The river comes up a 3, and both A-A and I are gone.

But still, I really didn’t feel badly about it. I was in second position after the deal, and I lost. That is how it should be.

I’m sure the guy with A-A didn’t feel the same way, though.