Monday madness at Dino's

Got home earlier than expected from work, rushed to get the trash to the curb before the rains came in, then headed out early to Dino's so as to not get any last-minute honey-do requests from the Mrs - only had about an hour and 15 minutes to spare. Detroit fireworks and summer nights meant this week was a small crowd - 16 or 17, I believe.

Limped into a family pot with A-4 on the first hand, and Annoying Guy (more on him later) raised it up to 50 from the BB. After everyone folds, I see a flop, and hit A-3-4. A.G bets out 75, then pretty much gives up after my call. 8 hits the turn, and after he checks and I bet, he insta-folds, giving me a decent pot to start.

Win a few small pots, lose a few small pots here and there...Fred goes out rather quickly, and Cheryl is running wild on the table with some big hands (then hitting, as well) - this is alright, if I can stick around long enough to benefit from her loose calls and crazy action.

I donk off half my chips after re-raising Cheryl all-in with 6-6, but an Ace and 3 diamonds hit on the flop...insta-fold after Cheryl goes all-in. I maybe should have just jammed everything into the middle, or just called the raise - this hand affected my strategy for a couple of levels.

Luckily, I got a break or 2 when we merged to one table, since Cheryl was now sitting on my left (take advantage of her table position by acting before here), and I got to be dealer on first hand. Stevo got fucked by the draw here - sorry, bro. Dick was first out after I jammed in MP with A-Q...Dick and Cheryl called my all-in, then Dick went all-in after an ace flopped. Cheryl calls with 9-7 (?), then hit runner-runner clubs to make a flush, but my queen was also a club...so I still tripled up (plus, including the blinds).

Donked a few chips away to Scott (calling station and draw chaser), then took Stevo out with A-7 to his K-J - scary that I was sure my A-7 was the best hand (or at worst, in a coin flip), based on him taking longer than normal to make this move UTG. Stevo was kinda shaking his head at my call - just call me Action Brian, bro!

After doubling Scott up, the next hand Scott and I chopped a pot (but both doubled up against Cheryl) in a 3-way all-in. Cheryl's loose play (forced me all-in with her holding Q-9 to my Q-J to Scott's J-10) helped us both here. Scott was gone soon afterwards, however.

Cheryl once again doubled me up once my chip stack was at 3300 when my JJ flopped a set against her K-Q - dodged a straight draw on turn and river to get me in good position. Hung around for a bit, then Ron, Cheryl, and Pat busted out. Donald limps in at 500/1000, and after A.G. folds in SB, I see Donald has about 200 back (WTF?). Holding only 9-7, I bump that extra 200 in, and am not upset to see Donald with A-J. 7 flops for me, no help to Donald, and we're down to 3.

A.G. had this annoying habit of bending the cards (and these were new ones), then acting all indignant when Nicole and I (and soon Cheryl joined in) called him out on it. A.G. was getting a little stupid trying to belittle me as an "Internet player", but shut up when Pat told him that Nicole and I were easily 2 of the better players at this game. Was rather enjoyable to listen to A.G. whine that (when I have 6K in chips) my only move was "click, all-in" - yet dude didn't grasp that with 5K in chips you just can't limp-in at 500-1000 and then fold when you raised with...uh, anything.

Anyhow, I needed to knock this fukker out to get in good position against Nicole, chip-wise, and when A.G. jammed on the button, I called with A-J...and it held against his A-9 - down to 2!

HU was pretty much a series of SPFRs from me and Nicole, alternating with limp-ins by either of us, and me winning after better post-flop. Quickly went from 3-2 down to ahead in no time. I respect Nicole's game from playing enough with her, and her game is similar to mine (most of time plays with good starting hands, know when to jam and not jam based on stack-sizes, etc) - but if I stay aggressive without getting stupid, I should be able to grind my way to a win.

Look down in BB and see AA - Nicole raises me to 4K pre-flop, and after thinking for a minute, I re-raised all-in - Nicole folds K-Q, and now I'm smelling it. Take down another pot after check-raising the turn on her, and then a sick final hand shows up.

Nicole limps in, and I look down and see AA again - twice in 3 hands, after not seeing it this entire season, yikes! I decide to try and trap here, so I check into the flop. A-6-5 rainbow, Nicole immediately jams all-in, I actually said, "I guess I have to call you here", and turn over my trips, Nicole flips over 6-5, and I'm a 900-1 or so favorite here...no miracle, and we have win #7 at Dino's in the last year plus 3 weeks or so.

Let's see, missed 6 of first 7 weeks, and I think I have 24 points - I would like to think I'm safe for the final table already, but might as well rack up them points!