A 40/80 hand - woes of an online player in a live game

James282 · #1 01-10-2005, 02:45 PM

So Saturday night I'm sitting in the Borgata 40/80 and feeling a little bored since I got moved out of an amazing must-move into an absolutely atrocious main-game. The other 2+2ers that I intended to meet up with have shown up recently and are off playing in separate games and I'm starting to look forward to a little drunken 2-4, but I decide I want to put in a few more hours just to see how I fare against this pretty tough competition.

Anyway, I'm up a lot on the day and I have received a few comments from some regulars in the game about how tight I've been playing, that they respect my raises, etc. etc. It feels like I'm finally making it into their good-ol'-boys club when I am dealt A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] in LMP. As usual, it's folded to me and I decide to raise because Art is in the BB and Art loves to fold his BB. Pretty much everyone between me and Art love to fold, so it seems correct.

Anyway, I raise, and Carlos says, "not this time" and calls 2 cold. It's folded to the small blind who calls, and as planned, Art folds.

The flop comes 5 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. It's checked to me and I bet. Carlos laughs a little and says "you better hope you get something on the turn" and the small blind folds.

The turn is the Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. I check, Carlos bets, and I raise. Carlos calls without thinking for very long. I figure he probably has a hand like KT with a club or a small pair. Or possibly a jack.

The river is the 4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. I bet, Carlos calls. I say, "I guess you want me to turn this over, huh?" and flip over my bluff. He turns over 6 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and drags it. Larry, another regular in the game who I've been talking to all day says "Jesus Christ, that was a great [censored] play I can't believe he called!" and a young Asian guy(Fam? I feel like a dick if that's wrong), considered by many to be the one of the two toughest players in the high-limit games at the Borgata gives me a considering glance just long enough that I know this hand has made an impression on him. He looks away when he sees that he is giving away information.

Another hand passes when Carlos turns to me and says, "So you know, I shouldn't tell you this, but one mistake young players make is when they are bluffing, they always look for a second at the other players' chips hoping that they won't start moving towards the pot." A guy who is the weakest player in the game by far says, "What was that?" to which Carlos responds, "Nevermind, I can't explain it in English," but I understand. I just made a fantastic semi-bluff but got called down because for a split-second I gave away information to one of the few players observant enough to use it correctly. I guess I should start focusing on having some sort of routine when I play live if I plan to continue to move up.
-James

stoxtrader · #2 01-10-2005, 03:25 PM

interesting post. tx james.

Diplomatdcm · #3 01-10-2005, 03:27 PM

I was in the game ealier, and it wasn't bad but i guess it got worse. I think Carlos calls here a lot if he is stuck but not much if he is up, but i might be wrong. But still nice turn raise with how weak tight a lot of the better 40 players are. You see the 150-300 game they had going? That was a crazy game.
Dave

AviD · #4 01-10-2005, 03:28 PM

Nice post James, good reading. Was nice meeting you, although it was brief! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

CanKid · #5 01-10-2005, 03:29 PM

good read

TStoneMBD · #6 01-10-2005, 03:33 PM

good read. i didnt know of this tell. if its accurate its a hella thing to know about.

Philuva · #7 01-10-2005, 03:43 PM

I have only played with Carlos 4 or 5 times, but my experience with him is that he calls a lot here and will call down with any pair unless it is painfully ovious he is beat, i.e. he has 22 and it is a AKQJ8 board. So I would have given this one up on the turn.

Ulysses · #8 01-10-2005, 03:56 PM

A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

BottlesOf · #9 01-10-2005, 04:08 PM

Great story. Perhaps you should read some Mike caro. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Luke · #10 01-10-2005, 04:17 PM

Real nice post James.

I don't have much live experience live relative to my online experience, but what I like to do when I bet and there's any sort of delay in my opponent's decision, is I just tip my head down and stare at the board or my cards.

I do my best to just keep a straight face and breath normally.

I *think* that this approach works for me but I suppose the key is to develop a plan and be consistent in how you handle these spots.

Luke