Getting Lucky and Putting a Guy on Tilt

I was playing a SNG on Full Tilt Poker last night.  It was head-to-head with me and f0nec0rd.  He went off on me, it was so funny.

Just a little background into my personality.  I lean toward the Passive Aggressive personality.  If I can press someone's buttons, I will.

The table that I was playing at was pretty tight, especially when we got down to four player (payoff is at three).  I was playing pretty solid in the middle. But I tend to get pretty impatient at a tight table near the bubble.

At one point, I had A-T offsuit, I made a strong raise.  The small blind re-raised me.  I knew he probably had a pair and I pushed all-in thinking I might scare him off and it didn't.  He calls with Queens and I hit an Ace on the River.  Lucky me.

I'm the chip leader and then I am dealt Jacks.  I raise again and I have one caller.  The board hits my Jack.  I check and my opponent raises strong and I reraise him all-in.  As I suspected, my opponent has an overpair with Queens to my Trip Jacks.  The turn comes a Queen give him trips and I'm short stacked.

Because the table was playing to tight, no one wanted to double me up, so any time that I had an Ace, pair or two paint cards, I was all-in and I never had a caller.  Just picking up the blinds and taking money from the limpers I was quickly back to second place with four opponents.

GETTING LUCKY AND PUTTING A GUY ON TILT

Mind you, at this point, I've played some solid poker and I'm head to head against a very very tight player.

Second to last hand - I'm in the big blind with 8h-5d. F0nec0rd completes the bet and I check.

Flop - 4d-6d-2d.  This gives me a flush draw and a double belly gut shot straight (3 or 7 gives me a straight). 

I check and f0nec0rd bets half the pot.  I'm thinking that he has big paint cards, maybe an over pair.

I call.

Turn - 3c.  I just made my straight. F0nec0rd bets the pot for 1,200. And I go all in. f0nec0rd turns over Pocket Queens, worse yet, he has the Queen of Diamond which beats my 5 of diamonds for a better flush.  F0nec0rd calls because of the Queens and flush draw.

River - 3d.  F0nec0rd just made the higher flush, but fortunately it gives me the straight flush to win the pot and take the chip lead.

Chat goes like this…

F0nec0rd: YOU LUCKY #$% DONK.
Humble Guy: ty.

Analysis - f0nec0rd would have one had he raised with his Queens.  He decides to slowplay and limp in.  I don't necessarily fault him for that, but then I wouldn't have doubled up.  Also if a King or Ace comes out, he might be beat.  I probably would have raised with Queens.

After the flop I have a straight and flush draw and he only bets half the pot.  He's allowing me to draw that better hand, although he does have a strong flush draw.  But what if I had the Ace of Hearts or King of Hearts.  He should have gone all-in and taken the pot right their.  Instead he allows me to hit the nut straight.  I had to go all-in at this point.  I got lucky on the last card.

Last hand - I'm the dealer with 5s-4h.  I limp in. 

F0nec0rd raises to 600, which is the minimum raise.  I'm getting 3 to 1 to make something.  I have to call.

Flop - 6s-As-Tc.  This is not a good flop for me. I have nothing with three overcards on the board.

F0nec0rd checks and I check.

Turn - 7d.  Now I have an open ended straight draw. F0nec0rd bets the pot and I of course call.

River - 8d.  I have now completed a straight.  F0nec0rd goes all-in.  The only card I'm worried about is a nine, but I just can't see a nine in his hand.  I call and show my straight.

F0nec0rd has A-8 for two pair. I win.

Chat:

F0nec0rd: nh, you f$%n Donkey.
Humble Guy: ty.

Analysis.  He had a pair of Aces on the Flop.  I had a backdoor straight draw.  If he had bet on the flop.  I'm out.  But instead, he tried to play it fancy and allowed me to catch up and win.

He's really pissed and I'm really happy.  Was I a donkey?  No, f0nec0rd allowed me to make my hands by giving me the best odds to call.  Yes, the miracle river saved me and I was lucky, but he never should have allowed me to make my straight.  I had the best hand when I went all-in and it held up.