Some Poker Hilarity

I sat in the best 5/10 game I've played in for a while yesterday at Palomar. This is a rarity especially after black Friday. I went early afternoon and the game was about 70% under the age of 25, which is sad because I'm probably considered seniority in terms of age.

Luckily, I had some urgent errands to run and I quit after only playing about an hour. When I finished my errands I immediately went back and boy how two hours can change everything. At first, things were kind of average but as night fell the kids began packing up and going home. After that happened the floodgates opened.

By 9pm, half the table was rich middle aged men. The standard opening size was suddenly 7x-9x instead of 3x-4x. Players were cold calling 3-bets preflop. Players were stacking with middle overpairs. Players were never folding preflop if they opened. I did not have plans to stay past 10 but this was a special case. It was the first time I stayed until the cardroom closed. It's such a shame that San Diego county law requires that location to close at 2am. I could have played in that game for another 12 hours easy.

Anyway, here are some fun hands:

5/10

Four limpers to me, I make it 60 OTB with QT, all call. Flop A55, one diamond. Checked to me and I check. Turn 9d. Three checks and kid fires 185, I call, rest fold. River is an offsuit 4. Before this kid bet I already decided I was very likely to call him down. Now he overbets 850 and if I was already semi-committed to calling before, I'm certainly committed now. I nearly snap call and he shows A5. Oops.

5/10

Three limpers to me, I make it 60 OTB with JTs, all call. Notice a trend? Flop Kd9h8h. Checked to me, I check. Turn 4h. Two checks and guy now bets 75. I fold, and now there's a check-raise to 225. Only the bettor calls. River 4d. Check-raiser now thinks and checks. Bettor instantly fires 325. Check-raiser tanks for about two minutes and calls. Bettor shows two red fives and it's good. Soul read.

5/10

LP opens to 40, button calls, BB three-bets to 245. Both call and the trend continues. Flop A33. BB bets 265, LP raises to 685, button ships. BB folds, LP calls for only about 500 more. LP has AKh and button has T3 offsuit. I don't know who's hand is funnier at this point.

Anyway, given the action I saw last night I am much more inclined to play at night. I usually enjoy playing during the afternoon but I think after black Friday all the kids are out in full force. But the thing about kids is they like to maintain a high profile social life and this requires them to leave around dinner time. After that, the game just improves ten-fold. I'm going to go back again today during the afternoon and probably play through night and see if the pattern continues.