poker and some possible bad news

back when i was playing limit hold-em, there came a day when i "saw the game" and what was fuzzy before became clear. i think that i have had the same Epiphany with low limit no limit. i "see the game" and my wins have been big and my losses small since then. whether or not i am right and whether or not i can continue on this track remains to be seen. it has been a revelation to me. my mistakes have been very few (not counting the time i MISREAD the fucking board...) and i have made some wonderful plays and some stunning laydowns. i must be playing very well because several of the really good pros have come to me recently and complimented me on my overall game and especially the proper reads leading to proper laydowns.

i had a situation that was very similar to the one i laid out for you in the "don't hurt to be lucky" post, even to the same set. i am in first position with a pair of fours and cold call, a player who is overly aggressive and raises almost every hand makes it ten to go and there are 3 other callers before it gets to me. i call. flop comes A 4 6 rainbow....perfect! i check, raiser bets 20 dollars and the others fold. i call. next card is another ace and i check, he bets 30 dollars and i raise to 75 and he calls. the last card is a king. damn, but it didn't pair board. i check and he goes all in. i say out loud, " i was full on the turn!" and, brothers and sisters, i saw him flinch. i call and get all his chips. the fool had ace-2!

what makes this story even better is that he and i had another big run-in an hour or so later. by this time i am up over 500 dollars, he has re bought and has about 350 in front of him. i raise to 20 dollars with queens from the cut off position and am called by the button and this guy in the big blind. pot has 68 dollars in it. flop comes 2-4-5 with two clubs. (i have the queen of clubs). it is checked to me and i bet 40 dollars and the button folds and this guy raises another 75 dollars. i ponder, knowing that he is capable of a big bluff but by his body language i know that he has a monster...i fold. he is stunned. i tell him, i have a big pair and you have me beat. he shows a set of 5's. i pick up my winnings and go home.

now, he should have waited till the turn but i probably wasn't going to bet again, didn't like it that he even would call but he was too eager to get his money back and thus, i lost only a little bit in the overall scheme of things.

on to other things. i am awaiting a call from my va doctor because there is a chance that i may have, are you ready?, breast cancer. damn. hope not but if so, what the hell, it is curable and i can do with one less titty. will keep you posted.