So this guy says..."Would you like $700?"

by G-Rob

The "Spring Hotel" is like most underground games, with that cheap homegame air and the same rotating roster of players. They rake 5% of every pot with no cap. They give us free pizza from some non-National chain and offer as much Sprite as we can pissibly drink. The same dealer is always there and at least half of the table is always players I know well. Most of them are middle class types, cable installers, construction foremen, and small scale contractors. They're uniformly awful at poker.

I've made a helluva living at the Spring Hotel. I've finally become the guy the other players talk about, the ringer in the room, which suits my agressive style just fine. Most of the time it's pretty standard stuff, but I thought you, dear reader, would get a kick outta last night.

A HAND

I'm in for $800. You read that right. I'm getting killed. It's unusual, but it happens. The max buyin is $200 and I've only brought $600. I had to take a marker for the last buy.

90 minutes later, I've built it back to $750 and I'm starting to play my game.

Then it happens.

I have J9 offsuit. It's limped 4 times to me and I limp as well. Then the man on the button, in the 10 seat, bumps it to $15.

Everyone calls.

Flop is J-9-5 with 2 clubs.

I know the 10 seat well, he never stops betting, and I decided to let him act. I check and, sure enough, he bets another $15.

I bump it to $65 and he calls. Honestly, he could have anything, but I'm most concerned about the flush.

The turn is a 7 of hearts. That means there's a SECOND flush draw on the board. I bet $125.

He instantly goes all in. He has me covered.

I'm stunned. The only thing I'm worried about is a set.

Then he says, "Would you like to see it? I'm happy to take your $125."

"Sure," I say without acting.

He shows... Q-10 offsuit.

He has a straight draw. The total bet now, including my $125, is $663.

For a full minute I kept staring at the board, I was sure there was something about his hand that I just wasn't seeing.

There wasn't.

I called.

He missed.

I win a $1400.00 pot.

I'm still baffled.

Later he claimed he thought he already HAD the straight and misread his hand. He was trying to keep me from calling with a flush draw.

STILL!

Its a $700 gift.

A friggin' GIFT!

This is why I LOVE the Spring Hotel.

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