Getting Snapped Off at Walker Hill

Snapped Off:  Beat, in poker, when holding premium hole cards.

I made my way to the poker room at Walker Hill around 1am Friday night.  I like to go late when most players are tired, drunk, or stuck a bunch of money.   I expected to get a seat right away, but the room was packed.   Three $1/2NL tables and one very deep-stacked $5/10NL game were all full.  I made my way towards the poker pit to get on the list, but paused and looked up, hearing someone calling my name from the $5/10 game.

Alex. I knew this guy from my poker days at 7-Luck a couple years ago.  He was hyper-aggressive, loved big pots, and excelled at putting players on tilt with his banter.  He reminded me of a coked-up Antonio Esfandiari, in appearance and play.   He was the kind of player who either won a few thousand or lost a few. I don't think I ever saw him break even...


I said hi and it was good to see a familiar face.  I've recognized quite a few players from 7-Luck playing at Walker Hill now, but none have recognized me after a couple years of being absent.  Alex said he'd wondered where I'd been. I'd just disappeared.  I confirmed that, said I was back and it was good to see him.  I asked how his bankroll was and he said good, he almost never loses anymore.   I thought that sounded funny.  He headed back to his seat and I signed up 6th on the list.

So I waited.   And waited. And kept waiting until finally I got a seat at about 2:30am.   I sat down at a table where almost everybody had $200-400 in front of them.   Except the guy to my right.   Older asian guy with sunglasses, sitting with about $1000 in chips.  I bought in for $400 and watched Sunglasses bust a guy on the first hand I saw.  He flopped a set of 10's versus the busters K10.

My fourth hand I was in the BB.  A few limpers and the action came back to Sunglasses in the SB, who made a small raise to $10.   I peek down to see two red to aces. I raise to $40 to get the limpers out.  They oblige.  Sunglasses pauses for about 10 seconds before calling. Flop comes 8 4 2 rainbow. Sunny checks.  I bet $50, liking the flop.  He pauses for another 10 seconds and calls.   Turn comes 10 of spades, putting two spades out there.  Sunny checks.  I pause briefly, then bet $100. The pot is now just shy of $300.  He thinks a little longer now and finally says, "all-in," of course putting me all-in.

I've got about half my chips invested, with about $200 left.  With Sunny's raise the pot is right around $600, giving me 3-to-1 pot odds on a call.   I definitely feel like I'm going to be winning 1 out of 3 times in this spot with AA.

I call without much hesitation, capping off the pot at $800, and flip over my aces.  He flips over an eight of spades, making me initially think he's got a pair of eights with the flush draw.  A8 spades.  He gives me a brief sweat before flipping over his other card.  Eight of diamonds.

He flopped a set and I'm drawing dead to the two aces left in the deck, which don't come on the river. I hear muffled groans from around the table and a mumbled, "God, he flopped another set," before standing up. I glance around the room, then push my chair in and signal the dealer that I'm leaving.

"Seat open," I hear behind me as I walk towards the exit.