Cooler's continue...

Ever play a session of poker and be up tons and then all of a sudden you look down and wonder where the chips went? Happened to me last night in the brother's game. We added 3 new players last night- all for the better. The new guys are the dealers from the Farmers game and now we have a really tough group. Standard buyin of $20 with blinds of .50/1.00. Within 1hr I was up around $250 thanks to some really good O8b hand scoops against WildBill.

Then the coolers* started happening...

Playing 8 handed I get QQ in MP. One of the new guys, Darren, raised preflop to $5. I decided to reraise to $15 to isolate and push Bill out. Everyone folds and Darren completed the bet. Jack high flop and Darren leads into me for $15. I'm thinking AJ and decided to reraise to $40. He thinks long and calls and this started to worry me. Turn brings another Jack and now i'm thinking he doesn't have AJ. He checks to me and now I'm wondering what to do. I bet $40 and he pushes all in for $100 more. I really didn't think he had the jack but now i'm thinking KK or AA. I show him my QQ and fold and he shows KK. That sucked, but at least I didn't pay him off. Prior to folding this hand I showed it to Bill and he couldn't believe I would fold with one card to come. I told him I felt I was beat and thats why I mucked. I was glad Darren showed his hand. Bill was silent.

A few hands later in O8b I get AA45. WildBill raised to his standard $3 and 4 callers and I reraised to $13. Everyone folds but Bill. Here is where the shit starts. Flop comes A99. I flop top boat. Bill bets $15 and I just call. Turn brings a Jack and Bill checks. I decided to check behind him since there is not going to be a low hand. River brings a blank and now Bill bets $20. I reraise him to $40 and Bill says he's all in and I call immediately. He has 99 for the quads on the flop. It was really the first time I had ever felt like Mike from Rounders. I was stunned. I lost every chip I had on that hand.

So I rebuy for $60 to get me back in this thing. I'm now stuck $80. I build it up to around $120 or so and the final cooler of the night gets me. One of the new guys, whom i've never seen play, raises UTG to $4. I have KK and reraise to $14 and everyone folds to him and he just calls. Flop comes 947 rainbow and He bets $20. I reraised him $20 more and he calls. Turn comes a 5 and this time he pushes all in. Now i'm stuck. I have no clue. I didn't think the board helped him and I'm hoping he has QQ - I mean really hoping he had QQ. I debate for like 5 mins and Bill is getting impatient and making comments. I decided to call. Of course he has AA and busts me again. Another effing rebuy.

Brian (brother) commented that It was about time I was on the other side of the luck. I told him it had nothing to do with me being lucky against people cause I can generally fold big hands and therefore less susceptible to bad luck. Others at our game can't fold.

So I get $40 more and I rally big time. I started catching hands and having them hold up. By the time Bill left I was up $65 over my buyins. I really had to rally to get this and even though I was up on the night I still felt gutshot. I was all over the place.

-twenty 4 seven

*hands in which 2 or more players are dealt really big hands as if the deck was set up this way.