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playing poker and teaching science: December 2006

playing poker and teaching science

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Location: Honolulu, HI, United States

I'm a middle school science teacher, wrestling coach, poker player, scuba diver, aikido black belt, amateur writer, and student of life. In the past I have tried to give back a little by volunteering at a children's home in Belmopan, Belize, Central America. I also love Frosted Flakes. I took a year-long sabbatical from my science teaching position in order to sail the Caribbean, retired from teaching in Indiana and now teach at a Honolulu middle school.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Lucky number 7

Don’t you hate folding a great hand? Months ago I folded the King of hearts and the seven of spades (out of the big blind) when the river brought a fifth spade. I folded to a large all-in bet when the fifth spade fell because my lowly seven couldn’t possible be good for the flush. The board read Ks 9s 8s, turn 6s, river 5s.

Fold to the Ace, right?

Look again.

Straight flush…… folded.

Worse, I noticed the straight flush AS I WAS CLICKING to fold.

Today I folded quads twice! It was in pot limit Omaha 8b and I was dealt 77xx, no low draw. Easy fold. Quads on the flop! Then it happened again, 77xx no low draw. Fold. Quads on the turn!

The third time I received 77 I played them (I couldn’t help myself!!!) with no low, AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN! Quads on the turn!

What are the odds of quad sevens three times in one session?

I must be living right.

The poker Gods smiled on me again last night as I raked in almost 30 big bets in less than 15 minutes playing limit O8b.

In the big blind I limped in with KQxx. The flop is 10J4 rainbow. I bet my draw and get two callers. The turn is the 9, giving me the nuts. I bet and get raised. I re-raise and get called. Meanwhile there is a player caught in between along for the ride. The river is a 3, which HAS to be a total blank. I bet the nuts again and get raised. The player in between calls.

At this point I have to be splitting the pot, right? Who would raise here? I re-raise and watch as both caller’s hands disappear (I love that part) and the pot slides to me. 89 for the loser’s straight along for the ride and a set of 4’s RAISING all the way!

Gotta love it!

Three hands later I three-quarter a pot with the low raising into my nut flush, nut low hand.
Praise be the poker Gods!

Sunday, December 17, 2006

A donkey on HORSE…

I’m feeling pretty good! Playing Razz in an 8-handed game of HORSE I make a seven low on the turn and bet out. A cascading all-fold quickly occurs as I prepare to scoop the pot and then I get called by a guy showing a pair of kings! What a donkey! He has no concept of the game!

Oops…

We’ve changed to Stud Hi while I was reading about the Knicks-Nuggets brawl.

Who’s the donkey?

Focus damn it!

I do enjoy playing HORSE however and have moved up a level, still making money even though I donk off a few bucks here and there with bad focus, bad play, and bad draws by bad players.

But that’s poker…
Has that phrase been overused yet???