Has it come to this?!

md261 on 1st August 2010


PokerStars Game $35+$3 USD Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30)

Seat 1: Player1 (848 in chips)
Seat 2: Hero (1672 in chips)
Seat 3: Villain (2390 in chips)
Seat 5: Player5 (1550 in chips)
Seat 6: Player6 (2540 in chips)
Hero posts small blind 15
Villain posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero [Ac 5s]
Nemitz33: folds
Papenfuß: folds
tshiflett: folds
Hero raises 60 to 90
Villain raises 150 to 240
Hero calls 150
*** FLOP *** [8c Qh Qc]
Hero checks
Villain bets 315
Hero calls 315
*** TURN *** [8c Qh Qc] [4h]
Hero checks
Villain checks
*** RIVER *** [8c Qh Qc 4h] [5c]
Hero checks
Villain bets 400
Hero calls 400
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Villain shows [Ts Js] (a pair of Queens)
Hero shows [Ac 5s] (two pair, Queens and Fives)
Hero collected 1910 from pot

The Villain is a reg. But not one of those respectable regs who understands it is business and never personal, this one makes every hand personal, and tries to turn every situation into a -EV one for the both of you. His play is directed more by his ego/pride than by what is profitable.
If I limp my weak Ace, the Villain will probably raise. His reraising range is so wide that A5o is good enough to call, plus I can't just throw away 80%+ of hands against him blind vs. blind, I have to mix it up.
The flop is pretty good, if an A comes out if would tough to play, but with this paired flop, I would not expect the Villain to play a better A high very strongly.
Since I believe myself to have the best hand, and I know the Villain will definitely bet if he misses, I check call.
The turn card is a blank, it puts the flush draw on board, but there is no reason to think he has that. I think the Villain is correctly worried that I may check raise all in on this turn, so decides not to bet, more evidence that I am probably ahead.
The river gives me a pair, but makes absolutely no difference, this is one of those way ahead/way behind moments, either A high will be good enough, or it won't - there is no situation where my weak A high would lose, but my pair of 5's will win, because the Villain wouldn't put in the river bet with anything other thean a good pair or trips, or total rubbish, his river bet "Polarises his range".
I call, as per the plan, I wouldn't have been too surprised if the Villain flipped JJ or KQ, but it was more likely that he had the kind of hand he did have, 10Js, or even something like J7o.

It is rare and disgraceful that regs play this way against each other. There is scope to play and mix it up, without resorting to the "I will screw myself over to screw you over, so stay out of my way" attitude. Poker is a game which attracts alot of people who can't deal with authority well. People who find it hard to have a boss tell them what to do will naturally be drawn to playing poker online, where they are their own boss.
Unfortunately, it ofter means that personal battles and vendettas become the order of the day for people with this personality flaw. It not only hurts your bottom line, but also makes poker permeate the rest of your life. If you are too personally involved with online poker, you can't just stop playing when your working day is done, because you don't have that professional detachment, and it can negatively affect the rest of your life, which is what is truly important.

md261