Ducks?

This is a hand from my most recent visit to Vegas, early in the trip.  It’s always nice to face a player who plays a hand horribly and pays you off in the process.  Especially when you didn’t notice something potentially damaging until it’s almost too late.  Or to put it another way, I screwed this hand up somewhat, but the other guy really totally butchered it.

I guess it was my third night in town and on my very first hand of the session, I was dealt Ace Queen of spades under-the-gun.  It was a brand new table so nobody had a read on anybody.  Hmm…..as I explained here, I’d rather not get such a playable hand right off the bat, before I know anything about the table or the other players.  Nevertheless, I made it $8 and only one guy called.

The flop was K-6-3, but two spades.  So I bet $12, thinking that might take down the pot right then, and if not, I had a nice draw to the nut flush.  The other guy called.

The turn was a five of spades—or so I thought.  I hit the nut flush, nice.  I bet $15 and immediately wondered why I had bet so small.  I can’t explain it.  My first thought as I waited for my opponent’s action was, “Damn, what am I thinking, betting so small?”  But I was pleasantly surprised when he raised me!  Just to $30, the minimum raise.

Hmm…..maybe my small bet was a good idea after all.  I decided, since I had the nuts, to min-raise him back.  I made it $45.

It was only after I put out that bet that I noticed something.  Staring straight at the board, with what I hoped was a totally blank expression on my face, it suddenly became apparent that the turn card was not the 5 of spades.  It was the 6 of spades.  There were a pair of 6’s out there.  Ooops.  That put a possible full house—or even quads—in play.

My opponent just called.

The river card was a red 5, and yes, this time, it really was a 5.  I made sure.

I sure considered just checking then.  If he had me beat, the most logical hand he had was pocket 6’s for quads.  I thought that was highly unlikely.  Nevertheless, by default play there is not to value bet….to play it safe.  He’s not gonna call me if he can’t beat the nut flush, right?  Well, maybe he has a lesser flush and will indeed pay me off. 

So I bet $40.  Seemed right.  If I have the best hand, I want it to small enough for him to call.  If he’s got me beat, he’s gonna raise whatever I put out.

He thought for a long time.  I figured that was a good sign, although it was possible he was trying to figure out how big a raise to put out.

Nope, after awhile, he finally called.

I flipped my card to show my nut flush.  He looked at my cards, heard the dealer say “Ace high flush,” looked at his two cards in disgust.  It was clear he was beat, unless he was about to give me the ultimate slow-roll.

Which I worried about for a milli-second when he did indeed flip his two cards face up.  And his hand was……..

Pocket deuces.

Really, pocket deuces?  A pair of ducks?  That’s it?

Wow, what a badly played hand.  By me, somewhat, sure.  But especially by him!  Ok, you call a raise preflop with a low pocket pair, you should be prepared to toss it right away on the flop if you don’t hit your set (or luck into a great draw).  Not sure I understand the call on the flop.

And the raise on the turn when the board paired and a third spade showed up?  Ok, maybe that was a bluff on his part.  But he probably should have bet more than the min raise there if he was bluffing, no?

And then he calls me on the river when all he has is the lowly pocket pair?  Really?  Ok, I guess he thought maybe I was bluffing.

Whatever.  Nice of him to help me out like that, first hand of the night.  Also nice of him to show his hand, to demonstrate how badly he played the hand. It reminded me of the hand where the guy misplayed his 2nd nut flush to my turned full house that Lightning witnessed here.  Unfortunately, I didn't stack this guy.  But not surprisingly, he didn’t last at the table too long.  Regrettably, he lost the rest of his money to other players, not me.