Worth every penny

Played at R’s home game tonight. The tournament portion of the evening went long, so we didn’t get a full table until nearly midnight, an hour before I was to go home.

Some readers may remember that a couple weeks ago I was a bit under the weather. R knew the whole story and had shared it with the group at the last game. When I arrived tonight, I was warmly greeted and everyone wanted to know the status of my health. It was nice to know people cared, even though it did not take long for the jokes at my expense. I assured them that I was ready to play and they were free to hold nothing back. They did not disappoint. Nor did I. Of course, flopped broadways and sets of Jacks help.

I was well on my way to a very positive night until 12:45, fifteen minutes before it was time to leave. The dealer called Omaha Hi-Lo, No Limit. The dealer is a relative newcomer to the game. He’s an older gentleman who plays well, and he often moneys in the tournament. Tonight was no different, splitting 2nd and 3rd place with another good tourney player.

Now, I have to back up a little. Our cash game is .50/1.00. Most people buy-in for $50 or $60. One or two players buy-in for $100. This guy, the dealer, buys in for $200! A little deep stack poker? So, it may not be surprising that he likes to play Omaha “because the pots can get so big.” Having bought in for $50 myself, as soon as he bought in, I emptied my pockets of all of my cash, giving me about 130 BBs.

Anyway, the table limped around to me in middle position with AsAcKs8h. I raised it up just a little and the entire table of nine players called. Oh joy. The guy two to my left then volunteers, “Isn’t it better to just limp in Hi-Lo and then see what comes on the flop?’ Well, I suppose so; yet, had I been double-suited, I would have raised more.

Now I have to back up again so I can tell you a little about this guy who questioned my raise. He’s new to this particular home game. He had played in the tourney and I had heard him offering up poker wisdom in that game as well. I listened as attentively as I could, as when an unknown player shows up, I try to gather as much information about them as I can. In fact, I don’t mind sometimes that the cash game doesn’t start soon after I arrive because I can then watch other players unfettered by my own hand. Yet, even though I was listening, I found other things about him rather distracting. He had the smoothest face I have ever seen on a man, almost as if he had a face lift. No visible beard. He also had little diamond posts in each ear. His hair was a little long. (Not nearly s long as mine.) And search as I may, I could not find an Adam’s Apple. Of course, to top it all off, his voice was just a tad on the higher register side. I could care less whether this person was trans or not, but trying to figure out such things can really throw my game off!

The flop gave me a set of Aces and I bet the pot. Perhaps I should have waited to check-raise in my position, for as soon as the woman on my left called, so did four others. My lord. The turn brought a possible middle straight, and a short stack went all in. This move gave everyone a cheap card, which at this point I was happy to have. Were I to bet the pot, I would be all-in, and in Hi-Lo, I just didn’t see any merit in that move. I knew what I was up against: A low with straight potential, a flush draw to my left, and maybe another flush draw out there as well, and none of them were going away. Unfortunately, the board did not pair on the river. Instead, the flush hit. I said goodbye to my evening’s profit and left shortly thereafter up $3. It would have been more had I not raised 6 x BB in the SB with AKoff. Everyone who had limped into the pot, maybe five players, called. I folded on the flop when I whiffed. What took down the hand? 37h from the Button. Yep, it was time to leave. I told them all to go fuck themselves, which in R’s home game parlance means, “It’s been fun!”