I Have Aces, Revisited

Last month I was speculating about the likelihood of callers, if I told the table I had pocket Aces.

Well, last night, I got the chance to put the theory to the test. I know this is silly, and a little churlish, but it's just the way I was feeling at the time.

I was playing on a Gaming Club 2/4 table, and things were going badly. I was down about $70, yet I wasn't playing badly. I knew I wasn't playing badly because I was playing two tables, and I was ahead on the other one. It was variance; nothing else.

I wasn't alone in thinking this either. The table seemed a pretty friendly bunch. One guy actually apologised after rivering me on a hand. It just seemed that the best starting hand never won, for anyone.

One guy went off on a rant about how his pocket kings had been busted, and a few others chipped in. Personally, I'd already lost with QQ and KK, so I knew how they felt. I made the same comment I'd made in my previous post. Except I went further and pledged that if I got AA, I'd announce it before I bet. I don't think they believed me.

About 20 hands later, along comes AcAd. I'm in mid position and there's one limper. I announce I have aces and the experiment is underway.

I bet. It's folded to the BB, who calls, as does the limper!

The flop: 9d Ah Ts

Yes. I flopped a set. BB and limper check, I bet. BB folds. Limper calls!! I'm now thinking bloody hell, surely not a straight draw.

The turn: Qs. Noooo. Another straight card, and two to a spade flush. Limper checks, I bet, they fold.

So, my set of aces took down a $21 pot, of which $10 was my bets. Of the other $11, over half was voluntarily put in the pot by players AFTER they knew I had the best possible starting hand.

I probably cost myself a few dollars here, but there's also a chance someone with KJ, or a drawing hand like any two spades or 87, folded. So, maybe I talked my way to the pot. We had a good laugh about it, and I told them not to expect the same treatment next time.

I wonder what would have happened on Party?