No big pots or horrible beats to report from tonight's forgettable session at the Muck. Just a normal, moderately loose, not overly aggressive $4-8 table.
I nursed my rack all night without strong cards -- down $40, up $40, like that -- until missing a couple of flops or draws late in the evening and finding myself with only about 40 chips left. That's when a drunk guy who'd been pushing a lot of hands found himself with the kill button in early position and made it $16 to go. The solid player on my right cold-called and I decided to do the same with my pocket 9s. Depending on the texture of the flop, I decided, I could make a move or get out without further investment.
Happily, it came down J-9-8, giving me a set, but the jack and 8 were spades and the straight possibility was unfortunate. The raiser bet out, middle player called and I raised. They both called. On the turn, a king of spades, I got my last few chips in and the original better raised to drive out the sandwiched guy. When the river brought a fourth spade the original better turned over his queen of spades to go with a red ace, beating my 9 of spades.
Ha la la. I called it a night, down a rack (really only $93 after subtracting the seven chips I paid for dinner). In my dreams tonight that fourth spade will pair the board and everything will be right with the world.
Hands in The Muck ... and other Puget Sound cardrooms
