Cash game

Last Sunday I played in a cash game with a group of friends from APL. I haven't seen some of them for a while so I was keen to catch up with them as well as test my skills of course. Since its a poker group, its always a tough challenge rather than just playing against friends.

It wasn't high stakes, $20 buy-in, ring game format and 5c/10c blinds. Buy-ins allowed and there ranged from 6 to 10 players throughout the afternoon. Things started fairly slowly for me and everyone was fairly cautious early on. I didn't see many cards early and when I did I was catching middle pair but someone almost always had top pair and was playing it passively.

I won a hand here and there but it wasn't until mid-way through where I got in to my biggest hand of the day. I had pocket 8's in the small blind and I think there was only one limper from early position. I chose not to raise and hoped obviously to catch a set ... flop, king 5 8 ... nice! I checked, big blind checked and the other person bet (like she had the king). I umm'd and ahhh'd and made the call, hoping the big blind but come too but he folded. Next card out was another 5 and I again check-called. The river brought another 5 and since there was a bit of money in the pot and my opponent now also had a full-house, I decided to lead out to make sure I got paid. Thankfully my bet paid off as I got min re-raised by my opponent and after a minute or two I decided to push all-in as I knew she didn't have a 5 (or pocket kings). She tanked for a long while and her worrying thought was that I had aces but ruled that out since she thought it unlikely I would play them so passively pre-flop. Eventually she said, "Sorry Roger, I have to call" ... to which I obviously had no problem with as she turned over king jack and scooped in a sizable pot as she rebought.

A little while later the girl from above raised my big blind, small blind called and I had ace king suited and decided to just see a flop and re-assess. The flop came ace, 10, rag so after the small blind checked, I led out causing the initial raiser to fold but the small blind called. I figured she had the 10 or a worse ace so was fine with her call. The turn came a jack which also gave me the nut flush draw and a straight so I bet and was check-minraised by the small blind. With top pair top kicker and a number of good draws still in play I of course made the call. The river was perfect for me as I made the flush and after the small blind checked I bet solidly and was snap-called by the small blind who turned over two pair, jack ten.

The last significant hand for me was when a loose player raised solidly pre and I had queens in the small blind and re-raised. I got a snap call and we saw a ten high flop heads-up. I led out solidly because there was a flush draw and possible straight draws on the board ... snap-call. At this stage I'm putting her on either a good ace that hasn't yet hit or low to mid pockets and I'm wary of a set. Another low card on the turn so I bet solidly again and again got a call. The flush draw gets there on the river so I check, thinking I'll likely call depending on the bet should it come but my opponent checked turning over pocket 6's and I scoop the pot.

Other than folding jacks verse aggression on the turn of a 7 9 9 flop, I stayed out of trouble and ended up walking out of the game with $50. Not too bad an effort for me, considering the $20 buy-in, low blinds and my lack of cash game experience.