During the WSOP the games are ridiculous & that’s why I try to put in as much time at the tables as possible. The WSOP only comes around once a year so I take advantage of the action. This is the time of the year when you see some of the sickest hands, beats & craziest plays you could imagine so you really have to be on your game.
So it’s another night at the Bellagio $10-$20 nl cash game & there is plenty of action tonight. I sit down with a fresh 5k buy in & take about 20 minutes to feel out the table like I usually do. I pick up a couple of hands here & there but I don’t want to be involved in a big pot yet because I’ll be going in blind. After 20 minutes of getting a feel for the table I am comfortable & know how I want to play each player. I know I have the most aggressive loose player directly on my left but I feel like I can play him fine from my position.
25 minutes into the game I pick up QQ in late position from the hijack, I open raise to $80, the player (Villain) on my left 3 bets to $280, the table folds back to me. I think for a minute about how I want to play him, I am out of position & feel I have the best hand. I could just call his 3 bet of $280 but then I give him a chance to play for the pot no matter what the flop brings & if he is behind I would rather get his money in here if he is willing to commit his chips being an underdog. Feeling like I have the best hand & out of position I decide I am going to 4 bet him. So I 4 bet the Villain to $780, now he tanks for a minute & the way he’s thinking & playing with his money I am almost 95% sure I do have the best hand. Villain has either AK or an under pair & he might be willing to gamble, either way I am not 4 bet folding here no matter what now. After Villain tanks for a minute he shoves all in for another $2,950 on top of the $780. Now I tank to prepare myself to call & hope my read is correct which I feel it is. Less than a minute later I make the call. Now I don’t generally like to get it all in pre flop with QQ when I am sitting deep because that is usually dangerous in most cases but I felt good about this one. Before the flop there is $7,490 in the middle & I am praying for nothing stupid here. The dealer Burns a card & runs the flop of A 10 10, Villain’s eyes about jump out of his head & I am thinking damn it he hit his AK on me. Before the turn card hits, he turns his hand over & tables pocket tens for quads, at that time I was sick that I just made a great read & great call on this guy holding QQ pre flop & was willing to go with my read & my instincts just to get drilled like this. I can only watch as the dealer ships Villain my money after the board is run out. The thing that I don’t like about playing all in pots pre flop is that there is no control once the money is in the middle. You just have to close your eyes & hope for the best when all five cards hit the board.
I’ve always had a knack for getting peoples money in bad against me, maybe it’s my table image or that I just always seem to find the morons either way I definitely wouldn’t change anything cause when things go my way I can crush the games. Being a poker player is not easy, poker is about trusting your reads, instincts & being able to adapt to many different situations & play your hands accordingly. I work hard & passionately on my game & I will always trust my reads & instincts, if this situation arises again & I feel that my QQ are ahead pre flop my money is going in again.
More WSOP updates & hand breakdowns coming soon
Back to the grind
