The Summer of George - The Conclusion

Armed with the last of my live roll of $140 (let's ignore the $200 on the way from Full Tilt) I set foot in the Hard Rock poker room at 10pm and was able to get a seat right away. An initial scan around the table didn't look great. Only 2-3 people in the $100 - $200 range and everyone else less than that.

In the first lap around the table I managed to lose $30 of my initial $100 and topped off to get back leaving $10 in my pocket. Shortly after that the table looked like it was going to break when we were down to five people but two more showed up within 10 seconds of us breaking the table so we played on. I hung around even after that for a while before I was able to pick up a double and get it to $185. The very next hand I raise AK and get 2 callers and cbet the J94 flop with the flush draw and overs. I get shoved on by a $35ish stack who had flopped a set. I bricked off and was back down to $125. From there I dribbled down to $90 when I topped off with my last $10 and the tables started to turn.

I was in the BB and raised a five way limped pot to $12 and got two callers. Flop comes QQ9cc, I lead for a weak $10 looking to get some action and the player to my immediate right raised to $25. I opted to ship my remaining $60 or so and he went in the tank and eventually found a call with.....44. Weeeeeee. I had the double and was up to around $175 or so. That was the start of one lap around the table that proved to be key.

In the same lap at the table I flopped middle set on a 632 hand. The blind who was a solid player led the betting the whole way with $15, $27 and $35 bets in the flop, turn and river. I really should throw in a raise on the turn but for some reason I had 54 in my head. Horrible thought process as he never leads the flop with that hand, like, ever. The river call is fine as its a way ahead way behind spot. Maybe only call he can make of a raise on the end is a flopped two pair type hand. When I called he wrapped the table, I showed the set and he mucked. The third hand in the same lap I limped in a multi-way pot with A3dd. I flopped the flush draw and called $10 and $15 bets on the flop and turn. The flush hit the river and he checked to me. I opted for a slightly larger bet of $30 and he tanked and called. My hand was good and just like that I was all the way up to $326.

The next big pot was when I limped 75hh and I saw a 6-7 way flop of 998hh. One of the blinds leads for $15 and there was one caller to me and I called as well. Turn was the 10h. Blind leads for $25, call and I'm not thrilled with my hand but I call. River is an off-suit 4. Blinds leads $35, call and action is on me. I'm REALLY not thrilled with my hand but with that much in the pot I just can't fold there and call. Opponents show 93 and 9K and my flush is good for the biggest pot of the night. Only one other significant hand after that where I called a raise to $11 with AQ along with one other. Flop AK10 and I call a $20 bet another with the other opponent. Turn K brings a flush draw. Same player leads $25, call and I put em both in (they both had around $50 behind). Call and call. One also had AQ and the other had KJ for a turned two pair. River bricked and we chopped-up the $100 from the other player.

At around 2:15 I decided to end it with $476 in front of me. Short of the $500 goal set out at the beginning of the night but close enough. All in all quite an interesting day playing poker.