Learn Texas Holdem

Playing in local cash game $30 buy-in get you 10k in chips $35 re-buy can get another 10k when you go bust. Blinds start at $100/$200 and double every 15 min. Starts at 27 total (3 tables) and pays 60%, 30% & 10%. Not a huge game, but the winner can usually walk out with between $5-600.

About an hour into the game I am the big stack at the first table. I had been catching good cards and winning with mediocre cards. On the button, I look down to A/A and patiently wait my turn to raise 3 times the big blind (standard raise right).

The guy in front of me moves all in. He is known as a semi reckless player, and will often try to buy the blinds or small pots with nothing. I have to call no matter what. Then the guy immediately to my left moves all in (a player with the same tendancies as the first player). First guy to move all in has second guy covered, and I have both covered easily.

Player 1 turns over 3/3, while player 2 turns over 8/8. 2 out of 3 times you win this hand no problem prior to the flop. Flop comes rainbow K, 10, 2. No flush possibilities and no straight possibilities. Odds go up to 85% after the flop.

Turn comes K, 10, 2, 8. Great I just lost to a set of trips to the short stack. Its okay because I can still win the side pot right. River hits K, 10, 2, 8, 3. Lost to both shorter stacks. How does the idiot with 8/8 move into a pot with two all-ins before him.

Moving on... Later in the tournament I have survived to the final table. I have outplayed both of the two earlier idiots to make it to the final 5. Two more spots to win some cash. I am in the small blind which has grown to 5k. I look down to pocket K/K.

Player 1 (the short stack) this time is person first to act and moves all-in. Two folds from the other players and to me. I have 25k total and have player 1 covered and move all-in over the top. I figure he does not have A/A, and if he does I am still in the game.

Player 2 (in the big blind or 10k) thinks long and hard and decides to call my bet. Player 2 is the big stack with about 50K, but decides to risk 30% of his stack to call. Player one turns A/5 and player 2 turns J/7. Nobody is suited and the straight draws are highly unlikely.

I'm thinking just avoid that A and the three remianing will have a huge mountain to climb especially since I am about to get a few free hands. Flop comes J, J, 10. The turn and river did not matter. I got up and walked out the door. I have yet to return to the game of idiots.