The game is 10-25 PL Holdem (the regular game is an orbit each of PL Omaha and PL Holdem). I had recently won a a couple of big hands (one against player x, who will become important), and then followed that up by winning two or three other hands by raising in position and leading out or raising on the flop. Player x, who for convenience sake we'll call Darling, was also involved in a couple of these pots. Also, Darling had built a very large stack playing his typical Omaha game (read: visualize); but recently, he had been giving it away in huge chunks. In addition, Darling is a very dangerous player, whom I prefer to play against in holdem, and in position, as his too loose starting hand requirements for Omaha really tend to hurt him in holdem. By the same token, he is absolutely fearless, and has a far deeper bankroll than anyone at the table. He knows this is an advantage and will put you to the test the moment he senses fear.
In the immediately preceding hand, I had raised preflop to $100 with A♠K♥ and gotten two callers. The flop waste J-high, checked to me, I bet $200, and everyone folded.
Situation: I am under the gun and find the exac same hand, A♠K♥, again. I make it $75 to go. Two callers, and Darling in the small blind, grumbles, "I'm tired of being pushed around by you," and raises to $250. I have approximately $2700 in front of me, and Darling has me covered.
My thoughts at this point:
- He's a little on tilt and could be trying to bully me/re-steal thinking I'm just stealing;
- He's got some kind of broadway cards or pairs higher than 7s and wants to take the pot down right there;
- He's gotten a premium pocket pair and is trying to goad me into playing with him with the "tired of you bullying" comment
- I'm getting almost 3-to-1 to call.
- the two callers will fold to a raise and will call behind a call.
My thoughts:
- Call and see a flop in position with AK. Okay, but I'll have no idea where I am. If the flop misses my hand and he checks to me, I'll have to bet at least half the pot. He's capable of raising with nothing or calling with nothing and leading out for the pot with a blank on the turn. Or he's capable of leading with nothing on the flop, and without an ace or a king, I'd most likely have to fold. Also, my initial thought was that had QQ, KK, AA or AK, and I wanted a better opportunity to define his hand if I was up against those before I saw a flop.
- Fold. Only done it once in my life in this spot, and that was in the 2005 WSOP, and it somewhat haunts me ( I was up against QQ). Out of the question.
- Raise. Should be able to narrow down his hand possibilities and represent AA or KK. Plus, if he has AA, or maybe even KK, I'll hear from him now and can fold "cheaply."
Action: I raise $600 more. Folded to Darling. he does not appear to be saddened by this turn of events and actually almost raises. Finally, he calls. My initial thought is that he's got an absolute monster, AA or KK, was going to re-raise but then decided to try and get tricky.
Flop: A♣6♣2♥.
Action: Darling bets $1800.
What do you do?
I'll post my thoughts and the result tomorrow.
