Win Streak?

My last session of 2007 (at least I think it will be) was a pretty profitable one: +$150 playing $.25-$.50.

But, unlike last session, where I needed to hit lucky to come out on top, I had a real, real solid session, almost to the point of flawless. I played close to the vest and whenever there was a big pot, I made sure I was putting my money in with the best of it. My reads were on point and my deductive reasoning was dead-on.

There were three big hands:

PokerStars Game #14206837580: Hold'em No Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2007/12/30 - 15:56:12 (ET)Table 'Bishop III' 9-max Seat #7 is the buttonSeat 1: jarrad007 ($48.30 in chips) Seat 2: reda0010 ($10 in chips) Seat 3: SD-native24 ($60.40 in chips) Seat 4: canalla18 ($61.10 in chips) Seat 5: Caillette07 ($3.45 in chips) Seat 6: diablo4824 ($30.10 in chips) Seat 7: CaptainPL ($27.75 in chips) Seat 8: nickianthony ($56.25 in chips) Seat 9: Tripset30 ($47.50 in chips) nickianthony: posts small blind $0.25Tripset30: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to Tripset30 [Ks Ah]
jarrad007: calls $0.50reda0010: folds SD-native24: calls $0.50canalla18: folds Caillette07: raises $2.95 to $3.45 and is all-indiablo4824: folds CaptainPL: folds nickianthony: folds Tripset30: calls $2.95jarrad007: calls $2.95SD-native24: calls $2.95
*** FLOP *** [Jh As 5s]Tripset30: checks jarrad007: checks SD-native24: bets $2.50Tripset30: raises $4.50 to $7jarrad007: folds SD-native24: calls $4.50
*** TURN *** [Jh As 5s] [Ts]Tripset30: checks SD-native24: bets $10Tripset30: raises $27.05 to $37.05 and is all-inSD-native24: calls $27.05
*** RIVER *** [Jh As 5s Ts] [4s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***Tripset30: shows [Ks Ah] (a flush, Ace high)SD-native24: shows [Th Js] (a flush, Ace high - lower cards)Tripset30 collected $85.80 from side potCaillette07: mucks hand Tripset30 collected $13.35 from main potSD-native24 said, "you are so lucky boy :-)"*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $102.15 Main pot $13.35. Side pot $85.80. Rake $3 Board [Jh As 5s Ts 4s]Seat 1: jarrad007 folded on the FlopSeat 2: reda0010 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 3: SD-native24 showed [Th Js] and lost with a flush, Ace highSeat 4: canalla18 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 5: Caillette07 mucked [Kh Ad]Seat 6: diablo4824 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 7: CaptainPL (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 8: nickianthony (small blind) folded before FlopSeat 9: Tripset30 (big blind) showed [Ks Ah] and won ($99.15) with a flush, Ace high

Okay, let me first address SD-native's comment. Maybe I was lucky to hit my flush on the river, but with top pair and the nut flush draw, I don't think I'm going anywhere. Plus, what the hell is he doing calling a check-raise on the flop with middle pair, especially when I'd played maybe 15% of my hands prior to the flop? Come on, now.


PokerStars Game #14207065056: Hold'em No Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2007/12/30 - 16:05:41 (ET)Table 'Bishop III' 9-max Seat #7 is the buttonSeat 1: jarrad007 ($43.60 in chips) Seat 2: reda0010 ($9.25 in chips) Seat 3: SD-native24 ($14.75 in chips) Seat 4: canalla18 ($62.55 in chips) Seat 5: ehans21 ($49.25 in chips) Seat 6: diablo4824 ($27.85 in chips) Seat 7: CaptainPL ($28.20 in chips) Seat 8: nickianthony ($58.05 in chips) Seat 9: Tripset30 ($97.85 in chips) nickianthony: posts small blind $0.25Tripset30: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to Tripset30 [6s 5s]jarrad007: folds reda0010: folds SD-native24: folds canalla18: folds ehans21: folds diablo4824: raises $1.50 to $2CaptainPL: folds nickianthony: folds Tripset30: calls $1.50
*** FLOP *** [3s 4s 5d]Tripset30: checks diablo4824: bets $2Tripset30: raises $4 to $6diablo4824: calls $4
*** TURN *** [3s 4s 5d] [7d]Tripset30: bets $11diablo4824: calls $11
*** RIVER *** [3s 4s 5d 7d] [Qc]Tripset30: bets $9diablo4824: calls $8.85 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***Tripset30: shows [6s 5s] (a straight, Three to Seven)diablo4824: mucks hand Tripset30 collected $53.25 from potdiablo4824 leaves the table*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $55.95 Rake $2.70 Board [3s 4s 5d 7d Qc]Seat 1: jarrad007 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 2: reda0010 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 3: SD-native24 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 4: canalla18 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 5: ehans21 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 6: diablo4824 mucked [9c 9s]Seat 7: CaptainPL (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 8: nickianthony (small blind) folded before FlopSeat 9: Tripset30 (big blind) showed [6s 5s] and won ($53.25) with a straight, Three to Seven

Diablo had been playing fairly tight, and I felt like I could outplay him after the flop. In a lot of cases I'm getting about 2-1 on my money, and even though that didn't end up being the case I figured it was worth a shot.

