Poker Night 117: Super Sloppy Double Dare

OK, we'll admit it right up front. We played lousy poker tonight at Soho Bar and Grill. Downright lousy. As in second player out at our table.

Maybe it was the woman who started at our table with 25,000 extra chips -- a bonus for bringing five new players. (Yes, some places treat poker like Amway.) Maybe it was because we tried a hand of old-fashioned solitaire before the tournament -- and while the woman near us played every card, we were left holding 38 of them.

To be fair, we DID won a pot. Holding Q-Q, we bet 500 when A-7-7 came on the flop and everyone folded. But too many hands were like this one....

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: A-10 offsuit

It's a promising hand, and we haven't done much so far. We raise to 400, and several players call.

ON THE FLOP: 10-Q-9 (the queen is a club)

With middle pair and a nice kicker, we make a continuation bet of 200. A man to our immediate left calls; everyone else folds.

ON THE TURN: 6 of clubs

We're concerned our opponent might have a Queen to top us. We bet 100. He calls.

ON THE RIVER: 4 of clubs

This is even more trouble, as it puts three clubs on the board. We check.

"1,500," our opponent announces.

"Why did you have to do that?" we ask with a bit of fake disdain.

"I hit." That's all he says.

Fearing the worst, we fold. Then the pot-winner shows what he had -- 8-2. Of spades, not clubs. He was bluffing all along.

Our frustration grew from there -- and minutes later, we bet the minimum 200 with A-9 of hearts. A man across the table raised to 1,200. We were down to 2,125, and dared to go all-in. He called, and showed A-A. Two hearts hit the board (as did a 9), but we were left one card short.

MINISTRY MOMENT: When a flop came tonight, a man across the table mentioned God. Only he followed it with a common four-letter expletive.

"He might be blessing it," we said -- but we're not sure he heard that. No one pursued what we said.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 47 final tables in 117 nights (40.2%) - 10 cashes. We've missed the final table six times in a row.