Return to Atantic City

One weekend two weeks after Labor Day, I strolled along the beaches of Atlantic City with my wife and 11-year-old son as my 9-year-old daughter raced ahead feeding the seagulls.

I left them at the steel pier, shook the sand out of my shoes, and crossed the boardwalk at the Tropicana in time for its $115 buy-in hold'em tournament. I noted that there were more than 90 players (up significantly from the 60-70 when I had last visited), and that first place would be about $4,000.

I was at a loose table but got absolutely no cards for the first three rounds. On the last hand of the third round, I crawled into five-way action looking at the speculative 10 9. The flop came J 10 7, giving me second pair and a straight-flush draw. The big blind bet out, one player called, and one folded. Since it was likely that someone had a jack or a bigger 10, I made an "inhibitory" raise – mainly to grab the initiative and perhaps get a free card if they checked around to me on the next round. My raise also could result in the player behind me (the button) folding (with possibly a single ace, king, or queen of clubs), giving me last position.

The turn card was the beautiful 8u, giving me a straight. The big blind ignored the straight threat and bet out with his two pair. The next player called and I raised. Both players called my raise. One of the major problems with playing medium suited connectors is that even if you do make a flush or straight, it usually is not the nut flush or straight, and you must be somewhat cautious. But on this hand, it appeared that there was no Q-9 out against me. The river card was a brick, I bet and got one caller, and suddenly became one of the chip leaders at the table.

I then sat back tall in my chair and grabbed a few antes while I waited for some good cards. Then, I limped in under the gun with the A J. At this particular table, I did not want to discourage any of the "loose suited hands" that were being played. A player to my left, who had been raising often and had raised me off several blinds earlier, raised before the flop and chased out all of the other players. Since I had been playing squeaky tight, I thought I would try to intimidate him by reraising. He called, after some thought.

The flop came K K 4u. I bet out, hoping that he would fold, but he called. The turn card was the 9, giving me the nut-flush draw. Now that my hand actually had potential, I tried betting again, once again hoping that he would fold. But again, he called. What kind of a hand just calls? Surely not just high cards. He was the antsy type who probably would have raised if he held a king – certainly on the turn.

The river card was another 9, giving the board kings and nines. My ace might actually be enough to win this pot! But, there was no reason to bet. He would be unlikely to call me with a loser (the best losing hand he could have would be Q-J high), so I checked. He quickly bet. He was unlikely to have a 9 having raised before the flop. Would he bet a pocket pair, such as jacks?

Most likely, either he had been slow-playing a king or a low pocket pair had been "busted" by the second 9. I called. He threw his pocket sixes on the table. I had not played many hands, but I was again one of the table chip leaders.

Not much happened during the next hour, and I never lost more than a few chips at a time. Then, as I slowly dwindled down toward an average-size stack, my pocket kings held up in a big hand, giving me enough chips to eventually cruise to the final table.

At the final table, I managed to stay at about par by winning a few uncontested pots. With five players remaining and the limits at $1,000-$2,000, I picked up A-K suited in the big blind. An aggressive player who had raised me off my blinds several times tried it again. I had about $7,000 left (of $46,000 total in play), and he had about $10,000. Since I had a very tight image and would be acting first, I decided to bet it "strong like an elephant" (as if I had aces), so I made it $3,000. He called. I was quite happy with the flop, which came A-10-5 offsuit. I bet, and he called. A king came on the turn, giving me top two pair. I bet $2,000, and had $1,800 remaining. He thought about it, and decided to call with A-J. He probably should have folded rather than play me for pocket queens or some sort of "tactical" reraise (any normal reraise would have him beat). His only out, a queen, hit on the river, and his A-J made a straight!

As I walked over to the window to pick up my fifth-place money ($500), I thought about "walking back to Houston," the Texas nickname for big slick, A-K. But what the heck, I made a few bucks and we all had a great time in Atlantic City. And believe it or not, my wife said, "Let's do this more often." OK.