Day of the Dead

It's Thanksgiving in the U.S. of A. today. Being Canadian, this doesn't affect me a whole bunch... except that it's positively dead at work. We like US holidays here, it generally means an easy day.

Decided that instead of Mookin' it up last night, I'd go play live instead. Probably a good move on my part, since I was home before the Mookie ended, and we all know I'd have been at the final table in that one :).

Strange night. Wednesday's are usually pretty packed, but it was eerily quiet last night. About 22 runners, 3 tables. Made it to the final table with an M of 2.5, and went all-in with KJh (vs two all-ins before me that turned out to be AsQc and ATc). The Q hit on the river, so I was done. Yah, I know, KJ, even suited, vs two previous all-ins? I was card dead most of the night, a pair of twos that flopped a set being my best hand to this point. I needed to take the chance, and it turns out I was right in calling - I was ahead pre-flop.

So then milled around a bit until the cash game started. This was odd too, as the cash game is usually full by the time the final table rolls around in the tournament. Card death continued, and most attempts at moves resulted in re-raises that weren't worth standing up to. Pocket 7's saved me against pocket 6's (with a 345 flop) to stay alive... and I finally left before I gave away all my chips... down on the night.

But the hand of mention was this one. I get dealt 89d on the button. There's a jackpot at the club for Royals, straight flushes, and quads. Straight flushes pay 20% of the jackpot (yesterday that worked out to $284). I see these suited connectors and think, "here's my straight flush." UTG raises to 4x BB, next to him calls, and I'm thinking "no problem." Then the new guy next to me raises it to 10x BB and I muck. It folds around to UTG who calls, as does the other player.

Flop comes 4d6d5c. Some betting follows that gets it to two players. Turn comes 5d. River comes... yah, you know it... 7-of-freakin'-diamonds!!! There's my straight flush, except my cards are sitting at the bottom of the muck. 10x BB shows his pocket Q's, and the remaining player flips of his AKo. I let the table know what I let go, and one guy looks at me like I'm nuts for folding.

"You had the nuts straight flush and you folded??"

"I didn't have it pre-flop! I had suited connectors vs 10x BB!"

So I can't regret my fold, it was obviously the right thing to do... but the poker gods were being cruel and petty then by handing out the runner-runner straight flush. No re-raise, and I'm in for 4x BB with suited connectors and a hunch in a cash game. With two diamonds, an inside straight draw, and the possibility of runner-runner on the flop, I'd stay in. From there it's gravy.

Preflop - I was 22% to win (ignoring the 3rd player who's cards we don't know)
Flop - 49%
Turn - 90.5%

If I'd stayed in.

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This Vegas thing is still gnawing at me. I'm in Banff next weekend for some skiing in what they're calling their best early season ever. The weekend after that is the blogger meet in Vegas. Granted, of all the people going, I only actually know Kat. I might meet Joanne before that, if we meet up in Calgary. But it's Vegas baby! I get the feeling it be almost literally a last minute decision. As in Friday morning I'll call up the airline and the hotel and see what's available. If I don't go though... there's the chance of the Aston Martin DBS Freeroll at Stars, or the second deep-stack long grind tourney at the club that weekend. Both of which are small potatoes compared to Vegas.