Quad Cowboys

So naturally I was able to come back with some winning sessions. In the last 3 sessions I’m up around $200, including a plus $120 session yesterday. So for the year I am down about $150, but in the last 10 months I am up about $350.

I did turn 4 of a kind on a kill pot and got some callers to the river. I raised pre-flop with KK and got a couple of callers. Hit a set on the flop and still got some callers. The turn brought the fourth K and I checked, and it got checked around. River was a blank and I fired $12 again and still got two callers. Unbelievable. One person had pocket nines, not sure what she put me on. Anyway, it’s nice to turn quads.

I am learning that playing passively loses you money in the long run and not the bad beats. Ace/Jack off suit is a raising hand in middle position, not a calling hand. One time I simply called with this hand, and folded on the flop. I would have ended up making the nut straight. Another time I raised pre-flop with this same hand, and ended up winning the pot with two pair. Play your hands as if there were aces, and you’ll be able to push people of their weaker draws, especially if you built up a table image of winning.

Another time I had AK in late position and raised. Flop came down rags with a 10 high. The person in first position bet, and when it came back to me I raised even though I didn’t even have a pair. Why not? What did he think I had? I kept betting out, and when an Ace hit on the river, I didn’t even get any callers.

If you really watch, it’s amazing how many callers there are in the game. If the person to your immediate right bets, you should almost always raise or fold, especially if there is a large field waiting to act. It’s amazing how many people do not follow this rule. I raised with my draws and hit them quite frequently. People never put me on the draw, and would even bet on the river when the third suit fell.

New Years resolutions for poker are to go back to the tight record keeping. My goal is to double my bankroll for 2008. Overall resolutions are to be nicer to my family, especially my wife. Happy New Year.