Watch the first step

Ace Rothstein: [narrating] Nicky's methods of betting weren't scientific, but they worked. When he won, he collected. When he lost, he told the bookies to go fuck themselves. I mean, what were they going to do, muscle Nicky? Nicky was the muscle.

”Casino”

Fired up Poker Now again last night, keen to dig into the bonus I have going there. I go back to the old faithful Omaha $1/$2 tables – and this one is wild. 6 Players, raising like there is no tomorrow and hitting draws. First hand I get to limp and see a beautiful flop of J44, and I’m holding J4. I bet and get 1 caller. Turn is a rag, and I bet, he raises, I re-raise and he caps. Hmm…The river is an ace, putting a flush on the board. Great, but the same thing happens and it is capped. I flip over my J4 (can’t remember what the other cards were) and he flips over his J4. Damn it – actually lost 25 cents on that hand to the rake.

A few hands later I get a lovely flop of J87 rainbow, and I have 9T suited to the Jack. I bet out big, get 2 callers. Turn brings 2d, giving two diamonds on the board with the 7. I bet, he calls. Gee, I wonder what is happening here? The river completes the flush and what do you know, he comes out betting. I call just to confirm, and yes he has Q4d in his back pocket. I don’t like how this is going.

On another hand, I have AdAc7c6h, not a bad hand methinks. The flop comes JhTc2c – not bad for me. I bet, two callers. The turn is a nasty looking Td. I have to continue to show strength though, and I could still draw to the nuts if another ace comes. The river completes my nut-flush, but of course a boat could sink me. My 3-bet is called and he shows a lower flush. This sizeable pot put me my 20 minute profit at 10BB, and I had to call it quits there as the table broke up. I didn’t mind the quick action though, it would fund me on my next experiment.

I thought I might try Poker Geek’s steps idea and see how it flies. I started at the $10 level because that is where I usually play. Man, another tight table with only one maniac who is taken care of very early on, but not by me. The first hand I play is AJs from UTG – I raise to double the big blind and it gets folded around to me. Ok, I guess my tight image is following me. A little too well perhaps, because I make the same move from the button with KQo and win the blinds plus 1 caller from middle position. I just couldn’t win any pots of any size – when I played a hand, everyone stayed away. If I limped and then bet on the flop, everyone would fold. I decided to keep this image going and not play too many hands as everyone would be getting into the push or fold mode soon. Sure enough, it gets to the button with two small stacks (me included) and too large ones. Instantly the other small stack doubles up and I am now looking very shaky. I go All-in with AQs, double up on the calling 66. Very next hand (BB) I go All-in again on the SB and one caller who fold to me. Hey, why not three in a row? I get 77 and go All-in and unfortunately the Big Blind has 99 and I bubble. Oh well, I can try again.

In a new $10 SNG, 8 left I limp with KT to see a KJT rainbow flop. One guy bets out $350, about half my stack. I think he has maybe a Queen or an Ace, but not both and is on a draw. I push All-in as the pot is nice at over $700 already and I have about that left. He thinks and thinks about it then calls with QJ. Ok, an OEST against my two pair…He spikes a Jack on the river to take it with trips – and then apologised. Too late buddy, apologies don’t put bucks in my bank roll do they? At least he wasn’t a dick about it.

So I still think the steps idea is good, and I will give it another go again soon. But the main problem is the first step at the moment – and I just came off a good run with it too.

I should be able to get some decent playing in tonight as the distraction looks like spending some late hours at the office. On non-poker news, the Guinness World Record attempt I am making at work is going great guns – and as a fortunate bit of timing they are starting up an Australian Version of the TV show. I’ve already been in touch with the producers and it looks like a very good chance we will be featured on it at some stage. Here’s hoping.