Hanging with Noah Schwartz in Miami

I am in the Miami airport on my way to Punta Cana for a week with the family. I am looking forward to spending time with my Nieces, nephew, brothers, parents and oh yeah, sister in laws (inside joke). Yesterday I spent the day with Noah Schwartz and he took me to a home game, where we both got killed. The players were really bad, but I found a way to lose anyway. It was one of the cold deck days for both of us. Taking a week off will feel good. I will provide some updates about my Caribbean adventure, however it will be slow from a poker standpoint.

After last night I'm not sure if anyone should pay any attention to my cash game strategy, but I will take this week to go over some things I try to do. One thing about last night, and about poker in general, which is an obvious simple strategy, is most of the time when I put real money into the pot I try to be ahead. I would characterize ahead as a made hand or a big draw. Last night I kept doing this again and again and kept losing. For instance, I looked down at AA three times yesterday. All three times I was in late position and raised. Each time I received multiple calls even when my raise was substantial. In one case it was straddled at 50 ( 10-25 blinds) and I was in the cut off and with 5 callers in front of me and the button and blinds behind me I estimated the pot would be 400, so I raised 400, total bet 450. To my utter amazement everyone called except one! So the flop comes A35 and it's checked around to me, and with about 2,500 in the pot I open with a 2,200 bet. This time I get two callers. I think I could have bet a million and they still would have called. Anyway, a J comes on the turn, and the first to act UTG player goes all in for 10,000. There is about 8,000 in the pot and after the next guy shows 6 4 and folds I'm looking at calling 10k to win 18k, less than 2:1 on my money with one to come. I sadly fold my top set, and someone rabbits the river which was a blank. By the way, I hate it when people have to see the cards that would have come. I think it is bad for the game in that it might give away what hand you were playing, or not playing by seeing the cards. Although, it is often times the fish in the game and if it makes them feel better about losing their money, then I guess I can live with it. That hand was kind of a summary oh how the night went, and Noah had much of the same. His last hand was QQ against JJ, and his opponent spiked a jack on the flop with most of the money in pre-flop.

On a side note, I was contacted a few months ago by Jay Berger, who is a physician I used to work and play golf with in Atlanta, 10 years ago. He followed me during the WSOP and is a good player himself, poker and otherwise. He won a WPT boot camp last year and having won three single table satellites in a row, is now playing for a Monte Carlo seat and travel package in a single table today. I just wanted to wish him well. Time to get on the plane, more later.

http://www.cardplayer.com/players/results/Roy-Winston/36778

The Oracle