The Hand of Apology

Sebastian Grosjean looks vexed. It’s the Monte Carlo Masters 2006 and he’s serving at 4-5 in the deciding set, and is match point down. He has already saved 3 crucial match points and has fought gamely to stay in this match. He’d love an ace, but he’s tired and the ball moves slowly off the principality’s red clay in any case. Mario Ancic fires the ball back and the pair slug it out from the baseline, until an Ancic cross court clips the top of the net, bobbles for what seems an eternity and, with a little sigh of apology, plops down on Grosjean’s side. The Frenchman’s shoulders slump in defeat and Ancic puts his hand up in apology. Is he sorry it happened? Undoubtedly not, but Grosjean quickly puts it out of his mind and shakes the giant Croat’s hand at the net.
Loose Cannon 2008…Big stack Devon has raised to 1,800 7 handed with A7. The button pushes all in and Devon decides to call the remaining 3,600. His adversary has AJ, but Devon catches a 7 on the turn to win the pot. “Sorry mate” says Devon
The response wakes the table out of it’s slumber that’s for sure!
”Don’t you say sorry. You’re not sorry. YOU JUST TOOK ALL MY CHIPS - HOW CAN YOU BE SORRY? Just say unlucky”
Devon stares at the felt and considers how to defuse this situation. He eventually follows the irate man’s advice and offers “ummm…unlucky”.
I am never sure why poker players do this. Luck plays a part in all games, and you end up looking somewhat foolish if you throw a hissy fit like the above. When this happens, it tends to be the case that the player in question is either playing above their bankroll and can’t afford to lose the stake, or they don’t have the temperament for the game. To be honest, if you are going to get abuse for apologising, you may as well go the full hog on a suckout. This is how I picture it happening next time.

Highly strung guy turns over AJ
Devon turns over A7

Devon (pre-flop) “Come on baby - One time! One time!”
Flop 6, 3, 10
Devon (pre-turn) “Squeeze that 7 out baby - LET’S DO THIS!”
Turn 7
Devon (pre-river) “YEAH! YEAH! GET IN!”
River 3
At this point Devon spins 360 degrees on one leg before firing imaginary pistols in the air before shouting “Who’s the Sheriff?”
Oh, and then add on the end “Unlucky mate” :)

Anyhow, I digress…last night was the latest instalment of the City 100 with a disappointing 28 runners, paying only 5 places. I was shocked to see at my table John Kalmar, who placed 5th in the WSOP Main Event in 2007 - he must be in town for the UKPT event at The Vic this week. Unfortunately, the big man never got going, his stack decimated when he held KK against AA on the first hand. Did well not to go bust there to be honest.

I placed 10th, not good enough for the money, and a shame, as I had the stack to go alot further at one point - some of the hands below:

HAND1
I flat call Briony’s 300 raise in the SB with AA
Flop J, 8, 2
I check, Briony bets 500
I re-raise to 1500, Briony calls
Turn Q
I fire 1500 and Briony passes

HAND2
I raise in the cut-off with J9 to 300
Devon re-raises to 1200 to my immediate left
Short stacked John Kalmar shoves all-in out of the small blind I pass. Kalmar A♥A♠
Devon A♦A♣
Board comes spade, spade, spade, spade!
Unlucky Devon, of Knight Industries. He may have come 5th in WSOP, but in the 80’s you designed a self-aware Trans-Am. There is little doubt which is the bigger accomplishment.

HAND3 (this is probably a donkey play by me)
I call a raise to 500 in the BB with 89off
Flop A, 9, 2
I check, opponent bets 500, I call
Turn 9
Check, Check
River 3
I check, he bets 500
I raise to 1500 and he dwells and passes

HAND4 (my big hand of the night)
It is raised in early position to 600
I call in the small blind with QQ
Flop 8,6,2
I check, opponent fires 1200
I push for 4000 total and he has to pay me off with JJ
Up to about 11k now

I then waste a lot of chips raising with QK, KJ and the like when we are 7 handed, but I have to fold to reraises.

HAND5
I have 6k left

I raise to 1800 UTG with AQ
Short stack pushes for 3600
Big stack asks me how much I am playing and flat calls
I’m not sure what the right play is here. I feel like the Big stack has a monster here so perhaps I should fold. Why else would he want to keep me around? I’m pretty short though if I pass. I call.
Flop: 3, 3, 5
Big stack pushes and I fold
Big stack AK, small stack 88
The small stack gets eliminated in a sick way, as the turn and river are also 3’s so quads with Ace kicker takes it.
That hand pretty much ruined my tournament and was an awkward spot with my stack size.

I double up through unlucky Fluke with the monster that is 9 6 diamonds and am up to 5k

HAND6
I hold KK UTG. I have 5k stack. Blinds are 400-800. What do I do here? If I limp everyone knows I have AA or KK
If I raise small everyone knows I have AA or KK
The best way to disguise the hand here is to push which is what I do. I get a couple of dwells from the big stacks but everyone passes.
Sigh - that was probably my last chance to get back in the game.

HAND7
I ‘ve paid some blinds but won a couple of pots on the steal. However I push into Fluke one time too many with K8 and he calls with AJ. It’s not the worse spot for me to try and double through, but Fluke finally gets a hand to hold up against me this year and I’m sent to the rail.

It’s the league tonight, and if I don’t cash in that it will cap a very disappointing week.

PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem (Local)	3,716
Live Holdem (International)	0
Live Omaha (Local)	(30)
Live Omaha (International)	0
Online Holdem	69,830
Online Omaha	690
Rake	(732)
Total	73,474