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Whale Tale |
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thewh00sel  United States. May 26 2016 17:05. Posts 2734 | | |
I started a blog/website here: www.variancediary.com
Not sure how often I'll blog, given my history of...not blogging, but I'll cross-post to here when I do. Been getting into writing a bit, despite very little time to do so. In any event, BLOG:
It’s been a long morning, and I’m tired from playing with my youngest daughter all day. The house is a mess, and I’m not really sure how all of the pots from the kitchen ended up in the living room. But here we are. I haven’t thought about poker all day, in fact I haven’t thought about much of anything. The decision between a wooden spoon and a plastic spatula as my drumstick of choice is the toughest one I’ve made all day. I know, not exactly the fantasy life of a high stakes poker player you had in mind.
It’s half past noon and I’m just about finished with the modest meal I’ve prepared for the family. My wife and oldest child arrive home from school, and I’ve been awake since 630, and am teetering on the edge of taking the day off and spending it at home with the family. After the meal I check the phone to see what games are running today. “If there’s nothing above 5/10 running I’m staying home,” I tell the family, secretly hoping that will be the case. To my surprise I see an unfamiliar site on the Bravo app, two 25/50’s running. “Must be a whale in town, I gotta go.” I say to my wife as I kiss everyone and head out the door.
Still tired, but filled with hope, I put the old Honda into gear and back out of the driveway. In twenty minutes I’ll have to be ready to duel with an assortment of characters; some familiar and others not yet known. There’s something about that drive to the casino that always gives me some energy. The Vegas strip quickly comes into view and my heart beats louder with the anticipation of the fight to come. “Welcome to the Bellagio,” says the Valet ready to take my keys and park my car for me. “Thanks” I say as I give him a couple dollars for the trouble.
Walking in, my pace becomes quicker and more electric. I might as well be running at this point as I approach the high limit podium of the poker room. “One seat left” the floor man tells me. Perfect. I head to the cage and place two flags on the counter, a minute later I’m in my seat with $10k in front of me. I survey the table, and to my disappointment the game looks pretty tough. Normally, when a 25/50 breaks out it’s for a reason, and today is no different, I am just a bit late to the party.
The game I sat in is a must-move game, which feeds the main game to keep it full. Normally the must-move game is juicier than the main game because the fish have a hard time making it through to the main game without busting. Not only that, but fish don’t usually play as long as the regulars do. When a whale comes to town, however, things change. The main game is usually 7-8 regs and the whale, and a must-move is filled with other regs waiting to get their shot at the whale who might drop 50k in one sitting. These must-move games are usually low on action as it feels like a waiting game to see who gets up from the main game. I decide that I’ll give the must-move a chance, because you never know who’s tilted and ready to dust it off.
The first hand I play is on the button. A good player opens the pot to 150 and a player in mid position flats, I’m dealt two sixes so I come along as well. Both of my opponents have me covered. The flop comes down 9d 6d 5s. Beautiful, a draw heavy board versus two aggressive opponents who I have some history of playing big pots with small hands against. The opener checks and the flatter bets 350. I raise it up to 1100 as I would with some flush draws and other inferior hands, he quickly calls. The turn is the Ace of clubs. He checks to me and I bet 1600 into the pot of 2,725. He thinks for a bit before sliding in the call. I am trying to imagine the hands he’s calling me down with. The Ace high flush draw (now top pair), 89, 88, 77, TT and JJ are all in his wheel-house. Even the nuts are a good possibility as this player is capable of check-raising all in on the river with his entire range. The river is an off-suit 3 and he checks. I’ve put $2,850 into this $5,900 pot, which leaves me with about 7k on the river. Should have sized my turn bet bigger so I could shove. Oh well. I could still shove, but I decide that even if the chances are low, I’ve seen this player check raise all in with very little fold equity as a bluff, so I had to give him even the tiniest bit of rope. I bet 3800, leaving myself with 3200 behind, probably the size I’d go for if I were bluffing too. He thinks for a few minutes before tossing in the call, followed by his cards quickly into the muck. Good start, I think to myself, as I proceed to cooler another player with AA vs QQ for $15k, and just never lose any significant pot.
An hour into my session, the whale quits before I get a chance to play with him. I look down at my chips and realize I’m up $25,000. Not a bad hourly, and I feel a yawn coming on...I rack up my chips and head to the window. Who needs whales anyways? Shark meat will do in a pinch.
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| A government is the most dangerous threat to man’s rights: it holds a legal monopoly on the use of physical force against legally disarmed victims. - Ayn Rand | |
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Haha good read. Thanks for sharing |
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PoorUser United States. May 27 2016 02:01. Posts 7471 | | |
rollin in the dough
rough life |
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locoo Peru. May 27 2016 02:20. Posts 4561 | | |
Good read, made me remember when I used to go to the casino for the big games as well. Good times, don't miss the bad night sleep though. |
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flounder44 United States. May 27 2016 04:06. Posts 916 | | |
your wife is a saint, gd2cubackwh00sel |
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NewbSaibot United States. May 27 2016 05:40. Posts 4946 | | |
see you're flexin your writing style through the blog hehe. A lot of people hate live and we all know why, but I too rather enjoy the experience of preparing for it. Getting dressed, walking to the car, the drive, walking to the room, getting chips, etc. Makes me feel useful somehow. |
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Ryan Neilly United States. May 27 2016 13:04. Posts 1639 | | |
Great solid positive story man. |
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wow sick hand... was villian a good looking guy named Dave O? |
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thewh00sel United States. May 28 2016 06:41. Posts 2734 | | |
^_^ no he's the hero bc he paid me off |
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| A government is the most dangerous threat to man’s rights: it holds a legal monopoly on the use of physical force against legally disarmed victims. - Ayn Rand | |
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The pressure of having to support your family and be a poker grinder at the same time:/ So hard to find balance with the kids wife and work. I got a three year old boy :/ good to see other poker dads doing well.
Makes me think im not alone in this world sometimes.
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careface_ Canada. Jun 10 2016 06:26. Posts 788 | | |
Nice to read you, keep posting. Thought you were still at 5-10 and very casual 10-20, nice to see 25-50.
With that board, i'm curious as for what he looked you up with, I'm expecting to actually see a pretty strong holding (bottom set, 2 pairs) |
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