Hand Of The Day #80

Grand Sierra - 07.31.11 - $180 Tournament Level 1 (25/50)

The table's been playing rather calm so far. I haven't played many hands, so I limp UTG with 9c 8h. A Mid player raises to 250. It's a 60's lady who arrived late at the table. The only hand I've seen her raise was a min-raise in the BB with 66. It folded around to me. Even though I'm out of position, I decide to make the call. We started with 8000 chips, and I'm up a little, so the implied odds are there. Besides, what's the worst that could happen?

Flop: Jh Td 8c. A good Flop for with with a Pair and Open-Ender. I check, and she bets 250. The bet smells weak to me, so I check-raise to 600. She thinks for a bit, and calls.

Turn: [Jh Td 8c] 7s. Sweet! I grab a Yellow 1000 chip and bet it. She goes into deep thought. A couple of times, it looked like she was gonna fold. At this point, I put her squarely on AK. She's thinking about calling with her Two Overcards and a Gutshot. I think if she had a Pair, then she would have called by now. If she does call, then I will make a value bet of 1000 again on the River, unless a Queen pops up.

It took over a minute before she finally acted. She didn't fold, and she didn't call. Instead, she raised to 3000. W T F !?! Well, that certainly got my attention, as I sat up in my chair and started going through possible hands. JJ or TT are a possibility, I guess. The only way she could have a 9 in her hand is with 99 or A9s. I ship the rest of my chips All-In. She calls, and shows Q9d for a Flopped Nut Straight. How in the world does a 60's Lady ever show up in this spot with Q9? I could see an Internet Kid raising to 250 with Q9, but a 60's Lady? Really?

Anyways, I missed my three chop outs on the River, and was left with about 1000 chips. After the hand, I said, "That was the the best Hollywooding I've ever seen." I don't think she understood what I was talking about, but it was a sincere compliment. I've been known to do some 1st Class Hollywooding, but that was very convincing.

I had started doing a Running Log of this tournament, but this hand killed that idea. I did manage to double up with my AK vs ATc in Level 2. But before the level ended, there was one limper, and I raised to 300 with Ah Tc on the Button. Only the limper called, and the Flop was Ac Js 8c. He checked, and so did I. That's a very wet Flop, and he's likely to call with a lot. I only have 1650 left, and can't afford to fold to a check-raise. The Turn was [Ac Js 8c] Ts. He bet 800, and I quickly ship it with my Two Pair. He calls and shows As Jd. Once again, I brick the River, and I'm out.

So twice in one hour, I hit my hand on the Turn, got the money into the pot, and was basically drawing dead both times.

Yeah, it's been that kind of a month.