flop small :: Bet Big

Who’s in?

Here’s a hand that took place on Friday. I don’t agree with the way my opponent played it. Villain is a good player, mixes up his game, thinks about the hands he’s in. He can be a little hard-headed when he’s taken the lead in a hand though. I’m guilty of this too and often have to concentrate on putting the breaks on.

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I’m down in Tampa on business and hit the Hard Rock Casino last night hoping there’s an low limit Omaha hi-lo game spread. I’m in luck, there’s a 2-4 game seeing an average of 8 people to the flop with 5 people to the river every hand. I pull up a seat and buy in for a HUNDO.

I’ve played pot-limit before, but I really don’t know what I’m doing. Wade lent me a couple books which I’ve been reading off and on. But reading without practice doesn’t make things click with me. I need to get a feel for how hands play and hold up. When betting, raising, calling and folding are right.

One of my favorite all-time quotes: “good judgement is based on experience; experience is based on bad judgement.”

I think I did alright all-together. I finished up 60 after being down 100. And only made two obvious mistakes, one aweful, one meh. I called on the end in one hand without a possible low on the board with A2 in my hand (nerves). And I overcalled on the river not closing the action with the non-nut low when it was pretty clear the nut low was out there - but the pot was massive.

I also experienced one of the dreamiest flops I think you can get in Omaha:

I had AA59 in middle position and limped in, 7 players to the flop.

Flop: AQJ

I end up making the nut flush and scoop 4 callers on the end when a backdoor low doesn’t get there. Fun times.

I can’t profess to be the movie adept my friend Wade is, but I know what I like and now and then I do hit a couple points that make sense to others (rare moments).

My wife and I were driving down the road to meet up with friends last night and The Killers comes on the radio with All These Things That I’ve Done. Immediate visions of the closing scene in The Matador come to mind: the couple visiting their son’s grave with the unlikely friend of an assassin walking away posting an airline ticket on their windshield. Great scene, great song. (more…)

I think most everyone has heard of this film. When I first heard about it and that Al Gore was in it, visions of Micheal Moore came to mind. I had no interest in seeing a film with Al “I invented the internet” Gore in it. And anything he might have to say I considered suspect. So I dismissed the film all-together.

About a week ago, I put the movie in my queue for Netflix and I couldn’t now say exactly why I did. But if you, like I did, have any reservations about watching this film put them aside and do yourself a favor and watch it. Watch it by yourself or with people you know aren’t quick to throw sarcasm at things that evoke uncomfortable moments of reflection (mea culpa, I wouldn’t have made a good movie buddy for this one).

I’m a born cynic, so while this film paints very clearly the major environmental issues of our time (albeit glossing over population in about 30 seconds), I’m hesitant to believe people will wisen up to the facts to arrive at timely solutions. But it starts on an individual level.