New Years Resolutions

New Years Resolutions. Yeah, we're already half way thru January, but it's not too late, is it? I've finally made a few:

1. Play MORE Hold 'Em, specifically $20/40 at Diamond Lil's. Last year I played maybe 2 or 3 times a week, but this year I don't want to stay home more than 2 or 3 days a week. So far I've played nine of the eleven days this month. On track.

2. Play BETTER Hold 'Em. Specifically, focus on that one particular weak part of my game-- the one I've known about and struggled with for a long time-- get it fixed, and turn it from a weakness into a strength. Finally I am actually doing better with this the last couple weeks. If you ask in person what the hell I'm talking about here, I'll explain it to you. Maybe.

3. Finish the year with a better poker win record than Mrs. Rock. That has never, ever, happened before-- not even close-- but this *could* be the year.

4. Post more on this blog. Bring it back to life. Try to be entertaining.

=============

Misread the Board, Call with 10 High, and Win the Pot.

I don't think I'd ever seen his stranger before, but I sure hope to see him again. About my age, thinning wavy hair combed straight back, kinda looks a little like that old movie actor, Melvyn Douglas. On a bad day. Wears wire-rim glasses with thick lenses, but the prescription must not be right, because when he gets his cards he leans in with his head down right by the rim of the table, gets his face within a couple inches of the hand, and takes a good look. It's pretty funny to watch.

So anyway, I'm in seat 8 when this guy sits down in 9, and tells everyone that "I've been playing this game for a long, long time, so you guys better not try to run over me!" Then he proceeds to play more than half of his starting hands, and make bets, calls, and even a couple raises, that, well, just made no sense at all. And it doesn't seem like he's particularly trying to be deceptive; more like he has no clue what he's doing.

Then comes this hand where The Stranger and two other guys limp in, and I get a free play in the Big Blind, with Ten-Three. 4 players, the flop comes 8, Jack, Queen, two suited cards. I think a second about betting my gut-shot. What's the chance I can win right now, don't even have to get there? Fugedaboutit. The Stranger had limped in UTG, could have anything, the other two guys are likely to call, or raise, if they have even a piece of that flop. So I check, and, long story short, nobody bets the flop and nobody bets the turn, a blank.

Then a 9 on the river makes my straight, but makes that possible flush too. I check, The Stranger bets, and the other two guys fold. Small pot, but good odds this guy has nothing at all. I call. He hesitates, doesn't want to show, but finally turns over some nothing like five deuce off. Just as I'm tabling my hand to show my straight and claim the pot, I look at the board again. Holy Shit, that isn't Jack Queen out there, it's two Jacks! I don't have a straight. I don't have anything. But my Ten does have him high-carded, so I win. A couple other players who have been watching, and Vicky, the dealer, all look at me in surprise, trying to decide if I'm an idiot or a genius. I could have explained that I had misread the board, but admitting that would ruin the illusion, and take them-- rightfully-- to that "idiot" conclusion. So I don't say a word. :-)

Note to self: Look at the board more carefully. Twice. And maybe go see that optometrist who sent a postcard 2 years ago saying it's time for a checkup..

====================

Another Bad Play

Just got done saying "Play Better," but here's a mistake I've been thinking about for a week.

I open raise in late-middle position with Queen Ten suited, get a couple callers, and flop A94, with two of my suit. I bet, and get those same couple callers.

Turn is a Ten, and when the Big Blind check raises me, I raise him right back. I'm thinking that I can check behind him on the river, unless I make that flush. This plan starts unraveling right away: He caps it. Oops.

But then the River brings another ten, and he checks. Without enough thought, I bet, he calls, and I show my trip tens. Then he shows his pocket fours, making him fours full of tens, and takes the pot.

Then he tells me that he had to put me on Ace Ten, and didn't bet the river for fear I had filled up with a better boat than he did. Yes, of course. Thing is, I should have given more thought to "what does he think I have?" based on the action, and figured that out myself, after he four-bets the turn but then checks on that particular river card.

So my river bet was really flakey. Should have known better where I was in that hand, and saved those chips!

=============

Checking the Nuts on the River

Don't you hate it when you go for a check-raise, and nobody bets? I sure do. Especially on the River, when you turn it over, and everyone laughs. How humiliating! :-)

So I almost never take that chance, checking the nuts at the end, but there are exceptions, and against this guy was the one. I'll just call him The Feeler.

He came into my game a couple days ago, don't think I ever saw him before, and within a couple minutes of sitting down into seat 9, he reaches over and pinches the dealer's ass. No kidding.

She didn't much like that, told him "Don't!!" and also kind of half-seriously called out for Security. Then, a minute later, he does it again! Again she tells him "Don't do that !!" and calls out for security, sounding more serious this time, but the security guy apparently heard her the first time, because now he's standing right behind and looking right at this player. And yet he does nothing, and says nothing. Go figure.

I may be wrong, but it seemed to me like the dealer was so bothered by all this that she was almost ready to burst into tears. I just couldn't understand why the security guy was watching this behavior but doing nothing about it.

So I get my cell ready, planning to, if it happens again, call 911 and find out if doing that to a lady in this city is a criminal assault, like I *think* it is. Yes, I was ready to call the cops and make a complaint myself, even if the "victim" and the house weren't taking any action. Ya think they would have laughed at me, or would they take it seriously? I'm not sure. But although he never did stop running his mouth, The Feeler kept his hands to himself after that, so I didn't make that call, and didn't find out.

Can you tell that I don't much like this guy? Well, guess I do like him in my game, if not personally, and he was there again tonight, when I found Ace-King Hearts in the small blind. Several players, including The Feeler, limped in, and I raise. Flop comes two hearts, I bet, and get two callers. Turn comes a blank, I check, they check: free card.

Deuce of hearts on the river makes me the nuts. Normally I hate to check here, take a chance that nobody bets, but I already checked the turn, showed apparent weakness, and feel confident The Feeler will try to pick up this pot, if I let him. I check, and he does not disappoint. Didn't call my raise, just threw his cards in disgust. Felt sooooo good.

=============

Your Brain as a Noise Canceling Circuit

Ever used noise-canceling headphones? They have a tiny microphone on the outside that picks up the same environment noises that you DON'T want to listen to, apart from your music, then they generate and "play" an OPPOSITE of that noise, to cancel it. This can be very effective.

Well, if you're in a noisy cardroom talking to your honey or your homie on your cell, but can't hardly hear them for all the noise around you, there's a little trick that might help. All the noise is coming in both your ears, and also into your cellphone's microphone, and mixing with the voice that you're struggling to listen to.

The cellphone's mic is probably just a tiny hole at the bottom; if you COVER that with a fingertip, then your telephone ear doesn't get all the noise that the other ear gets, and your brain should step in and separate the two, and you *should* be able to hear better. Satisfaction guaranteed, or double your money back. Offer void where prohibited, or if your brain is defective.

Remember to uncover the mic when you want to talk. This may take some coordination and manual dexterity, but, hey, you can shuffle stacks of chips with both hands, right? So you should be able to handle this. :-)

====================