Bad Beats, Brutal 5th Streets, and Sickening Defeats: "The Mint," April 24th, 2007

In my poker playing days I had not encountered such a wild poker game until last night at Anthony's game at "The Mint." Somehow, all the forces lined up to bring forth this frustrating night. The games played were 5-10 limit Hold Em', Omaha 8, Razz, Stud, Stud 8, Omaha, 2-7 Triple Draw, Badugi, 5 Card Stud and a 5-25 spread limit 5 Card Draw Game set in a Dealer's Choice format.

The game started at 8 and the action started off quicly as 5 Stud was one of the first games called. The game was 7 handed and Anthony won all but one round in the series. It was a sick start, as I lost two nice pots as he paired his board on the end each time. I kept betting and he would re-raise with nothing, then hit his cards. Needless to say I was quite bitter to start. Yet, this was only the beginning, as emotions would run heavy throughot the game for everyone at some point during the night. The tone of the night was big hands and great starting hand were going to get cracked. There was no stopping the draw out. The pot was steaming and it was not even 10.

A bit later, Anthony would start to steam a little himself, something I never saw him do, when he started to get big hands cracked. Then the tensions mounted even more as he called his roommate with a pair of 9's to the guys full house in Omaha Hi/Lo. Quite the little argument broke out after Anthony called the bet with his 9 and the guy kept saying, "You had the audacity to call me with a pair of 9's." Man, it was rough. Then, when Anthony busted Pop's for a big pot in 5 draw (see below about hand), Pops told Anthony to "shut the fuck up." I mean we are talking about a wild west shoot-out starting here. I have never seen Pops that frustrated. But it did suck as that was the worst beat I have seen in ages. I myself went of a rampage in 5 draw, when the guy drew one card against my dealt set, and pulled the K to make his full-house. i went steaming into the kitchen cursing about one and two outers.

There was so much more, and even two guys almost got in a brawl over calling Omaha 8. By the end of the night we were all a little dained and sickened by the bad beats. Anthony was the victor of the night along with Rocco. I lost 80 bones and I believe Pops was in the valley of death along with the other guy. Dave, who had been winning was also down a bit. I can't remember what BigSlickster did, but he did much better than his other nights, plus the added bonus of a possible south side brawl.

That is about it on this crazy game. I hope that next time emotions don't run so high, but that can happen with bad beat after bad beat. We are all friends, but none of us like donating hundreds to close to a thousand dollars. The game at "The MInt' is great though, and I the the chance to play all those great games and the older ones too.



BELOW IS QUOTED FROM "POPS":
Here are some of the ingredients to throwing a party (not a social gathering, but a full blown hoe down):

- As mentioned above, get DEALT 22244 in 5 card draw in the BB. Cap the spread limit at 100 with 3 players in the hand. Pat the pull and watch opponent somehow take 3 cards. It gets to a hundo again and I'm shown the TTTAA. Stirfry, can you pull the math for me on that one. First, the odds of getting dealt a made boat in 5card. Then, how about the pulling of the 2-out Ten first, then having exactly a pair with it. Can't wait for the results.

- Have a wheel in Stud HI only, and be in 3rd place to a 10 high straight, that got beat by broadway.

- Lose with 555AA in Stud HI/LO to 666QQ after having A/2/5 suited on first 3.

- Have JJTT after 4 cards to get run down by runner, runner, runner straight in Stud.

- Have EVERYONE fold with a made nut Badugi for one bet. Only hand entire evening that everyone folded to a single bet.

I had about 10 other coolers last night that I can't even remember. Sets being no good in 5-card draw, 7-5 Badugi's being crushed, just over and over. Folding to raises (rightfully) only to have pulled the miracle that would have shipped me a $400 pot, etc. It was the most painful poker experience in quite some time, one can imagine my demeanor. I will say the 5-card draw spread limit 5-20 is a pretty sick game, may even dedicate one cash game to it in the near future (if Tim allows me to steal his thunder). Crazy fucking game last night, I'm still shaking my head, unreal!