Derailing the FTrain

So it's kind of an asshole move to title my post on busting my buddy. But read this and you may see it as just deserts.

Back at the club in the 250+25 tourney. Only 12 players as it seems all of New York is at the Borgata open today.

FTrain and I started on different, short handed tables.

Early on I got snapped off on a bluff for 2000 of my starting 10,000. Clearly looking like a fish myself, I wrote down the guy's license plate for future reference.

Got my chance in the big blind with 8,000 behind when I found myself 2rd UTG with Hilton Sisters and raised the 100-200 blind to 1,000. Around to the Snapper and he made it 3,000 to go. I just knew I was ahead. Not sure how I knew it, but I was sure. I raised all-in and stared at the guy openly. I really wanted to make him think I was bluffing. He went into the tank and then finally called me with 99. Scary moment when the turn brought him 4 to a flush, but the ladies held up and I was early chip leader on the table. He was very short stacked and I busted him out 2 orbits later when my A3 suited rivered a 3 on his AT suited.

The tables consolidated with a few bust outs on FTrain's table. I was not in the hand or even at the table, but heard of it quickly from FTrain where a tight player raised with KK and was called by JJ, and OVERCALLED with 84 suited played by a player that I will call Moby Dick. Of course 84 suited scooped with two pair and Moby Dick join the final table with the only stack bigger than mine--about 45k to my 32k. After dealing for place, he was in the 10 seat, I was in the 2 seat and sweet fate put FTrain in the 1 seat with about 9k.

FTrain and I observed the whale as a few players busted out. We noted he would call with almost anything but his raises usually meant he had something, at least a very good draw.

FTrain claims later he stole a few pots from me--including a stone cold all-in raise (I remember the hand but not what I had--I think I had top pair with an abysmal kicker and was certainly tempted to call, I'm sure he made a good move). I know I stole a few from him by calling his preflop bets and betting after his postflop checks (this comment will no doubt earn me a future check-raise). Finally, with 200-400 blinds, he made it 1500 to go (I think) and I looked down to see King Kong. I asked him how many chips he had--which I had previously done before folding to another raise of his--the answer was still just under 9k. I made it 4k to go, not wanting a cheap flop for an ace and hoping to drag down a high pair (obviously if I'm facing aces I've got a problem, but I did have him well covered). He thought for awhile and finally pushed. Insta-calling and insta-flipping found my cowboys up against his Hilton Sisters. They held up.

FTrain later said he should have folded to the 4k bet, but hell, he knows with that chip stack I'll make that move with JJ or TT as well, maybe even slick, and his stack really isn't big enough to wait around. Perhaps he can smooth call and fold if an ace hits, but really, I don't think it's at all a bad move, just bad luck.

With only 12 players, no deal made sense pre-bubble, so we played down. Soon I found myself in the money, with English Eddie's short 17k stack on my left and Moby Dick's about-my-sized stack on my right--each with just over 50k. Prize structure was 1800-750-450 and Moby Dick wanted a deal. I desperately wanted to get head's up with Moby Dick but was willing to consider a deal. Moby proposed 1200-1200-600. I thought this was fair but proposed to pay English Eddie 600 and play on heads-up; that was against house rules but it did not matter anyway as English Eddie, as was his right, demanded 700. I thought that was too much given the stack sizes and was really itching to take on Moby so I refused.

Then it happened.

In small blind with about 48k, 300-600, Moby limped and I looked down to see AK diamonds. I made it 2000 to go and English Eddie folded. Moby, as I expected and dreaded, called. Flop was A-K-x with one heart, no diamonds. I made it 5000 to go and was called. Turn came a second rag heart and I made it 15k. Moby thought for a short moment and raised me all in. OK, I knew he had something, but how can I lay this down? If I win, I am almost certainly getting 1st prize with a 7-1 chip lead. I called. He had A2 hearts and of course caught a heart on the river.

I really felt the blood rush up to my head with the suckout. I mean it was a memorable event that will be in my mental poker scrapbook for decades. Looking back, his play was not actually that bad compared to his early contretemps, but at the time I was fuming. I'll get over it.

Hot and tilted, I briefly thought about just going home, but it was 8, I had a friend at the table, and I had cashed for the second week in a row.

I stuck around and played the cash game. After a few orbits, I was stuck 100 but was enjoying the side show of the heads up match between Moby Dick and English Eddie. First of all, EE refused any deal Moby offered him, notwithstanding the 7-1 lead. Moby was pissed and quite dismissive of English Eddie's chances of doing better than his offer of 100 on top of the 750 guaranteed 2nd.

Oh but they played. And played. Every time we checked, it was better for English Eddie. First he doubled up. Then again. All of a sudden, they were even. Then Eddie had the lead. After an hour was the coup de grâce when Eddie improved his 7-deuce offsuit to a straight on the river and busted out the white whale. That's right, karma hit its apogee as the hammer busted out the ultimate suckout artist. The guy that had over-called all-in with 84 suited actually had the temerity to complain about it.

SWEET.

Even sweeter was when Moby came over to the cash game.

The knives were out quick and we carved him up.

My big hand at this table FTrain had shaking his head at but I'll stand behind it.

Big blind QT clubs, I called a 10 bet with 3 callers. Flop was 7 high with two clubs (I think, not 100% sure I have the exact cards right but substantively this is correct). I led out 10 and was called by the whale. Steve, a tight-aggressive, very solid player raised it to 30. I figured him for top pair or a small overpair and figured he could be pushed off with a good semi-bluff reraise. I made it 100 to go. Imagine my surprise when Moby raised me all in to 210. Steve looked befuddled by the situation (I know I was!) and finally folded. I felt like I probably had to be behind but had the odds to call the 110 raise. Imagine my surprise when he flipped over two small clubs with an open-ended straight flush draw.

Despite his massive draw, I was actually the 56:44 favorite. My hand held up (we both got a flush) and I got a bit of revenge. So did several other people as he gave up more than his net second place winnings, dropping at least 500 too several former victims.

Fun night all in all, though it would have been even better to post about back to back 1st place wins.