I started really looking foreward to last Friday's game a full week in advance. Of course, that guarantees a bad night. As a rule, the more excited I am about sitting at a game the worse I'm likely to play.
Add to that the following problems and I've got almost no chance:
1. An Unfortunate Table
Dealer/1s: Broccoli
2s: Wes Nile Virus
3s: Falstaff
4s: TeamScottSmith
5s: The Anti-Christ
6s: BadBlood
7s: G-Rob
8s: Gucci Rick
9s: Drizz
10s: Otis
Table selection is an art AND a science. I knew this one was trouble. At least half this table is better than me. Almost all of the other half is smarter than me. Of course, the anti-Christ has unholy power.
Many people are under the impression that Barack Obama is the anti-Christ. He is not. The Anti-Christ plays poker in Badblood's kitchen.
2. I'm Hammered
Not hammered in the funny, HA HA, you played 27o by raising big and took down a hand preflop way. I mean we went out drinking way early and never let up. I mean I met Otis at the bar several hours before the game. I mean that despite the rather embarrasing tolerance to vodka I've developed, I was starting to slur my words.
Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, I stayed more sober that Badblood.
3. I'm not playing my best game(s)
I didn't play well in any of the games. But I'm especially off my axis when we switch to poker games that are not a personal strength.
At this game we played one round of $1/$2 NLHE, one round of $1/$2 PLO8, and one round of $1/$2 PLO.
Omaha is no friend of mine. I worked in Nebraska for a bit and have few fond memories of a state where the biggest tree is a fence post.
And while I'm no Omaha player, others at this difficult table were. Badblood is solid at the game. Otis can play. And Drizz actually PREFERS the stupid post-flop drawing game.
Silliness I say.
I'd rather play razz.
4. I got unlucky
When I flopped a straight and top two in Omaha, Drizz flopped a straight and a flush draw. I lost a big pot.
When I sensed weakness in another player after we both missed a fairly large flop, I pushed $250 into a $200 pot.
That weak player called with only a gutshot draw. And hit.
5. The Prop bets
When we play at Badblood's house, we put his TV on the digital music channel called "Classic Rock" and gamble on it.
Each player picks a band and a song. If your band hits, all the players ship $5.
The song pays $10.
I hit the Rolling Stones twice and something else, the Beatles I think, once.
I promptly put all that money in play and lost it.
6. I got tilty
In particular, that last hand put me out of sorts. I bought in one more time after it and missed a big PLO8 draw in a 3-way pot.
Stacked again, I packed up my remaining Benjamins and went home at 1AM.
I hate leaving early, but if I'm going to fail THAT badly at table and game selection at least I wanted to make one good decision and hit the door when I knew I was too tilty to play.
I could already feel the desire to push on any draw and try to win it all back. Usually, that's a formula for losing whatever you have in your pocket.
In a sense, walking away was the only +EV play I made all night.
7. The Bottom Line
I lost a whole bunch of money.
This farewell e-mail from Drizz probably sums it up best:
Just wanted to say thanks for the gracious southern hospitality you showed me on Friday.Wes - the BBQ, tour around Columbia, and driving skillz made my vacation, and desperately looking some similar BBQ up here even if its in a bottle
BB - The host. For the booze, the smoothly run game, and ability to get everyone together I thank you sir
Otis - For drinks at On the Border and a lesson on 3-betting my pansy ass
G-Rob - For paying for my Vegas trip in December with your awesome PLO skillz! Thanks man! I kid. I kid.
Shep and Scott - For completing the last check on my SC trip, hitting up a Waffle House to soak up some of those Captain and Cokes. Did anyone manage to get the waitress' name?