Donk Fest

I got home from work just in time for my roommate (also a poker junkie) to talk me into going to play in a one table poker tournament at a bar. I of course accepted, because I like both poker and beer, so clearly this was a win/win proposition. On the way to the bar, my roommate explained to me that this game was a bunch of bad players (aka. Donkeys) who played every hand and called down every draw. I have played in plenty of games like this, so I just adjusted my style of play to be tighter and more trappy, hoping to win a couple big hands and wait for the bad players to go broke.

This table was as advertised. The first hand I played came about 10 hands in, and I open raised with AQ suited, and was called by 3 players. The flop came 3,3,10 and I checked and folded to the player behind me who bet. He turned over 2,3 offsuit. He called my raise with 2,3 offsuit! This was definitely a table of bad players. I was getting few hands, which is a problem when playing at a loose table, because you are not guaranteed to get your big hands paid off because there is always someone to out flop you. I was the short stack early on, with 8 or so players still left and the blinds were rising pretty fast. I kept playing tight, scooping the occasional small pot and eventually a couple uncontested all-in's when the blinds got up there. Next thing I knew I was at the final 4 players. I was still somewhat short, but not totally. As luck would have it I picked up AQ suited again and my roommate (who was the big time chip leader) raised in front of me. I immediately went all in and he made the call with A9. Jackpot. I doubled through and coasted into 2nd place and a 50 dollar profit from the night. My roommate made 12o, and our other buddy came in 3rd. We could have just stayed at home and played I guess. I managed to make more money than I spent on my tab, and that is a good thing.

This wasn't exactly the biggest or best game I have ever played in, but it was fun. And fun is important, because that is why we play, to have fun. It is ok to play in a loose game with bad players sometimes for the sake of fun, even if it isn't always great for the bottom line.