After a couple months away from one of my favorite private house poker games, I made it back twice this week. It was great, with lots of energy and action in the room.
With one exception…
In the big blind with K♣2♣, nobody raised and I flopped a K-high flush. Yada yada yada and the board paired on the river. When the villain raised my river bet, an alarm bell went off. I should be able to fold there, because #TheyAlwaysHaveIt, but I called and paid off his full house.
Oh yeah, one other exception…
In late position, I called a small pre-flop raise with QJo. The flop was T98. Yahtzee! Another T came on the turn and the villain check-raised. An alarm bell went off, but he could easily think trip tens is a winning hand. Blah blah blah and he shows T9 for a full house ———-> #TheyAlwaysHaveIt.
Well, there was also this other exception…
On an all hearts flop of 9♥8♥3♥, I had T9o and the action checked around to me. With top pair, I prefer betting to checking in this spot. Etc. etc. etc. when a non-heart T comes on the turn giving me top two pair, despite the ding ding ding of an alarm bell. The villain (same guy from the first hand above) check/called all the way with a set of 888s. Of course. #TheyAlwaysHaveIt.
I guess I should also mention another other exception…
My flush with 7♥6♥ ran into a higher flush (#TheyAlwaysHaveIt, naturally), which I paid off on the river, despite hearing another alarm bell.
Wait, there’s one more exception…
I called a pre-flop raise (by the same guy who was the villain in the 1st and 3rd hands above) with 55, and saw a flop of T85 with two spades. I raised his C-bet and he called. An ace came on the turn. Fast forward ———-> he shoves the river, an alarm bell clangs like crazy, and I hear myself say out loud “if you’ve got it, you’ve got it” as I make a crying call. #TheyAlwaysHaveIt. A few weeks ago in Las Vegas, I won a huge pot with a set of 555s against pocket aces; not this time.
Otherwise it was all good, except…
Not long before a nice high hand jackpot will pay out, I see a flop with T♠9♠. The flop was 8♠6♠6♣. So there’s a chance! Yada yada yada. Blah blah blah. Etc. etc. etc. Fast forward and the river is the 7♦. Not quite what I was hoping for but good enough to ignore the alarm bell. #TheyAlwaysHaveIt and I pay off when the villain tables 76o.
No wonder I keep hearing a certain ringing in my ears.
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They Always Have It 
I guess it all depends on how bad your competition is. In some of the places that I play, people will call down with almost anything, raise with crapola and think a pair is always good. Things get really bad when the poker gods do not cooperate and give you no cards all session.
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