My Favorite Hand (just a telling)

This happened live at the Mohegan Sun a couple of years ago.
It was about a six handed 20/40 stud game. I was the bring in with (32)3, and another 3 was dead, so I had no interest in the hand. It went around to the last player, who had an 8 up. Normally this is an automatic fold for me to a raise, but here I played it different. The raiser was an ultra aggressive player, and I knew he would raise any three cards, every time. He plays and bets three faces like (AJ)Q hard, and I heard him say this once, "I'm going to hit one of them." So he raised his 8, and I immediately came over the top. He stopped for a second, then called, and I knew that my hand was absolutely good---for the moment. As the streets were dealt, and we both peeled rags (I peeled rags other than 3s and 2s) I watched his reaction to every card, and he never moved. I figured for sure he had an ace in the hole, with a face likely, since he continued calling on fifth. On sixth I got sick to my stomach as the dealer flipped him an ace and he stiffened. But fair is fair, and for my sixth card I got the 2 for the split two pair. He paused for a moment, and checked. I could hardly contain my glee. I bet, he raised, and I finished three betting before he got the first raise in. Our boards were ugly, something like (23)3792 and (XX)8410A, rainbow, so when I three bet the table perked up. He checked the river, I blanked,and I cringed as I bet knowing he might check-raise me in this spot with aces up, but I couldn't resist making the value bet. He called, and the hand held against aces. The best part was watching the reaction of the rest of the table as they tried to figure out what the heck just happened.

[DeadMoneyOC]

Mohegan Sun spreads poker games? Who knew....

[Jeffage]

They used to, but their room has since closed (they've replaced it with high limit slots).

Jeff

[BeerMoney]

NH!