They certainly do always have it.

It's been a long while since I posted.  I've been staying pretty busy with work, golf, a little poker etc but that's no excuse.  However the writing bug has bitten me a little so I decided to post about last weekend. 

A blog I like to read uses the tagline  'Hashtag, they always have it.' and boy did I get to witness that last Saturday night.  But let me set the stage first

On Friday night I went to Derby Lane but not for poker.  This time I met the wife and daughter and some friends of ours to have dinner at the Circa 1925 restaurant.  We had a good dinner, placed some bets on the dog races - I didn't win once - and just had some fun.  After we ate, I placed some Kentucky Derby bets for us all.  For myself I placed six $5 win tickets in all on mostly mid to higher odds horses.

On Saturday we attended a retirement party for one of the lady's who works for my wife.  It was a good time with something like 9 courses of Chinese food in all.  While we there, I checked the Kentucky Derby results on my phone and saw that Maximum Security had won.  That was one of the horses I'd bet on but because Omaha Beach was scratched, he went off as one of the favorites.  So I figured I was going to get around $25 for my win ticket. 

A little later, one of the women at the table said her mother texted her that the winner was disqualified and the new winner was a 65-1 pick.  After a while I finally got an update to my phone showing Country House as the winner.  Which was another horse I'd picked.  Cha Ching.  From winning $25 to $330 in one fell swoop.  Thank you Kentucky Derby stewards.   When I watched a replay of the race I could see they made the right decision but it was also not an easy decision to make especially with the eyes of the world on them.

So after dinner I went back to Derby Lane to cash in my ticket and blow it all play a little poker too.  Fairly early in my night I just call the blinds in early position with AJ offsuit.  I might have raised there but in early position with that hand, I really don't like it.  Especially not knowing the table well.  The only callers were the guy on my left and the big blind.  Flop comes out 7-8-9 all clubs.  I have no clubs.  BB checks, I check, and the guy on my left puts out a pot sized bet.  BB calls and I go away meekly.

Turn is the 8 of spades pairing the board.  River is the 9 of diamonds and the fire works begin.  BB bets about half pot.  Guy on my left puts out a 3x raise.  BB about doubles his bet and guy on my left puts in the rest of his stack without any thought.  BB calls and has him covered.  I'm wondering what everyone has, maybe 88 vs 99 or more like they both have a 9.   Guy on my left turns over 89 for a flopped 2 pair turned into a boat on the turn and a bigger boat on the river.  However the BB flips over the magic cards, 6-10 of clubs for the flopped straight flush.  The other guy was a little steamed but what can you do?  They always have it.

I had some bad luck running my top pair into a flopped set but I was able to get away before I lost too much.  I wasn't hitting much.  Raised KK and got 2 callers.  Flop has an ace and I lose to Ace 2.  Really?  You call a raise with that?  And of course you're rewarded.  Cost me some more of my stack.  I was determined not to blow all my winnings that night.  Fortunately I got a chunk back when I called a raise with J-10.  Flop was 10 high and the original raiser bet and I just called.  He didn't have a big stack and but he had me covered by a little.  Turn was low as was the river.  He bet both legs including going all in on the river.  I thought hard but I just didn't put him on a big overpair and called him down.  He had 66 so I got almost back to even there. 

Then I got my "they always have it moment".  I called a small raise with 4-6 suited on the button.  Flop is 8-7-5 rainbow.  Bingo.  Of course someone with 9-6  has me dead but I didn't think that was out there.  Everyone checks and I bet out for $10.  Only the big blind calls me.  The turn is a K of spades.  Puts 2 spades on the board but otherwise, a very nice card from my view.  Big blind bets out $25.  I stop and look at him then.  I didn't put him on the made straight and figured maybe he had a K and thinks he got lucky?  So I just call.  He only has $35 left so maybe I should push all in since he's probably committed now.  Either way it plays the same.  River is another 8.  He pushes all in.  I call and table my straight.  He takes a minute then rolls over 8-5 for the rivered full house.  WTF?  You push into me with 4 outs, get the miracle river then you slow roll me?  I was a bit pissed about the slow roll.  I have expected the bad beat, that's been happening some lately. 

Not long after that I decided to take the half stack I had left plus the winnings in my pocket and lick my wounds at home.   It was nice to leave with a good bit more than I brought but it sucked to lose that last hand to that way.