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Poker Story (2007)

August 11 2011 ,
by Matthew J-B

He knows I’ve been running over the table, he knows I know that, and he knows I know he knows that…that’s where the warfare begins, that’s where I find myself come alive, I can hear his head ticking and that sound alone almost sends me into convulsions.

It’s at that moment I look down and see two black Aces in the hole, the timing is sweet, the opponent in question is agitated, eager to play back at me with marginal holdings so I duly raise… the standard amount – I need to keep this one the same as my ‘play the rush’ flamboyant image portrays. He wastes no time in coming over the top, trying to put the pressure on me, trying to make me chase the hand. I could call and take his continuation bet and the pot down, as soon as we see the flop… but this time I want his stack – I need to make a play high enough so to know if he’s committed. So with a ‘what the hell’ swagger I raise it WAY up there! I can see he thinks I’m still the bully and he makes the call, almost to save face this time… after all, he’s the man, he can still push me off the flop, he can bully too, and he’s seen many a sucker get his comeuppance… so we see the flop…

3 7 9 all spades. A peach of a board for my hand. He plays at it, about half the pot… surely not pocket nines? Maybe sevens? He can’t have a made flush, if he had a suited hand he wouldn’t be in there without the ace, and I’VE got the ace. The only answer is an over-pair… “I raise, I’m all in” besides if he has the nines I still have nine spades to improve right?

That’s when I relax, I can see instantly I’m ahead, his distress is so arousing, I’m in that moment of ecstasy feeding off the pains of others. I no longer want him to fold the hand – in fact I’m begging him to call.

He throws in the rest of his stack, pushes his chair back, stands up, his tinted glasses now off as he adjusts his cap and slams his hole cards on the table face up… two jacks – but not just that, it’s two red jacks! It’s a tilted player that makes these crying calls, presumably hoping I’m on a draw, that I’m the one chasing his made pair. I don’t tease, I flip my aces over… he turns his back on the table, turning back instantly with this hands now clasped over the peak of his cap… he has ONE out, he must hit a jack to stay alive but of course the jack of spades will make me the nut flush, one card in the deck out of forty-five and two chances to hit.

The dealer burns and then turns the two of diamonds… no help. I’m still ahead… WAY ahead – he’s now a 43-1 shot and must hit a perfect card. Now to the river, the dealer taps the table, then burns and turns…

I make the decision that I will leave the table after raking in this pot. It’s a profit for the night and in fact now puts me in good stead for the week. I can get some rest, perhaps spend a day with the family and enjoy the comfort and freedom that being a professional poker player brings. I snap out… horror… the jack of clubs.

One Response leave one
  1. debo permalink
    August 12, 2011

    its why we love this game!!! from the best feeling of completely owning the dude to the worst of the killer one-outer in the time it takes to deal the turn and river!!!!! pisses all over eastenders for drama!!!

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