Trippin Up

Iggy and Grubby said they would like to see results for my triple table $3-6 effort. Your wish is my command, faithful readers. So a short post:
I played exactly one hour last night, beginning at 9 PM Pacific time. The tables were very loose aggressive, and there was a lot of 3 betting preflop. I guess once the clock strikes midnight on the East Coast, the calling stations turn into maniacs.
My wife had some friends (a married couple from England) fly in yesterday, and they’re going to be here until Friday. I may have to play from work. We went out to dinner, and after being tortured by reality TV for a few minutes, reluctantly hopped on the Party tables. I found 3 to my liking, and then the English guy popped over and watched the insanity.
English Guy: “Is this texas hold em?”
Me: “You got it.”
EG: “…is this for real?”
Me: “Real money, yep.”
EG: (pause) “Why are you raising with Ace King? You don’t even have a pair!”
I told him to pull up a chair, and tried my best to explain what was going on while I was battling the loose aggressive players. As if 3 tables isn’t enough, now I’ve gotta do my Sklansky impression at the same time. He’s a nice guy, but I wanted to focus on the tables, since there was a lot of bluffing and fancy play going on.
So I played terribly. Made a few big mistakes, but the poker gods looked the other way, and I ended up $47 (8 BB) to the good after 154 hands.
The good:
Pocket 5s UTG. Presto! I limp in, since I’m pretty sure that at least 4 will see the flop. It’s raised, but I’m ok since 4 people are in, so I call. Flop comes Qs 9s 4h, and I’m ready to dump my hand, but after I check, the next guy bets and 3 callers, no raise. I make the long call (getting 14:1), knowing that if my 5 comes I’ll get paid. And behold, mighty Presto comes through… the 5 comes on the turn, and I check raise and get two callers.
Result:Presto is good for $64.
The bad:
I call in early position with 99. Loose aggressive in late position raises it, after all fold (this table was tight), and I call. Flop is A 9 2 rainbow, and I can’t be happier… I’m hoping he has AK, and sure enough, he raises me when I bet out. I just call, so I can try for the check-raise on the turn. Turn is a 7, I check, he bets, and I raise. He reraises! Warning bells go off. AA? It can’t be… I decide to cap it anyway, and the river is a 6 with no flush on the board. I have a bad feeling, and I check, he bets and I call. AA it is.
Result:-$36 with the second set.
The lucky:
99 again, this time 4 of the button. I’m first in, so I raise it up, but the guy behind me 3 bets it. Here we go again. All fold, and we’re heads up for the flop of 666. Maybe the devil is telling me something… I bet, he raises, and I raise one more time try one more time to find out if he’s betting an ace of a bigger pair than mine (my notes told me this guy was very loose aggressive). He just calls, and I am not sure what to think now. The turn is an A, and I think I’m beat when he bets after I check. But I make the long call, and you can probably guess what the river is. Yep, the good old 9. I check raise, and it turns out he had KK.
Result:+40 with the miracle 9 on the river.
As usual, it’s better to be lucky than good. More tomorrow.