The Table

I was playing a standard 3/6 Hold’em with a good mix of players at the game. Four regulars, two drunks, two loose canons and myself. In the hand I was playing out of the small blind.

The Rule

In general, I only raise pre-flop from the small blind with AA or KK.

The Hand

There were six people in the hand with no raise  before me.  I look down and have bullets. Ace of clubs and Ace of Spades. I raise without thinking, they are Aces. All six players call. It was that type of table, where they wouldn’t have noticed I just raised out of the small blind.

The flop came King of Clubs, 9 of Clubs and 4 of Hearts – Checks are to the player to my right who bet three dollars. I raise it two six all five people call. And the bettor who started it was all in after his 6 dollars

The Turn came Jack of Clubs – Everybody checks around. I got a read of one of the players that he was planning on check/raise if I bet. So, I check.

The River comes 5 of Hearts – the table checks including the person that was going to check/raise me, so I bet 6 dollars. Every body folds.

At this point the all in better turns over Queen/Ten the straight. I almost just mucked my cards now that my Aces where dead, however because I made the bet on the river the 6 dollars was in a side pot that I was the only person left in for. So I show my hand and you would have thought I had flipped over cards with naked ladies on them. everybody got so excited for me. I was lost, I was thinking about how i see another river and another loss, but the dealer says that the Cracked Aces limit had not been reached that day and I was going to lose the pot, but was going to win a $100 payout for my Aces losing……Wow. that was cool. A 2 times win for losing.

The Lesson

When you check in at a poker room ask them if there are any Cracked Aces bonuses available. It will change your strategy when you draw the same cards