My kryptonite

I just got back from an impromptu Sunday night $10 cash game (8-handed!) at Dave & Kida's new place. My cards were ice cold. I got burned with 76o on the very first hand, out of the BB, when I flopped two pair, with two hearts on board. After betting at the flop (A76) strongly, the turn brought a third heart, I checked and called a small bet. Then I bluffed a $2 bet on the river when the board paired (but not a 7 or a 6), I was called, and Dave showed his powerhouse J5 of hearts. This hand would be my big mistake for the evening. I should know Dave folds less than the average bear, and bluffing at him is a losing proposition in the long haul. I had him pegged for hearts, and a check and fold there saves me $2. As I cashed out for $9 (-$1 total), it was the difference between a winning night and a losing one. On a positive note, my hand-reading skills have improved dramatically in the past several months. I'm not always right, but I'm close a lot more than I'm way off.

My big winning hands were AA and 97s. Big? Come to think of it, they may have been my only winning hands. After my first hand fiasco, I sat back and waited. And waited. And waited. Almost everybody at the table has me pegged as a tight player, so when I raise, I tend to get a little respect. 97-diamonds in the cutoff, and plenty of folks limping in. Several callers. Uh oh, but I do have position on everybody. Gotta love position when you bluff-raise. Flop comes down 944, two hearts (AGAIN). It's checked to me, I push all-in for a slightly-less-than-pot-sized bet. Kida gives me action with T5 of hearts. Turn is another 4, killing Kida's flush draw, but giving him a little hope for a ten on the river. The poker gods have a sense of humor, as the river is another 9, giving improving my full house.

I was in SB with two red aces, and made a normal raise against a bunch of limpers. Dave was in BB, and went all-in with KQ of clubs, reraising me. All the limpers got out of the way, and my aces held up. The flop was all hearts, which cut into Dave's outs on the turn and river. Why do people attack my raises with crap? It's funny, how much credit I give other people, and how often they fail to give me any. Dave has to know there that if I call him, I have him destroyed (AK, AQ, even JJ and I'll be calling.) Dave and Tommy played horrible tonight. Tommy sees all the suckouts, then gets antsy when he raises with AKo, flops a perfect board of K82 rainbow, the pushes all-in to protect himself. Take a card off, let the people calling with Q9 catch up a little. Kida called you, let the man hit a pair. He'll bet it for you, then drop the hammer on him.

But my kryptonite... hot girls who play poker. I don't get distracted, or give them any quarter. But daaaaaamn, I love hot chicks that play poker (and soccer, but that's another story). The girl that was the link between work (coworker Colin) and the Buena Park/Orange crew (Tommy, Kida, Dave) is Esther, who played this evening - six months ago, she played in my home game. "Esther" is an ugly, grandmotherly name, but Esther is hot. Tall, slender and shapely at the same time... pretty face too. Man, do I like Esther. And Jewel, and Francesca, and Mary. There's never going to be a strip-holdem game, but those 4 are on the short list of invitees for that affair.

Oh yeah, I got a phone number from Esther tonight too (and she's got mine). Naturally, my read on this is good - Esther might attend my home game, I will almost definitely attend hers if asked, but the chance of us hitting it off and dating is less than a gutshot. Sure, it could happen, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Hopefully, in the game of life, she checks to me, so I can take a free card. If I recall correctly, six months ago, I mentioned in passing to Colin and Tommy that I thought Esther was attractive and nice. I really hope I didn't say "hot" and "I want to tap her ass into next week".

Soon, I need to ask out Jewel, or make some progress with Esther. Remember, you miss all the shots you don't take. I need to get shot down more.