"You're All Gonna Think I'm a Pussy"

This is one of my Aria tournament experiences from December that I haven’t had a chance to blog about before.  One of the interesting dynamics at this table was that it turned out a husband, wife and son were all at the same table as I was to start the tournament.  They were from back east.  The parents were mid/late 40’s, maybe a bit older, the son was early 20’s.  It took a few minutes to figure out that the kid was the woman’s son (they were on opposite sides of the table). But the husband wife were right next to each other. 

The woman was a nonstop talker and certainly sounded like she had played a lot of poker and read a lot of poker books.  Before we started and during the tournament, she talked about her other tournament experiences and made constant reference to her tournament “M”, as explained by Dan Harrington’s books and here.  One hole in game was that she liked to show her hands when she folded, I guess because she wanted to see what a good player she was to make such “good” lay downs.

I don’t remember the hand but I recall her folding A/10 to a preflop raise, and getting some reactions that it wasn’t that big a bet to call.  But later, the guy on her left made a decent side preflop raise and it was folded to her.  She didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about folding, which she did.  Since that ended the hand, she flipped her hand over unnecessarily—showing A/Q offsuit—and declared, “You guys are all gonna think I’m a pussy.”  Well if she was worried about that, she shouldn’t have shown us.  She explained that she knew the raiser had Ace’s, she just knew.  So the guy showed his hand and indeed he did have pocket Ace’s.  It was then that it was revealed that the guy was her husband.

When I heard the middle aged lady refer to herself as a pussy I knew I had to remember that line for the blog.  So I did something I rarely do, I took out my little notebook and wrote down the quote.  I should use the notebook a lot more when I play, especially to note down memorable hands so I can get the details correct, both for my own improvement and to report accurately here.  But I guess I don't do it for because of the fear of what happened this time when I noted the lady's comment about being a pussy.  The woman noticed me taking out my notebook and writing something, so she said, "Hey, no fair taking notes on all of us!"  Then she laughed since of course if I had been doing that, it would not be against the rules.  But I didn't like being "exposed" like that, and have people think I might actually be doing what she accused me of.

OK, but what you really want to know about is how I did, right?  I’m doing ok for a few levels when I find myself with AK suited.  My preflop raise is called by the kid to my right.  Ace and King on the flop.  I bet, he raises all in (and has me covered).  I gladly call and he shows A/J.  Got a lot of chips right there.

That kid busts out soon thereafter as I had crippled him.  A good, young player takes his seat. I had just gotten burned trying to steal a pot with a preflop raise with a weak hand, so now I was worrying about my stack.  Just then a really chatty, and I think, crazy, guy sits to my left.  I think he is from South America.  Very first hand after that, the kid makes a 3X BB bet and I call with AQ or AJ (bad idea, I know).  “Crazy” guy shoves all in, he has a big stack.  Everyone folds and he takes down the pot.  Then he starts harassing the kid who raised initially.  He starts referencing a move or a serious moves that the kid had supposedly made at the other table, or perhaps in a previous tournament.  You know, things like, “How do you like it when I do that to you?” and “Not so bold with your bets this time, huh?”  The kid looked at him like he was a Martian.  Either the kid has the best poker face I’d ever seen or he honestly did not know what the “crazy” guy was talking about.  He said he must have had him confused with someone else, and I believed him.  “Crazy” guy would have none of it and kept talking to/about the guy who had initially raised.

I was pissed because I lost some chips there and now I had a possible maniac on my left, was he going to keep doing this, and was it going to make it very difficult to play with him following my action every hand?  I had been doing well to this point. 

Very next hand, on button, I get Q/10 suited.  One of tough players on other side raises 3X BB (he is one of the chip leaders at table.  What do I do?  I wanted to call but….I'm thinking crazy guy may shove again and cost me more chips.  I still haven't figured out that his action was a one time play at the punk and not representative of how he plays.  I can't trust him at this point, so I fold.  Crazy guy folds as well!  Worse, I would have had top pair and a gut shot on flop.  On turn I would have made my straight.  A week hand took pot, I would have had a nice pot if not for the actions of that crazy South American that one time!  Yuck.

A bit later, I’m getting close to getting desperate.....but not there yet, I have some play yet,  So I can play or shove.  I get AJ suited.  Lady in early position with low stack shoves (about 1/3 or less of my chips).  But good player to my right, who has her covered, tanks and then calls.  Tough spot for me.  I'm worried about one of the two chip leaders at other side of table.  I fear that if I just call, one of them will raise and I will have to go all in.  Alternative, I just shove here to isolate.  Guy on my left may or may not call.  Chip leaders are also a concern.  Do I really want to risk my tournament on AJ when I don't have to?  Very close call, very tough decision.  I figure I am ahead of both so far but not that far ahead.  I finally decide to fold.  One of chip leaders calls, no raise.  Ace on flop!  Ace on turn!

Blank on river.  Lady had 8/8 and hit nothing.  Guy to my right shocks me with KK.  Chip leader had 10-8 suited.  Nothing hit anyone, no one had Ace, KK takes it.

Damn  If I had called or shoved, I would have taken down a huge pot with my AJ and would have been close to chip leader at table.  I would have done it for sure if I was last to act but was afraid of chip leaders.  Damn, damn, damn, I can't get over it.  I am pissed, mostly at myself.

I actually questioned the guy with KK.  He knew that the lady with 8/8 was in desperate situation and could have been raising with not much.  I figured with the cowboys he should have shoved to make sure no one else called.  But he said he didn’t consider that.  I don’t know, I thought he was a good player, either he wasn’t or I’m still not understanding NL tournament play.

Still fighting with barely enough chips so I don’t have to shove.  Get A10 suited (clubs)in early position.  Raise 3X BB, about 1/3 or my chips.  I am prepared to shove if raised.  Crazy South American shoves, has me barely covered.  I shove.  He has AQ offsuit.  Two clubs on flop, but turn and river blank, I am out.  Did I say damn?

Had a nice run and if I hadn’t been freaked out by the very first play I saw the guy who took the seat to my immediate left play, the whole day may have turned out differently.  But I guess that’s tournament poker.