A few weeks ago I had my best total winnings ever for a playing session.
It can be interesting how many different things contribute to a given playing session, and I would like to share three particular hands. I am not sure if I remember all the exact details, but I think the reader will get the points.
Hand 1:
I have pocket Queens in position and raise pre-flop. The flop comes up something like 2 8 J rainbow. I bet and get called by the only player left in the hand. The turn is a 3 and I bet after the villain checks. I get check-raised all in, and although I know I am behind and probably should not call, I don't have very many chips left so I call. The river is a Queen and I beat my opponent's pocket Eights. So instead of being down a $200 buy-in early in the session and having to claw my way back up, a very fortunate low probability 2-outer puts me up a buy-in.
Hand 2:
I have KJ offsuit in middle position. There is a $4 straddle (UTG) which 2 players ahead of me call and I call as well. A player after me raises to $11 after which 2 other players call. I decide to fold.
The flop comes K J J. (Boo!)
The turn is a 10 (with no possible flush)
The river is a Q. Now one of the earlier players bets (likely having a straight). In hindsight I would have then jammed all-in with the rest of my $350 bankroll, and maybe even gotten called by a straight thinking we might be chopping.
The player who originally raised to $11 turned over pocket Queens. (Yay for folding!). While I may have been able to push them out with aggressive betting before the river, my hand is usually very strong and a winning one, so I want as many people to stay in the hand as possible to get paid off.
Hand 3:
I have KT suited hearts and limp in for $2. The flop comes AQJ of hearts!!!
One guy bets $5 and I call. He checks twice and I bet $10 on the river, and he folds. The poker room at Charles Town always has a Royal Flush promotion, which I was eligible for because I met the required conditions. (Both hole cards have to play, $10 in the pot, 5 players dealt in the hand, and player must be swiped in with their player card.). Because I flopped the Royal, I was paid $500. If the player gets their Royal on the turn or river, they get $250.
While I had some other very nice winning hands along the way, this playing session was impacted significantly by winning a nice pot hitting a low probability river out, folding in a hand early where I most certainly would have ended up down 2 buy-ins, and luckily hitting an extremely rare high hand promotion. (I have a picture on my phone which I may post if I figure out how to transfer it.).
