The Three Biggest Pots I Have Ever Played

I played a $26 token today to try and get a $75 token for the Blogger Big Game Sunday night. I didn't get much to play early but managed to get to the final table with 2100 in chips and 5/9. That changed quickly as the first player busted and I was in 6th. Then after another pot I was 7/8. When we lost 8th place I was in last with around 1800 in chips and 200/400 blinds. I was able to make two key pushes with no caller including a 3-bet to get back to 2600. We lost 7th and it was now the token bubble and I was 6/7. There was a stack around 1400 at 300/600 and 2 4k stacks decided to get all their chips in with AQ vs KK and it was over. I'm registered for the Big Game now.

Since there hasn't been much poker form me the last couple days I thought I would recap my three biggest cash game hands I ever had. Two were winners and one was a loser.

#1 - $1600 pot - I was in Lake Charles, LA and playing 2/5. It was a must move game. The max buy-in is $300 or 1/2 the largest stack at the table. I worked the original buy-in to $800 when I got called to the main game. When I sat down I was 9th/10 in stack size. The big stack at the table had around $14k. Yes, 11,000!!! Apparently he had been playing for the last 24 hours straight. I saw him get up and leave with around $6k. I can't remember the pre-flop action but I had flopped a set. A lot of money got in on the flop with the opponent to my immediate right. After the betting on the turn I had around $100 left, about the same as him. The river brought a 3rd spade. He lifted his cards and I saw that I had him beat. He shoves his last $100 and I call. He had top pair and I raked the $1600 pot.

#2 - $1425 pot - This one came from the 2/5 game at the Rio last summer. The game was going for around and hour. Copied from my old blog.... I am in mid-late position with AQ off. There is a straddle to $10 on the button. There are 3 limpers before me and I pop it to $70. The straddle calls and all else fold. The most beautiful looking Kc,Jh,10c flop comes. I lead into the pot for $75 and he rather quickly says all-in. He has about $690 ($10 less than me). I immediately call and he says he has the nuts. I said you have A,Q too? He turns over Q,9. Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I show him broadway and now he needs and ace to chop. It doesn’t show and I just won a $1425 pot.

#3 - $1200 pot - This one occurred at the Borgata in March of 2007. It was a 2/5 game and I was in for a short period of time and got the stack to $600. I had the 10,7 off in the BB in a 5 way limped pot including the SB. The flop came J,9,8 rainbow. SB checks and I bet $25. Everyone folds and the SB calls. The turn is a complete blank (like a 3). SB checks and I bet around $70. The SB raises to $150. I 3-bet shove and she calls. When she calls I said Q,10 huh? Yep. the river is a K. If I flat the turn the K is a good enough scare card for me to lose nothing more. Loss of $1200.