Lessons Learned "The Art of The Check Raise"

Ballys 1/24/07 1-2 No limit +$430 11am - 3pm Buy In $300

Today Mike and I made our way to Ballys after arriving at the Aladdin and they had no games spread. We had started early today due to both of our cars were having work done, and mine was going to be a few hours so Mike picked me up, after a stop at the Saturn dealer we made our way to the strip.

When we first were seated the game seemed average, a few early morning rocks were in the game. But we had one pretty live seat. I slowly built my chip stack up to around $450, then got snapped off for $150, then built it up to $550 to get snapped off for another $120.

When building my stack to over $500, I decided to play the 7s 6d in the big blind to a raise. This particular young player was raising a lot of pots preflop then betting strong on the flop and turn and taking down pots, raised once again. In this hand he raised to $12 and there were 4 callers before I called.

Right as I closed the action and called I looked at Mike and told him. "OK time to teach a lesson." This Lesson I call the art of the check raise. The flop of 10h 7d 3s came down I checked and the raiser bet $5, it called all the way around to me and i just called. The turn was the 2s, I checked again and the raiser bet $45. It folded to me and I re raised him to $175. He thought, got mad and folded. I showed my hand and that got the table chattering. This was great timing.

See the very next hand this same player raised to $17, I looked down when it folded to me and I had two red Aces. I called and we went heads up. I knew if I checked raised him again he was going to push. I put him on JJ or QQ, maybe KK. The flop came 9 high, and I checked. He bet $35 and I raised to $100, he instantly went all in for $240 and I called. He showed pocket 10's and I showed him the bad news. My hand held up, I think he learned the lesson, he will now forever fear 'The Art of The Check Raise.'

Mike and I were about to leave, I had just been snapped off with KK, which I played horribly again, we had decided to take our wins and go. In the last hand I was under the gun with 9s 7s and thought, "What the hell, one last hand." About 5 limpers limped in the the button made it $12, I looked at Mike and said, "Figures just when I am about to leave." I call the raise as does 4 of the other 5 limpers. The flop of 5s 4s 3h came down. All I could think was "figures." We checked around to the button, who made it $20, I called and so did a pretty loose aggressive player in middle position. The turn was the 2s. I made my flush, I checked, middle position checked and the button bet $20 again, I raised to $80, and then middle position re raised me to $180, the button folded and now I had a decision. I stated to walk myself through the hand, which started off with, "Why in the hell was I out of position with 9-7 suited in a raised pot?" I thought longer about this player, to me I think this player would have lead out the flop with a flush draw, or even check raised the flop with a flush draw. I thought even more, and figured he probably turned the straight and because the flop was bet, may have put me on a over pair to the board.

After thinking for a couple of minutes, I went all in, the other player beat me in the pot. Damn! I knew it, he had to have a higher flush, I thought well I guess I'll be coming back after I get my car and making a day out of it. I said to him, "I have a flush, don't know if it's good, it's 9 high." He sighed and I said, "You have a straight huh?" "I knew it I was right!" then he showed his two red 6's.....that's right, he went broke with a one card straight, wow. He was drawing dead.

The dealer pushed the $700 plus pot my way, I pulled my rack out from off my lap, he said, "You are not leaving anytime soon are you?" I said, "Yes, right now." He started to badger me as I racked up his chips, still chirping at me, I looked up and said, "Look, I am not the one who went broke with a one card straight, when there was a potential flush out there." "Plus, sir I am not the person you want at the table with a stack like this." I picked up my chips and Mike and I left.

This turned out to be a great session, I liked my read in the last hand, I felt good that I was able to put my opponent right where I wanted him to be. As a side note I did play my KK earlier in the session bad as I paid off two pair with it again. I am still working on folding some of these hands. Hopefully I will start making better folds, which I know will only be positive EV. Good luck, and remember those lessons learned. Although I may have been giving them, I am still learning also. I try to take the good and the bad with each session. For now on, I will post my biggest mistake of each session and best play of each session. This will help me evaluate, or Minimize/Maximize as AJ would say.

Ballys (1/24/07)

Buy In $300
Cash Out $730
Profit/Loss +$430
Hours 4

"The Gamblin Duke" - The return of the Mack