What Credit Crunch?

While the rest of the world has been shocked by the stock market crash, I've been in some of the juiciest cash games I've seen in a long time.

The $400-$800 game has been spread lately at the Commerce, and a new Jamaican guy has turned it into an action party.

I'd played a good game after shooting bullets at the range and was hoping to dodge bullets at the tables, but couldn't make a hand and lost $19k.

Pots of $15k-$20k haven't been unusual in this game, with three three-bets and multi-player pots the norm. Some players can get in and churn the water when a game loosens up like this. I tightened up a great deal instead.

It was pretty tough to push anyone out of a pot, and some of the players noticed my play in the first game. "If this new Liz sits to my left, I won't mind it," said Mark Newhouse, who's become a regular in the game. "Well, you never know when the old Liz will come back," I said. =)

Newhizzle: New Commerce regular.

Here's a typical hand. I limped UTG with pocket deuces. Another guy limped, then Max (who I mentioned in the last post) raised on the button. Brian (a young guy from the East Coast) called in the SB, then Mark three-bet it in the BB.

I think for a minute, then muck to all the action, and the other guys call. The flop comes 2-5-Q rainbow, and all go to war with three-bets all over the place. The turn brings a jack, and another three bets are made. Another jack comes on the river; there is a bet, a raise and a call.

Max flips over pocket fives for the higher flopped set, and I squeal when I see it. "I had pocket deuces!" I chirp, and Max is like, "Why weren't you in?"

I went back to the Commerce and got stuck pretty quick. I took a few days off, then came back to join the $400/$800 game with Mark Newhouse, Cathleen Tran, Max, and Kenny Luu, Tommy Hang, Jayde Tran, and Lee.

On one of the first hands, I got very aggressive with Mark when I had middle pair with an open-ended straight draw to his top pair with a mediocre kicker. He ended up calling me due to the size of the pot, but it showed him that I'd come to play. It became a brutal session for me.

A few rounds later I pick up pocket queens in a hand with Max and Kenny. I raise in middle position, Max makes a three-bet and Kenny caps the raise. The flop comes Q♣ 7♣ 3♥. I just call the first bet, but these two cap the flop.

The T♣ comes on the turn. Kenny bets, I call, Max raises, Kenny mucks, then I reraise. Max looks at me, and he knows I've been playing tight. He just calls. The river is the 6♦. I bet, and he just calls.

Sick $50k pot scooped by Newhouse.

"The ace is good," he says, and I get a sick feeling in my stomach. I turn over my top set, and he shows K♣ 9♣ for the king-high flush.

I had queens so many times and they never held up. In another hand where I had queens with Jayde and Mark, they capped it pre-flop and on the flop of 8-5-2 rainbow.

The turn is a six, they check, I bet and they call. The river is a seven. Jayde bets out immediately; with the board of four to a straight, my queens can't beat anything at all now. I have to fold.

I'm down to my last $5k when four other players raise pre-flop. I pick up 6♥ 7♥ on my BB and decide to play due to pot odds. The flop comes 3♥ 4♥-Jx. I bet, there are two raises, and three players go along with me to the turn.

The 2♥ on the turn gives me my flush; I bet and there are two callers. The river is a blank 7♣. Mark checks, I put in my last $500, Kathleen calls, and Mark mucks. I show my flush, and she turns over A♥ Q♥ to take the last pot I'm in.

Every poker player has these days. I had aces and kings a couple times but got no action, then I'd get beaten down when I tried to make anything happen with good hands. It was a huge action game, and I knew after I got down $30k that it could turn in the blink of an eye.

I should have quit when I got down to my first $30k, but the game was just too juicy.

I did speak to Mark during the game. As you may or may not know, Mark had a huge win at the Borgata a couple years ago. He's gone through a very tough time, which I'm sure some of you have followed.

Knows how dangerous a juicy game can be if you're running bad.

Many players would have burned out or been in real trouble after the tough spell he's been in, but his head seems to be in the right place now. He seems honest and a real stand-up guy and just seems focused on grinding, getting back on his feet.

I told him I hope he keeps doing well, and I really meant it. Poker needs more stories of good guys who can make it through bad times.

Heading back to the Commerce is definitely tempting for me, but instead I'm off to Cabo with my girlfriends.

I know how dangerous a juicy game can be if you're running bad. You lose your vision. That next pot always looks like the one that will turn things around, but then you find yourself all turned around.

I'm leaving early tomorrow morning, and I hope the weekend away will get me ready to head back to the grind. Surely good things happen to good girls sometimes, right? Hehe :)

Cheers!

-- Liz Lieu - Poker Diva

www.LizLieu.net
www.iPokerCal.com

More Blogs from Liz Lieu:

• Hot and Heavy at the Commerce
• Back From Macau and Itching to Play
• Sleepless in Macau
• On to Poker in Macau