I couldn't have asked for a better flop. 3-4-5, giving me top pair, an open-ended straight flush draw and, obviously, an open-ended straight possibility. I checked, and he bet. I figured he'd fire in some sort of continuation bet, and he did. After he called my check-raise, I definitely put him on an over-pair but no better than 10s. I would have heard about it.

Then of course, the seven comes on the turn. A lot of people check there, but knowing that he had an overpair I figured it better that I bet because if I check he's just checking behind me. Plus, if I check it's almost screaming out that I have a straight and I'm gonna make a value bet on the river. By betting it almost looks like I'm trying to scare him off the hand.

And then, well, pot odds probably forced him to call on the river. At that point there was like $44 in the pot and he merely had to call an additional nine. Funny, some dude after the hand was like, "Are you kidding me?" To paraphrase what Doyle Brunson said, you're supposed to hit your draws sometimes.

PokerStars Game #14207617909: Hold'em No Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2007/12/30 - 16:28:30 (ET)Table 'Bishop III' 9-max Seat #9 is the buttonSeat 2: reda0010 ($9.50 in chips) Seat 3: poker.fr ($49.50 in chips) Seat 4: canalla18 ($62.65 in chips) Seat 5: ehans21 ($55.20 in chips) Seat 6: Monarch44 ($50.50 in chips) Seat 8: nickianthony ($57.30 in chips) Seat 9: Tripset30 ($125.15 in chips) julienlebcbg will be allowed to play after the buttonreda0010: posts small blind $0.25poker.fr: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to Tripset30 [Kd Kh]canalla18: raises $2 to $2.50ehans21: folds Monarch44: folds nickianthony: folds Tripset30: raises $4.50 to $7reda0010: folds poker.fr: calls $6.50canalla18: calls $4.50
*** FLOP *** [9d 4c 6d]poker.fr: checks canalla18: checks Tripset30: bets $12poker.fr: folds ehans21 is disconnected canalla18: raises $43.65 to $55.65 and is all-inTripset30 said, "jesus"Tripset30: calls $43.65
*** TURN *** [9d 4c 6d] [7h]
*** RIVER *** [9d 4c 6d 7h] [9c]*** SHOW DOWN ***canalla18: shows [Qs Qc] (two pair, Queens and Nines)Tripset30: shows [Kd Kh] (two pair, Kings and Nines)Tripset30 collected $129.55 from pot*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $132.55 Rake $3 Board [9d 4c 6d 7h 9c]Seat 2: reda0010 (small blind) folded before FlopSeat 3: poker.fr (big blind) folded on the FlopSeat 4: canalla18 showed [Qs Qc] and lost with two pair, Queens and NinesSeat 5: ehans21 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 6: Monarch44 folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 8: nickianthony folded before Flop (didn't bet)Seat 9: Tripset30 (button) showed [Kd Kh] and won ($129.55) with two pair, Kings and Nines

Obviously this was a huge hand. I had a feeling it would be when Canalla raised to $2.50 pre-flop, a huge raise anywhere except in some of the home games I frequent. I have no idea why poker.fr cold-called, but I guess it doesn't really matter. What does matter is that Canalla just smooth-called.

The flop wasn't really scary, but I admit I was really shook when Canalla made it $55.65 to go. For a moment I thought, "Damn, isn't this some karma? I sucked out on aces last night with kings, and now he's hit his set on my kings." However, I quickly determined that that couldn't be the case.

$2.50 UTG with nines, sixes, or fours? That's suicidal, and that's not the type of player I'd determined Canalla to be in the two hours or so I sat with him.

Obviously, the only other hand that scared me would be aces. While $2.50 UTG could fulfill that criteria, smooth calling against me with position and with establishing a tight image just wasn't feasible. I put him on queens or jacks and called. Thankfully, I was right.

This is a hell of a way to end 2007. Now, let me go get some money out from ePassporte.

Finally.