Another Live Cash!!

I got a follow-up call to our AM convo from Snake about 6:40 PM advising me of a home tourney at the Commish's house (our live league manager). So I jump into the Santa Fe, throwing Snake's goodies I have brought back from Vegas into my Pstars bag and I high-tailed it up the Northway. Its a good 40 minute drive up to exit 18 but I drive fast and made it with a little time to spare.

Besides Mike (the Commish), Ray, Trent and myself, present are Juddy and Bill (married) and Zoe (their daughter) and Karen M and Blake who isnt an APler but Ive played against at Trent's. I plop down between Snake and Karen. Then I realize my mistake. Why do I want Snake on my left and Trent two seats over.

My early raises get respect and little more then the blinds. During the first blind level I open raise with a suited 79 from EP and show and get a few looks.

Blake is first out then Bill then Juddy then Zoe then Karen and its 4 way. Me last gal standing and the boyz...

Now to back track a second, I hadnt played Trent or Ray live since APL ended (Snake and I had played some Chinese Poker but no heads-up NLHE). I did play against the rest of the crew back in February so it was a good 4 months and a retooled/improved game since they had seen me last.

Earlier I had gotten short throwing away a pair of tens (again) to Juddy who probably had A5 on a board of 532 or something like that. Some people wont throw away ace rag anything, and of course when they have a piece they wont lay it down. I thought about putting Juddy all in there. SHe was not going to let it go if I bet or checked so I let her get a free card... Of course, when a 5 hit the turn and I faced an all in I had to fold the over pair to what was certain trips.

Snake had raised to $1500 earlier with the blinds at $150/$300. I looked at him and said. Protecting that middle pair Huh? He flips up 77. A bunch of hands later he limps UTG... I believe it folded around to me and I raised. Snake reraises me and I just give him a look and a little speech that went down something like this.....

IG- You limp from under the gun and then come back over the top of my raise. Hmm thats really interesting. (now if I lay this down Im going to be really short).

Snake5970 Cat has his tongue.

I am pretty sure I know what he has and his reraise sends a warning bell. Its a discussion Chad and I had had in Vegas... I re-raise with AK IG... the only way I can see where I stand..... Now Snake doesnt know about this little convo I had had with the Sit-N-Go machine.

IG- Okay lets gamble baby... I flip up Pocket 77's and indeed its a race....

My 77's hold and I double thru...

Snake5970 I was hoping you had AQ

IG- Dont you think Ive learned my lesson with AQ?

I take another big pot down when my rivered set of QQ and three hearts on board force Snake to fold the IG on a board that also had an A and a K.

Now its fun playing against your mentors and Ray and Trent have been instrumental in my improvement, but they both admitted I had a few new moves that even they hadnt seen. Mike even said "I guess I dont know what your hand ranges are anymore since you raised with 79 out of position."

Bubble time saw a lot of chips moving around. Trent who had been short got a big stack. His lag style of play is dangerous when he has a stack because you cant put him on a hand. Finally after he had stolen one two many times. Ray takes a stand with A3 suited or black offsuit and runs into Trent's AT. Ray is the bubble.

I look at Ray as I hand him the swag I brought back from Vegas (magazines and tourney schedules etc) and said.... Promise me you wont do that in Vegas and jokingly you better go start reading this stuff.

Trent is a thief and I decided if im going to double thru its gonna be thru Mike. I raise with 55 and Mike reraises all in and I call with a PRESTO be good. Presto is up against the HOY... (AJos) and Presto is Gold!!!

Finally I decide I have to take a stand against the anti-Robin Hood. Mike and I are even stacked about about 17-20k each or so and Trent has us at least 2:1. SO I raise off the button with K9os to 40000 blinds are $500/$1000 still and he puts me all in. I pretty much have to call as K9 threeway is as good a hand as I can hope for, and I figure I have overcards. Trent flips up 66 and hits a 6 on the flop for a set. I get a couple cards for my str8 but fail to improve and I go home

$30 buyin I cashed for $60 3rd of 9 just like an online sng....

Im up $1265 and have now cashed in 3/5 live tourneys since last Thursday!!

Full Vegas recap to come tomorrow