My job requires me to travel to Reno on a weekly basis. I don't actual make it there every week, but I would guess I make about 30 trips a year. I always stay at the Peppermill and play in the $2-$4 Hold Em game there. I'm up overall, but have had a few losing sessions recently, including a spectacular bad beat last night.
After buying a rack and losing about $60 over an few hours I had finally clawed my way back up to a stack of about $95 when I looked down in late position to see a pair of Kings. Woo hoo. I jammed in a raise and bet and raise as each card came down. The flop was great 9-K-J. Turn was another Jack, giving me the second best possible hand, a boat with Kings over Jacks. The river was a 6. By the turn it was just me and a 50-ish year old woman who hadn't really been playing that well in my estimation. I had won several pots where she lost to my flushes and full houses with a straight or trips. She didn't seem to be very good at seeing the possibility of being beat and reading other player's play.
After the turn we got into a bit of a raising battle, I think it got up to 4 bets. Given her past behavior I was putting her on the straight with a 10-Q or a flush (there were three clubs on the board).
Feeling bold, on the river I declared "I'M ALL IN". I had about $45 or so in front of me. There was some amazement and "can he do that??" questioning. I knew that at the Peppermill as at most casinos, raises are unlimited in heads-up play. I have never actually seen this done, so it was a bit of a fantasy play on my part, and to be true it was a gamble as there was that one hand that could beat me.
She called my all in and sure enough, turned over a pair of Jacks to beat me. The only two cards in the deck that could do so. I went over to congratulate her, shook her hand, and left the poker room for the night.
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