Grubby at PokerWorks

It could be the 2 liter bottle of Diet Coke that I drank half of or the gobs of sushi that I ate or the second (and final, let’s hope) losing session of $300 on UltimateBet blackjack (rigged, I tell you), or the SnGs that I fell asleep on (came in 4th on the bubble), but I’ve been having some incredibly visceral and suspenseful dreams lately that’s awaking me in the middle of the night.

More than likely, it was all of the above plus being influenced by the excellent movie Hot Fuzz.

This dream had me inside a suspected murderer’s apartment searching for evidence that will clear my good name, when the owner suddenly makes an appearance inserting his key into the lock.

I dive beneath a table and freeze, as he walks around the room (this was probably from my upstairs neighbor’s heavy and creaky footsteps).

While under the desk, I find a sheriff’s badge, meaning it was the sheriff who was comitting the murders (the butler did it!) that I was being framed for. I also realize my legs are sticking straight out, in full view of him as he’s bandying about the apartment.

I also realize that’s the first time I’ve used the word “bandying.”

He leaves, I wait a couple minutes to be sure he’s gone, and I wiggle out from under the desk and peer out the window to see him walking away. My vantage point looks like the Dallas grassy knoll.

I leave the apartment and catch a bus (I ride the bus daily) but it’s stuck in traffic (Cubs game traffic, or more recently, traffic on the way to the boats). I’m sitting in the back, and when I look out the window I see the sheriff just as he sees me.

But did he see me or was he watching the entire time?

I leave the bus and walk quickly to a hotel, trying not to arouse police suspicion. In the corner of my eye I can see he’s starting to come after me.

As soon as I enter the hotel, I walk to the row of elevators. When one opens, I sprint toward it, repeatedly hitting the button to close the door right when the sheriff arrives.

To campy Muzak over the loudspeakers, I then try to think how he’d think I’d think (poker again, or maybe Roshambo). He’d be watching which floor I’d get off and head for the stairs.

Inside the elevator, I pressed a button near the top floor. When it stopped on that floor, I held the door and waited a moment. Then just in case he was still watching the floors, I pressed all buttons on the way down.

My thinking was I’d get off on one of those down floors, but he wouldn’t know which one. Still, how would I get out of the hotel if he just decided to camp out waiting in the lobby?

And then I woke up, having to pee.

***

I left a little bit of Diet Coke in this previously empty Starbucks cup at work over the weekend, and this is what it looked like Monday morning:

Thank goodness for stomach acid breaking down that carbonation.

While losing in blackjack at UB, I played the $33 unlimited rebuy tourney.  Built up a sizeable stack with no rebuys and was at 3x average, when the chip leader who outstacked me 2x raised.

I had AA and reraised.  The flop is two spades, and he pushes with his K2 of spades.  I call and the turn’s a spade.  My Ace of spades doesn’t help me on the river, and I don’t rebuy.

I usually reraise all-in preflop with Aces because I want to get heads-up, but it was pointed out to me that maybe I’m not getting the full value out of them that I could be.

I’m now going back to reraising all-in.

***

I was thinking more about that quads hand at the boats that I posted yesterday.

Before the hand, I enjoyed some burnt fries and overly crispy chicken tenders at the Resorts diner, which is anything but Resortish but the only sitdown place open after midnight:

After losing my buy-in to a flopped set over set, I took a food break and also played some blackjack. With the slot floor so crowded and no seats available on the penny machines, I had no desire to play slots. In Vegas, where there’re many more options and empty slot seats, it’s a much more inviting atmosphere.

Back to the poker room.

In the hand, the flop is A-4-4.

It’s checked to the MP, who bets $15. LP and BB call.

The turn is a 4.

BB checks to the MP, who bets $25. LP calls.

BB check-raises to $75.

MP reraises all-in for about $300.

LP is holding an Ace. It’s an instance of just seeing your card and not thinking what your opponents could have.

With everyone limping for $2, it’s possible the big blind is sitting on the case 4.

Two more Aces are also out there. Could someone have limped with pocket Aces?

BB has something strong enough to warrant a check-raise on the turn.

MP has something stronger to push all his chips.

At the very least, each one has an Ace. LP has $40 invested so far. In the best-case scenario, he’ll be splitting the pot three ways.

Why call all his chips (another $300 or so) with the hope of getting his money back?

It was a ridiculously played hand, one of many that night that would help me win back what I lost before my food break, plus some.

Now back to bed to get some sleep for the Tuesday tournament at the boats tonight.  I’m not satisfied how I’ve performed in this tourney the past two times and I’m going to try a different strategy.

And let’s see if I can win in slots for the third time in a row.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 1st, 2007 at 4:08 am and is filed under Uncategorized.