Swimming With the Fishies

Just got home from playing poker. A friend invited me to play with a couple of people, since the place was near my pad, I went and checked it out. I thought I was going to play with 4,5,6 people at the most, the funny thing was when I got there, there were around 20 people. I remembered a quote I read somewhere- 'all you need is a chip and a chair'. I was excited to play despite the fact I was on a long losing streak but since I'm here, I might as well play.

There were 3 wooden tables, I went to the first one and introduced myself, and there I was playing with complete strangers. I played a shorthanded game with 6 people including myself. It was a 100 peso buy-in that bought me 50 chips - I felt right at home because I always play 100 or 200 peso buy-ins with 50 chips , small blinds, big blinds and antes. ANTES?! WTF!!!

Playing a shorthanded game with antes is normal, yeah, only if your at the final table of a tourny! I just don't like playing with antes at the start of the game because of a bad experience I had playing with another group. Playing with antes makes you put more chips in the pot. At the strat you'd be looking at 50 chips and after 10 deals, a few bad flops, you'd probably down to half your original stack or more if your tight. Anyway, that's the way they play then let's play! (oh yeah, did I tell you that when they dealt the cards the dealer is the first one to get the cards haha texas hold'em???)

After 5 deals, I had to say I was there again swimming with the fishes. Calling stations to my right, checking stations to my left. Dammit nobody knows when to fold which is by the way good... only when the cards fall your way!!!. You guys are probably thinking I'm crazy for ranting about the people at the table. Well its because that these players are very loose and unpredictable, dangerous in a way. By the way I lost a hundred bucks on the first game. Now on to my 2nd game...

I played a second game with another group of people. This time we were 6 and it was a 200 peso buy-in pot with 50 chips each. I had to be patient now, focus on the game and try to win. I had to because I kept on seeing that Q5os when the guy went all in with nothing on the board for him v.s. a guy that flopped a bottom pair! hahaha Back to the 2nd game. I was waiting for a good hand, the first good hand I got was a KQos so raised pre-flop, got 4-5 callers (yeah) flop came and I flopped top pair with my kings, I bet again, everyone folded. Good! I won my first pot of the night! Yeah, there were still antes and dealer gets the first card. After I won a pretty good sized pot, I started to feel (not play) loose and played better, I was fortunate enough to flop sets on a couple of hands, I kept on checking and leave all the betting to them. I won a huge pot after that. There were 4 of us left, two shortstacks, one medium stacked and me as the leader.

The first shortstack went all in, the other shortstack called, medium stacked folded. I called with A3os. Flopped an ace both guys had K's or Q's. Lucky A's took them out and then there were 2 left!

Heads up with the medium stacked guy. Side note, I remember when I played the first game this guy I'm up against lost heads up to the other guy, I had to give him credit for staying long in the game. We only had one deal and here's the hand breakdown:

ME: Ks7s
HIM: ? ?
Pre Flop: I call, He raises, I call
Flop: 8s4c5s - I check, I think he bet and I called a small bet
Turn: Js - I have my flush and I checked it, he made a more than half size pot bet. I moved in on him. He immediately called. I showed him my king high flush, He mucked his hand in disgust, everyone at the table wanted to see what he had, he had bullets. Nice game bro.

It was a good night, I played another game after with three people, had pocket 10's (tripped on the river), pocket Q's-folded because of two 3's on the board, the guy who went all in had QUADS by the way. Then my last hand, pocket 7's.. Sevens from heaven, i went all in with. The guy called with KQs, flop came out no help to both, turn came Q. I was beat but hey 700 bucks up ain't to shabby, at least I made a couple of new poker buddies. Till next thursday guys, good game had fun! I'll bring tilter and rounder with me next time. Fisherman signing out!