Often, when I’m in a smaller stakes game waiting for a seat in the bigger game to open up, I use it as an opportunity to practice my discipline. Generally it’s easier to pick up physical tells, betting tendencies, etc. in smaller stakes games, and rather than acting like it’s a waste of my time to sit at a $1/$3 table, I prefer to treat it as a learning opportunity.
Yesterday, though, I was on top of the waiting list for the $5/$5 game for two hours, and eventually I permitted myself to take out my phone and practice with my Spanish flashcards in between hands. I still tried to keep one eye on the action, though, and I did notice a younger guy sitting in the 5 seat who seemed a little more aggressive than average. In particular, I saw him min-raise a continuation bet on a dry flop and fold to a shove, which means he was either bluff-raising or raising for information.
About half an hour later there five limpers, and I found Qs 8s in the SB. I believed I had a solidly tight-aggressive image, so I raised it up to $25. The third limper, a particularly weak player who only began the hand with $100, called, as did the 5 seat, who had been the final limper on the CO.
The flop came 6c 3s 3c. I bet $40, the first guy folded after some putzing around, and the 5 seat quickly raised to $80. Sure that he would have raised any truly good hands rather than limp behind so many others, and doubtful as to how many 3s were in his limp-calling range, I popped it back to $120. He moved all-in very quickly.
I folded and was horrified to see an old man collecting the pot! At a ten-handed table, it can be difficult to see the player in the 5 seat from the 7 seat. Since I hadn’t made the effort to look, and had been absorbed in phone in between hands, I hadn’t noticed the kid leave the table and the old man take his place. It’s hard to bluff a player who’s no longer at the table!
Great story! A good laugh and a good lesson for all of us to remember.
Glad you share stories like this one!