The One You've Been Waiting For

No, not the name of the first David Archuleta single. I'm referring to those big cash game hands that you shape your image around. The ones that you spend so much time patiently waiting for. It's the hand that's supposed to make up for those countless conservative folds. These are the hands that justify long stretches of stack stagnation. Because all of those small pot folds that drop your stack down 10 or 20 BBs can be instantly recuperated by one big 100BB double-up.

And then there's the flip side, and that's where I ended up yesterday. In my first session since going broke and reloading, I actually felt like my play was strong, and I managed to find a few tables with some weak, exploitable players.

I bounced up early with a little luck and a little slowplay by my opponent.

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players

Hero (MP): $50
CO: $50
BTN: $19.45
SB: $20.65
BB: $94.85
UTG: $42.25
Pre-Flop: K T dealt to Hero (MP)
UTG folds, Hero raises to $1.75, 2 folds, SB calls $1.50, BB folds

Flop: ($4) Q Q A (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets $2.50, SB calls $2.50
And I'm done. Prepared to check-fold.

Turn: ($9) J (2 Players) <-- Oh wait, Broadway! Nevermind. SB checks, Hero bets $5, SB raises to $16.40 and is All-In, Hero calls $11.40

River: ($41.80) 4 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Results: $41.80 Pot ($2.05 Rake)
Hero showed K T (a straight, Ace high) and WON $39.75 (+$19.10 NET)
SB showed Q K (three of a kind, Queens) and LOST (-$20.65 NET)

I do love being done slow, real slow. But I gave it back on this one...

Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
CO: $9.05
BTN: $20.25
SB: $25
BB: $33.95
UTG: $23.15
Hero (MP): $31.35

Pre-Flop: T T dealt to Hero (MP)
UTG folds, Hero raises to $0.85, CO folds, BTN calls $0.85, 2 folds

Flop: ($2.05) 8 6 3 (2 Players)
Hero bets $1.50, BTN raises to $3, Hero raises to $30.50 and is All-In, BTN calls $16.40 and is All-In

Turn: ($40.85) Q (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

River: ($40.85) K (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Results: $40.85 Pot ($2 Rake)
BTN showed 3 3 (three of a kind, Threes) and WON $38.85 (+$18.60 NET)
Hero showed T T (a pair of Tens) and LOST (-$20.25 NET)

I thought about this one, but ultimately I think I'm fine with my play. I've seen enough in my session so far to make me believe that this could be an OESD or FD. And I've seen enough weak players make this kind of call with a naked 8. And my opponent's relative short-stack makes it all the more inevitable that we get it all in here.

So anyways, that brings us to the hand that spawned the title to this post...

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
SB: $56.15
BB: $66.70
UTG: $50
Hero (MP): $58.95
CO: $21.25
BTN: $59.55

Pre-Flop: K K dealt to Hero (MP)
UTG folds,
Hero raises to $1.75,
2 folds,
SB raises to $7,
BB folds,
Hero raises to $58.95 and is All-In,
Now I've started making this move in lieu of a 4-bet, because it elicits a surprising number of calls from JJ, QQ, and AK. And if I'm up against AA, we're getting it all in anyway.

SB calls $49.15 and is All-In
My opponent tanked, but finally made exactly the kind of call I was hoping for - with AK. So I'm right where I want to be, in a great position for a big bump. Calling all-in with AK here is a major leak, which I know from experience. That all in push means AA or KK probably 50% of the time, where AK is a big dog. The rest of the time, AK is only 50-50, unless you're up against someone you know is capable of pushing with AQ or something weaker. And if you know any such people, please refer them to me.

And then heartbreak hits...

Flop: ($112.80) 8 A 4 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
Turn: ($112.80) 6 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)
River: ($112.80) 3 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Results: $112.80 Pot ($3 Rake)
SB showed A K (a pair of Aces) and WON $109.80 (+$53.65 NET)
Hero showed K K (a pair of Kings) and LOST (-$56.15 NET)

And now we have another problem, because I'm extremely close to going on major tilt after this. But fortunately, I got to end my session with the type of hand that revives my faith in my ability to be a profitable poker player.

Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
MP: $49.25
CO: $50
BTN: $50
Hero (SB): $65.20
BB: $50
UTG: $109.75

Pre-Flop: A A dealt to Hero (SB)
2 folds, CO raises to $1.75, BTN folds, Hero raises to $5.75, BB folds, CO calls $4

Flop: ($12) K Q 7 (2 Players)
Hero bets $8, CO calls $8

Turn: ($28) 6 (2 Players)
Hero checks, CO checks
This check is from a newly (belatedly) added play in my playbook - "It's only one pair, let's not play for a huge pot with it"

River: ($28) 6 (2 Players)
Hero bets $15, CO calls $15
But now I feel safe making a value bet.

Results: $58 Pot ($2.90 Rake)
CO mucked 4 K (two pair, Kings and Sixes) and LOST (-$28.75 NET)
Hero showed A A (two pair, Aces and Sixes) and WON $55.10 (+$26.35 NET)

Of course, I have to hope that this type of player has a thousand equally stupid clones. But it's still something to hope for.

I ended up down $16, but very close to up $100. Now I'm backing to waiting for that big hand again.