My Sincerest Apologies....And...In Las Vegas!

Guys- I suck. It has been three weeks since I blogged. I have a million excuses, but the reality is my blog is part of my poker life, and my poker life has taken a place on the back burner the last couple of weeks- I really hate when that happens. But now, I am back on track. My sister's bridal shower was this past Sunday, and it was awesome, everyone loved it, the candy theme was a smashing success, and I am so happy. All I wanted was to make this an original, untypical-unboring shower, and it was.

Ok, enough girly talk. I do have more hand histories from Borgata that I will post but not until next week when I get home. I am in Vegas right now for 8 days- mix of business/pleasure. Jon and I are staying with our friend Dragon (who found a great apartment, its beautiful and makes me jealous I am not living out here, but I digress), but on Wed, I am stayin at Planet Hollywood for 5 days with my sister and her friends for the ultimate bachelorette party. Should be so much fun! I am trying to get as much poker in as I can during the day b/c the evenings are goin to be filled with going out!

I also want to say Congrats to Bumbklaat (aka Chris from Fl), a friend of mine who went very deep in Sun 2 million guar, chopped a few tourneys on stars, and overall is having a phenomenal three weeks! Good job Bumb. Also, congrats to Dragon (aka our friend Pete in LV), who final tabled the Orleans tourney yesterday for a Cardplayer cash, and also did well in a few tournaments in June, very nice Dragon!!

So, on a difference note, Jon and I arrived yesterday, relaxed for a bit, had some dinner and then went over to Venetian to play (we both really like their poker room). I was a bit anxious about playing cash because I have not played cash regularly since last year. My focus this year has been online tourneys and some live tournament series. I decided, after speaking with Jon about strategy, and that I was not going to play scared, to use my reads to make my decisions. Not chicken out and follow thru on my reads 100%. So based on that, the following hand came up.

I had been playing very tight, and I looked like the 'typeical tight chic' at the table. I had a great table, excellent mix of weak tight, 1 loose aggro, and a bunch of very readable players (with continuation bets, etc). So, I have KJ dd in middle pos, I raise to $30 (playing 2/5 NL by the way) and the sb and bb, both pretty tight, call. Flop is Q 7 8 with two clubs. Both blinds check to me, and I normally would not cont bet here, but being as it is a harmless flop with exception of q, and I was tight, so my bet should signify AQ ++ (aa, kk), I led out for $60. The sb mucked, and bb called. Now I had observed this kid check raise with monsters (so I can eliminate set possibilities) and bet into raiser with top pair (he probably does not have Q). So I narrow his range to open ended 6-9, 5-6, flush draw, J - 10 cl for gut/shot fl draw, etc. So I decide to see how he acts on turn. Turn is 4d, making board Q 7 8 4, which completes one of his draws, he checks very fast as if he is not interested in the turn. So I check behind. River is 4 sp. He now leads into me for $100.

My first instinct was, he missed his draw. Then I thought, maybe he has a full house. And then I re-played hand, and decided he did not check/call and then check turn with set. Almost impossible. 44 is out bc he mucks on flop. So the hands he has that beat me are A hi fl draw missed, or A4 cc, and he hit running fours. Those are only hands that I can legitimately give him with that bet on river. So based on the fact that I beat so much more of his range, I called pretty quick and he said nine hi and mucked. I tabled K hi for 300$ pot. My other option on river, was that if he could have Ace hi, I could raise the river and he has to muck, but bc of off chance he has a 4, I decided to just call. But that is a great example of how raising the river with nothing to get your opposnent to fold their nothing that might beat your nothing is a great play. In any case, it felt quite good and gave me great confidence, that I hope lasts throughout the trip.

Lastly, we told Jon's family pretty much, in total, that he is full time poker player. His immediate family is as understanding and supportive as they can be, which is great, but his extended family, not so much. Whatever. Jon an I were then joking how it is probably easier to tell your family that one is gay than one is a poker player. I think it really depends if your family is more worried about your social status (straight/gay) or economic status (poker players notoriously having a gambler-degenerative, financial failure stereotype). It was pretty funny though.

Ok guys, good luck at the tables and I post during the trip if I can!

Good money and peace,
Lucky C, and Ace.