Poker Night 193: Speaking Too Soon

Playing a bit more aggressively has helped us lately online -- as we've earned points in the last seven afternoon tournaments we've entered. But in a live game where people play for free, pushing the envelope can be troublesome. It put us in a hole tonight at The Red Barn -- and then came this:

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: Ace of hearts - King of Clubs

We haven't won a pot all night, and have about 2,400 chips. So it's time to take a stand -- and after the first player in order calls the blind, we raise to 1,000. Three other players call it.

ON THE FLOP: 8c-5d-4c

That figures - we missed the flop. But in a hopeful sign, the table checks.

ON THE TURN: Jc

The good news is that we have a flush draw. The bad news is that a player across the table bets 1,000 -- a bet that would put us almost all-in. A woman next to him calls. Then to borrow from Madonna, it's "truth or dare" time for us. We think a moment -- and we're thinking the bettor may have hit a big hand already.

"This is simply not my night," we decide. "I'll fold."

ON THE RIVER: 2c

Arrrrghhh! Not only did a card for the flush come through, none of the other players in the hand had a club. A pair of jacks winds up winning the pot.

"You should've hung in there," a woman who lost the hand says after seeing what we folded. That's easy for her to say. We admittedly went by the trend of the night for us, and made a pessimistic decision which cost us a big comeback. We were eliminated moments later when we pushed with A-10 of hearts, and lost to three 4's.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Nothing really happened tonight - but we're working on a topic to be posted here Tuesday.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 82 final tables in 193 nights (42.5%) - 15 cashes.