My Epiphany
I had Ah-10c, and the flop was 2h-7h-8s. There were five players in the hand, and one pre-flop raiser, a man who, based on the limited evidence I had gathered, was very reasonable and intelligent. I was in the small-blind, and the raiser was in middle position. The table had been an absolute gathering of nut-jobs, and every pot was a monster.
Action checked around to the original raiser, and he fires a bet. Two players call. Though I rarely float flops like these, I decide to peal one, figuring that a combination of the huge pots being built, and my Ace of hearts was just enough to take a card off. The fifth player also calls. I really don’t know what the limpers hold, but I do figure the original raiser for a pair, most likely Jacks or better. It seems silly to bet a flop like this into four players with a hand like A-K. That in mind, I close my eyes, envision that 10 of hearts, and head to the turn.
The turn: 10 of hearts! Wow, that was pretty cool… Either way, however, I don’t love my hand enough to be aggressive with it. It simply means that I’ll be seeing the river. I check. This time, one of the limpers bets into the raiser, and immediately my hand shrinks. Yes, I have the nut flush draw, but my pair seems useless. I will call a bet, but absolutely need that river heart. The original raiser begrudgingly calls. The other two players fold, and I call.
The river is the 8 of diamonds. I check. This time, the player who’d bet the turn also checks. This was significant, as his play during the session indicated he could easily have bet the turn without a flush. So, two players checking in front of him, the original raiser pauses for a moment. He thinks… thinks… thinks… Then he bets, and it’s on me.
Dammit! What a bad spot to be in! I have top-pair, top-kicker, and face a single river bet to win the pot. It seems as if I should call immediately. But hold on… For one, I have already figured my betting opponent for a large picture pair, and everything he’s done in this pot thus far has supported my theory. He bet the flop, simply called the turn when the flush filled, and is attempting a river value bet. Secondly, I am in the squeeze position. If I call, how am I to be sure that the other opponent isn’t check-raising, or even check-calling with a small flush? So… Again, dammit!
I eventually let my hands loosen grip on the cards, and I throw them in the muck. The other player calls, and they each turn over Q-10, no hearts, to chop the pot with a hand I could beat.
What the hell?!? He bet the flop with that? He CALLED the flop with that? He value bet THAT river? He took aggressive turn action?
What an irritating conclusion to a hand during an already irritating session! Frustrated, I put my ipod on, turn it up, and shake it for a random track. Dave Chappelle’s “For What it’s Worth” stand-up special came on, and within minutes, I had a startling realization. I was laughing, and I wasn’t thinking about my horrible fold at all anymore!
Bottom line, I’ve found the ultimate tilt-blocker! Now, whenever I have a series of tilt-worthy plays/hands/run-downs/people yammering, I simply put on my ipod, and crank up a comedian.
I’ve since added many new ones, including Louis CK, Daniel Tosh and Mitch Hedberg. Each time I hear them, coupled with genuine audience laughter, my two-outer stresses simply wash away…
As odd as it sounds, I genuinely believe this will improve my poker game! As soon as I feel the tilt start to swell up in my soul, I throw on some Greg Giraldo, and all is well in the world.
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