300% Bonus; Caro power

Last night was a good night for me at the old home game. Ted, Shrek, Phil, and TMIB showed up, and over the course of about three hours, I grew my $10 buy in to $40.

Early on, TMIB asked about playable hands. For example, K5 offsuit, or what I like to call, "the home team". I advised that I'd never play it, but Shrek said that he'd call from the small blind, but would fold if the big blind raised. The very next hand, Shrek's on the small blind, it's folded to him, Phil raises, and Shrek folds, showing the home team.

The home team was good to me last night, because after that, I just couldn't fold it any of the three times I got it. Two of the three times, my king paired, and I won the pot. The third time, my five paired, and although I got to the end cheaply, it didn't hold up.

Two monster hands made my night, though. The first one, against Shrek, I get pocket aces on the big blind. Ted folds, Shrek puts in "a Ruleslawyer bet," which means 75¢, indicating he's got a hand, Phil folds, TMIB folds, and I raise "another Ruleslawyer bet" to $1.50. Shrek calls, and the flop is Tc8c2d. I bet $2, and Shrek goes all in for another $6.75. I discuss my thought process out loud to the table: "A pair of tens isn't an all-in hand, so he's got to have better than that. If he had two pair, he'd play it slower, to suck me in. Therefore, he's gotta be on a flush draw, holding a couple clubs. I've got Ac, so if we get runner runner clubs, I'd still win. With two cards left to come, he's got about a 40% chance to make it. Another $6.75 is less than 50% of the pot, so it makes sense for me to stay in. But he could be playing two pair. Should I fold these?"

I think about it a bit more, then stack up $6.75 in chips, and ask Shrek "$6.75?", watching him closely. He flinches and gulps.

Caro power.

I call. He turns over TxKc. His pair of tens doesn't improve by the river. I bring in a big pot and knock Shrek out.

About an hour of dealing, and Shrek's made enough in tips to come back into the game, and quickly triples it up to about $3. He had been playing lousy hands agressively, winning all-ins with hands like T8o. Then, I get pocket aces on the button, Shrek on the big blind. Phil folds, TMIB folds, I put in 75¢, Ted folds, and Shrek goes all in for $2.50 or so. As soon as the words "all-in" leave his mouth, I call and turn over my aces. Poor guy. He shows his wired threes, which don't hit the flop, and runs into an ace on the turn.

Ted did well, only down 80¢ for the night. Phil was down a couple of bucks, and TMIB ended up ahead, I think. Good times.