A-Town Home Game

I was fortunate to be invited to a home game in Arlington through my friends in the HPT. The hosts were the parents of one of the HPT players, and the participants appeared to be mostly family friends and co-workers. 19 players in total, ranging in ages from 20 something to 80 something provided a wide range of experience and style.

One of the things I noticed is that the host actually had a subscription to Card Player Magazine, not a casino copy but a delivered in the mail copy. This was a home were someone took their play serious enough to read about the game.

2 tables, $50 buy in gets T5000 in chips with a rebuy option for the first hour if you were felted. I knew this game was not going to play like an online rebuy, we only had one person rebuy, and he still was the first able to give full attention to the Red Sox ALCS game in the other room.

I was at table 2 with my friend D sitting to my immediate left. Normally this would be good, but she has really increased her aggression and confidence since we last played. I limped into the first hand with junk K4d and a few others came along. The raggedy flop was checked to me so I bet half the pot and the 80 year old man called me. Check the rest of the streets, he called me with no pair, no draw, and a J4o. Hmm...

A few hands later I flop the nut straight, and bet it since there were 2 flush cards on the board. 2 players call, and we see the turn with brings another flush card. 80 year old leads out so I muck, and the soon to be rebuying player calls. More action on the river and the result was middle two pair vs bottom two pair, nobody had the flush. I am pissed that I gave at least one of them credit for the flush.

The player 2 seats to my left is bumping the action vs multiple limpers, something I like to do. Everyone seems to be calling him anyway, so I decide to limp with the plan of re popping him, and take down a nice pot.

Back to D on my immediate left, she is primarily a 4-8 limit player at Foxwoods. She re-popped my flop bets 3 times in a row, re-stealing from my continuation bets and marginal hands. I have to give her credit, she normally does not chase or show aggression unless she has a strong made hand.

Five handed at the final table the blinds are 600-1200, we are on the money bubble and everyone limps. The small blind is all-in for 1100. I have A7s in the BB, not a very good hand. I border on collusion when I say I should raise here, but I will check it down in order to knock the short stack out with 4 other players in. A raggedy flop and the super donk across the table min bets. I have the 7 paired but there were 2 overs on the board. Well everyone folds and the super donk shows a gut shot. The shorty quintupled up and was still playing after I went out in 4th place. I would have made Aces up on the river. Everyone yelled at the super donk, he said he had a draw and wanted to make money if he hit it.

I find out on the ride home that D had been coached by my friend Air Force Steve who told her to re-pop my continuation bets. Thanks buddy.