Unadulterated whine

I sweated Stan last night in two of his MTTs at Stars. Close to the money, he went for the gusto and went busto. Happens. We’re on Skype and he asks me if I want to play some heads up at Poker Academy. He needs the practice for the Aussie Millions ME in four days. It was late, I was tired and I had already done 100 hands of HU earlier in the evening, so I declined.

“Ah, c’mon. We’ll do it for play money no PAX.”

I have about 40K PAX and Stan has about 10K more than that, so neither one of is hurting. It was past my bedtime, yet for Stan, an Aussie, he was just hitting his stride. I stalled, and then I got to thinking: Stan is primarily a cash player where Heads Up play is what one hopes for in a hand, and while that may happen in a tourney, it is less likely a cash scenario. He needs the practice, and who am I to turn down a fellow PAer who could very well do well in a few days and make us all proud. I acquiesced.

Stan and I have played HU before, and for PAX… a lot of PAX. We’ve had hands that had pots as large as 6K, more PAX than 95% of the members of Poker Academy have ever had for their bankroll. One memorable hand in a $5/10 game found me with Queens in the hole on the BB. Stan raised on the button and I came over the top. He called. The flop came with two 2s. He held 25off. It stung bad. A little while later he took down my AA with J8 and a straight.

So, yes, I have another reason to avoid playing HU with Stan. He’s a friggin’ luckbox.

Poker Academy Online #50,402,614, T#356
No Limit Texas Holdem ($15/$30 NL)
Table Pyrite
January 15, 2009 - 00:33:28 (PST)

1} ubu roi $1,670 Jd Ac
6) -stanlev- * $1,330 ?? ??

-stanlev- posts small blind $15
ubu roi posts big blind $30
-stanlev- calls $15
ubu roi bets $60
-stanlev- raises $180
ubu roi calls $180

FLOP: 8h 6s 5s
ubu roi checks
-stanlev- bets $90
ubu roi raises $90
-stanlev- raises $880 (all-in)
ubu roi folds

-stanlev- wins $900 uncontested

The next hand:

Poker Academy Online #50,402,615, T#356
No Limit Texas Holdem ($15/$30 NL)
Table Pyrite
January 15, 2009 - 00:33:53 (PST)

1} ubu roi * $1,220 4d 2c
6) -stanlev- $1,780 As 6h

ubu roi posts small blind $15
-stanlev- posts big blind $30
ubu roi calls $15
-stanlev- checks

FLOP: 6d 3s 4s
-stanlev- bets $60
ubu roi calls $60

TURN: 6d 3s 4s Jc
-stanlev- checks
ubu roi checks

RIVER: 6d 3s 4s Jc Jd
-stanlev- bets $90
ubu roi calls $90
-stanlev- shows As 6h
ubu roi mucks

-stanlev- wins $360 with Two Pair, Jacks and Sixes

And thirteen hands later:

Poker Academy Online #50,402,628, T#356
No Limit Texas Holdem ($25/$50 NL)
Table Pyrite
January 15, 2009 - 00:37:25 (PST)

1} ubu roi $975 9s Jd
6) -stanlev- * $2,025 Jc Ah

-stanlev- posts small blind $25
ubu roi posts big blind $50
-stanlev- calls $25
ubu roi checks

FLOP: Ts Kd Qc
ubu roi checks
-stanlev- checks

TURN: Ts Kd Qc 4d
ubu roi bets $100
-stanlev- calls $100

RIVER: Ts Kd Qc 4d 8h
ubu roi bets $300
-stanlev- raises $475

Only one hand beats me. It’s HU, for crissake.

ubu roi raises $50 (all-in)
-stanlev- calls $50
ubu roi shows 9s Jd
-stanlev- shows Jc Ah

-stanlev- wins $1,950 with an Ace High Straight