Maiden Voyage

As promised, my dear and patient wife made her initial foray into the world of online paker last night. Due to the insane and exciting nature of Monday Night Football and her repeated questions, my running diary of the event left much to be desired. I do remember some things.

I'm proud to report that she has at least absorbed an idea of what starting hands to play. I rarely had to prompt her, though she did want to see a flop with Q6o at Level 1. When she saw my frown, she mucked it. The flop, naturally came JJQ. She glared at me.

"You would still be vulnerable to a better kicker or a Jack."
More glaring. Turn is another Q
"Nevermind what I said about the kicker."
"Look at (my avatar). See how angry he is with you."

She took down her first pot with AJ of diamonds, pairing with a Jack high flop. One player called her all the way down with QJ.

With AQo in the BB, she raised out all but a single limper (good girl!). Flop came 876 of spades. Check, check. Turn is a 5d and she checks, then raises his 30 bet (NO!!!!!!!). Other player raises to 90. "That means he's made his hand, honey." She calls anyway. River is a 9d for a straight on the board. She check calls a 60 bet and falls to a flush. A made flush checked on the flop on a $5 table. What universe is this?

She doesn't see any more flops for a while until she gets J9o in the BB. Sees it for free and it comes QJ9 with two clubs. Bets out 100 and is raised by the big stack. Folded back to her and she goes all in. He flips over A8 of clubs and makes his flush to put her out in 7th.

"It was the right play, honey. You got your chips in while ahead. Nothing you can do."
"I see why this game pisses you off sometimes."

So now she wants to play more. Fine with me, but she has to read a book or two first. And watch me play some more. And get her own bankroll.

I played a couple $10 tourneys after that. Nothing to recommend about them really. I got no cards. And when I did, I was dominated. For instance, AQo on the button. 4x raise from UTG, re-raise from CO and I fold. They show AK and JJ. I limp in with 44 in MP, BB raises 3x. I fold. He shows KK. The only two playable hands I had in 25. That's the kind of night it was.

Ended up with a 4th and a 6th. The bubble loss was a little annoying. I was third stack with about 1200. Two others around 3000 and a short stack at 800. My blinds kept getting raised and I had nothing to call with. Short stack was about to be blinded off (this after staying alive earlier by catching a 3-outer on the river). Had 400 of her 560 in the BB. Button raises to 800. I call with A5 of spades. BB calls all-in. Two spades on a ragged flop. And runner-runner ducks for three dueces on the board. I fold to river bet from button who caught a pair of 7s for the boat. BB/Short stack shows QQ. Damn! I went out a couple hands later with A9 to big stack's pocket 10s.

There WAS an interesting development in this tourney five-handed. Medium stack to my left went all-in pre-flop on 4 straight hands. He won the first. The next 3, he was ahead on all. Lost all 3 to straights. He was not pleased.

Was talking to a buddy last night about making a pilgrammage to our local Indian Casino here shortly for some live play. It has just expanded and is having a grand re-opening this Saturday. It's supposed to be a top notch place now (designed and built by the same folks who did the Palms in Vegas and it has some of the same restaurants and looks very similar). I advanced the idea that I could generate an interesting table image if I wore all three pieces of my free party poker merchandise (hat, t-shirt, denim shirt). His response:

"You might as well show up dressed like Spock."

Good times.

New Link Alert

I've added BadBlood to the poker links. I don't really have a system for doing this. I read numerous blogs, some once, some repeatedly, and I'll list them as I get around to it. BadBlood gets today's prize for a fine post about reacting to a river beat with a child within earshot. I have SO been there. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, he mentions Slayer. Slayer, if you don't know, is the greatest band ever. A reference book I once consulted described their seminal release "Reign in Blood" thusly: "(It) brings metal to its ultimate conclusion."

Top that.

I've also added April to the list due to the simple fact she was kind enough to comment here, such is the level to which I crave human contact. And her blog name is outstanding. Thanks, April.