[Men the Master]

I played this hand at Uncle Thuong's noodle restaurant a while back, long before Spring (my loose-passive cousin Meng's equally loose-passive girlfriend) and Antonio ( the loose-aggressive but tricky dishwasher) became regular players in our private game. Even though it happened a long time ago, I still remember this hand because it was a catalyst in giving me the confidence that I have in my people reading skills and instincts.

The game was 20-40, nine handed. Meng limped in from early position, an army buddy of Uncle Thuong's also called from early position, a guest I didn't know limped from the cut-off, and a bearded caucasian male guest called from the button. I'm in the small blind and correctly called with 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Scotty checked on the big blind. Six of us got to see the anything goes flop.

Flop came 10 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]2 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. I checked ready to fold to a bet, then everyone also checked. Turn came Q [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Everyone checked to the Bearded Caucasian Man who then bet. I sensed from his body posture, the way he was looking at the board, and his betting tempo that he was probably semi-bluffing a King high straight draw. Now I should either raise or fold, right? Wrong!

I just called because I somehow sensed a lot of weakness from the other players. Somehow I knew that if I called the bet, that they would just fold. Afterall, it usually takes a stronger hand to call a bet than it takes to bet oneself. And they did fold!

I decided to bet in the dark before the river card flipped. An irrelevant small card hit and the Bearded Caucasian Man shook his head and mucked.