Poker gems, #240

Phil Laak, in Bluff magazine column, April, 2009, p. 118.


A few days ago I got to the poker room [at Commerce Casino] and saw that it was going to be thirty or forty minutes before I would get into one of my games. I scanned the entire room. Oh, look there. One open seat at $300/600 Stud. Normally I wouldn't bother but with the one massive fish I see sitting and visibly steaming the whole thing is justifiable.... On the first hand I was dealt a king with pocket tens in the hole. My opponent had an ace up and I decided I didn't believe him. By fifth street I found myself believing him but playing bad and couldn't let it go. I hung on until the bitter end, when he tabled his ace-high. But what's this? The dealer pushed him the pot. I suddenly realized that it was Razz I was playing; the table card description confirms it. I have just pissed away $4,800 by not knowing what game I was in. What a moron I can be.