Live Games are Rigged

You've all heard the accustations. Suck outs only happen on-line. Big pair over big pair only happens online etc. Tonight I went over to a guy's apartment, $10 buy-in ring game.

Things started well, and I chipped up quickly. Busted a guy who was bluffing with an inside straight draw after my AK had flopped two pair. I was doing great. Then things started to change. First one of my friends bluffed all-in into a big pot with A-hi. He got called by two straights and has exactly one out. He hits the one-outer and triples up. It proved to be an omen.

Things went downhill there. I get QQ and re-raise my firend Matt, a very solid player. The WADB in MP calls and Matt pushes I fold, quickly. TMP calls with 9To; Matt has AA. The WADB rivers trip Ts and remarks on what a good play it was. Whatever dude. A few hands later, I have to fold a set of 9s on the river to an obvious straight. The WADB calls Mr. Straight (who called a pot sized bet with the draw) with a mighty pair of Ks.

So in a very short time I've folded a set and QQ pre-flop. No fun.

Next big hand, I'm shorter and I call a raise with A9o we're short handed and I think I can out play this guy. The flop comes AK8 rainbow and he bets $1 quickly. I think I know what he has... The turn is a blank and he bets another $1 quickly. Bingo. I have him. I push in and he calls with KJ. I'd been watching and this is the exact hand I had him figured for. Jack on the river and I'm down further.

But I get to lose to a two-outer before it's time to call it a night. Maybe I played this hand to passive. I don't know. I called a min. re-raise from a DB with KJ. At this point we are short-handed. I flop a K and bet $1. He calls. The turn is a blank and I bet $2. He calls. The river is a 4 and I bet 2. He raises to $6. WTF? I call, and he shows 44 for the rivered set.

So I end up leaving a very soft game down $2 after making some very nice plays.

Another funny thing. In this game I could spot the Ac facedown from a mile away. The corner was a bit creased, so I did my best to keep track of it. When I called that raise with A9 I could even tell it was the second card in the deck and would be the first to flop. So funny.