Recapping the most memorable poker hand after a trip to Atlantic City.
A recent trip to Atlantic City proved for the best. Played at Harrah’s and the Taj. There was a sickening 300 person wait at Borgata. Of all the hands played, the following stuck out the most. Perhaps it was the luck or just bad decision making by (both?) of the players.
Playing 1/2 NL.
Few (non number) players ahead call $2
Player 1 raises to $15.
Player 2 calls.
I call.
Pot = $51
Flop: 7d 3d 10c
Player 1 bets $20
Player 2 folds.
I raise $50 more.
Player 1 calls after some deliberation.
Pot = $191
Turn: King of spades
Board: 7d 3d 10c Ks
My queens are hung to dry, especially when Player 1 immediately bets $20. Betting $20 into $191 pot threw me for a loop, and I told him this. He smirks and looks away from me, and I know he has the King. There is no other way he can bet at a pot that I’ve already raised unless he made his hand. Looking back to the flop, I think he probably had AK of diamonds which almost justifies him calling my raise.
Now it’s my decision time. I know he has me beat and there are only two cards in the deck that can make my hand (the other 2 queens). 2 outs with 46 cards remaining is a 4.34% chance I am going to hit. According to pot odds, there has to be at least $440 in the pot to make the call worth it. Screw probabilities. The player was practically handing me a chance to hit with a $20 bet. So I called.
And I hit.
The third Queen showed her pretty face on the river. Player 1 checked and I bet $75 which he calls. I show him the trip Queens and he didn’t show, but said he has the King.
Sure I got lucky, but the player let me get lucky. I told him, almost any bet over $20, really a bet of at least $50 and I was gone. He shrugged it off and had another drink. God bless.
