Didn't think this was possible!

See that title? That's what you call a kicker or a hook! Now you're asking yourself, "What is it that Chris never thought was possible?" Well, let me tell you, my Ante Up! friend! I didn't think it was possible to find a looser table than the $1-2 NLHE games I encounter at Foxwoods. But guess what, it is! Derby Lane is chock full of guys who want to gamble. Last night was the first time I went there since the new laws took effect, and WOW! As my esteemed co-host pointed out in a post below, you don't want to get to these tables late in the day because the stacks are just enormous and there's nothing you can do except pick up a hand and go with it.

But first, I sat down with the octogenarians at the Stud/8 table. Scott mentions it's a $1-2 table, but it was straight $2 with a 50-cent ante (the bring-in is $2 and there's no double bets on 5th). I finally understand what Fasso has been talking about all these months. Everyone at this table was generally pleasant (of course I was the youngest person there by AT LEAST 30 years) and straightforward. No attitudes, no punks (except for me, of course) and we had a great time. But, after two hours of breaking even, I decided I had had enough and wanted to see what the NL tables were like. I had heard the full spectrum of details, from never getting paid off to players being so loose they would tip $20.

Hand No. 2 I was dealt 10♣ 10♥ in the BB. UTG raised to $6 and it got folded to me. I made it $20 straight. He called. The flop came 5-3-9 rainbow. I bet $30 and he called. I pushed the rest of my stack in blind and he instacalled! I figured I was dead and would be heading home. He had A5!! I doubled up on the second hand of the night!!!

I should have left Derby Lane right then and there.

Hand No. 3 I got two red aces in the SB! After roughly 5 limpers I made it $20 to go again. One caller. The flop was nearly identical 3♣ 5♣ 6♠, but now I had to deal with two clubs. I again bet out $30 and the guy pushed for $70 more. I quickly realized there's about $150 in there and I'm getting more than 2-1 on my money. I instacalled like an idiot (I probably still would've called, but I should've given it a little more thought) and he turned over 3♥ 5♥. WOW! He called $18 more preflop with 3-5. He knew I had big cards and I knew he had little cards, but I never thought he'd have that. I figured he had something like 7♣ 8♣ and was gambling. But I still had outs. If the 6 paired or if another ace came I could win. The board never helped and just like that my profit was gone and I was down. Wow!

I made some nice moves later on to get back to almost even, but then a few missed flops here and there had me truly shortstacked. I pushed all-in with a straight and flush draw and got called ($50!!!) buy the donk on my left who had called my first all-in with A5. The board was 10♣ 9♣ 7♥ and he turned over J♥ 7♠. I had K♣ 8♣. I got no help and left Derby Lane a rack down.

I'll be back boys, and I'll tear you up next time. You can count on it.

-- Chris

P.S. There was one anxious moment when one guy went all-in preflop and he was called by the big stack. The guy turned over KK and rivered quads. An ace was on-board and if the other guy had pocket bullets we would have split $15K!!! He mucked. DAMN! They had paid out the jackpot the night earlier, so it's possible!!!

Comments

[Michael Paul]

Wow, those games just sound insane!

I'll tell you though, from the title of your post I never would have thought I'd be reading about a Chris Cosenza LOSING session! I just didn't think those happened! ;-)

Michael

[Loren Finkelstein]

Chris, I don't understand the sentence "I should have left Derby Lane right then and there."

Those are the kinds of tables that pros dream about. Your bad beat not withstanding, every time I can, I'll sit down at a table where people call raises with 35s.

[Chris Cosenza]

I know, Loren, but I just felt like that was going to be my high point of the evening. I knew something like cracked aces were about to happen. I only brought enough for one buy-in because I didn't think I was going to play NLHE. I guess I would have stuck around if I could, but again, you can only rebuy in $20 increments here, so that's a waste. I would have had to have moved to another table and then what's the point?

[Matt]

That's a tough beat, Chris. It sounds like a lot of the players on Tropical, or at the home game I frequent.

PS. Just recently(about 2 weeks ago) found your podcast, GREAT SHOW!

[Chris Cosenza]

Thanks Matt! Yeah, it was tough, and I find it a lot. Everyone wants to be the hero that cracks aces. They all think they are smart and unique in calling with low cards when faced with a raise. They're not cute, they'll just go broke sooner rather than later. I'll get that money back, and I suspect I'll get it back from him some day.

[Chip Hugger]

Now I don't feel so bad. If a good player like Chris can lose, I feel a little better.

I busted out my $100 buy in on Monday night at derby lane. I took a stab early, and lost about half my stack. After that I was surrounded by $200 stacks, so I was just wating to double up. I got A-Q on the button and one of the big stacks raised me to 20, so I shoved all in. He turned over A-J, and of course he hit a J on the flop.

I'm ready to go back to win some of it back. It's my favorite local place to play. Mainly, because of location. It's always a goot time there, though. Great conversation at the table, and a fun bunch of guys.

[Chris Cosenza]

It's only a matter of time before we get our money back. Look for me when you're there and say hey.