Them's QUADS, Bitches!

I played in my second HOSE (Hold'em, Omaha, 7 card Stud, 7 card stud hi/lo Eight or better to qualify) dealer choice homegame last night; I meant to write up the first one, but I'm lazy, so too bad. I absolutely adore this game, because the guys who play it are just overall great guys, and there's a ton of action. Plus it allows me to practice stud and omaha for pretty cheap.

Actually, it's really better called a HOE game, because no one ever chooses Stud Hi (or Omaha-Hi either), as there's just not enough action with that. See why I love this game?

Tonight's theme was quads - we had at least 5 quads come up (and I folded TWO of them preflop - but you just can't play J6o to a raise even from the BB. Of course the flop came down 6 6 K and the 3rd 6 turned). One of the more amusing portions of the evening was when Mike and Andrew were playing in a pot, Mike was in the CO and came in for a raise, and Andrew, knowing that Mike raises a lot, defended his blind. The flop came down:

K♦ 4♦ 8♣

Andrew bets, Mike unsurprisingly raises (he does this a lot - while he's not a LAG, he's definitely an AG), Andrew calls.

Turn is 4♣

Andrew bets, Mike raises, Andrew re-raises, Mike caps, Andrew calls.

River is a Q♦ to make the flush

Andrew bets, Mike raises, Andrew re-raises, Mike caps, Andrew calls.

As Mike's turning over his pocket 44, he says, "Them's QUADS, bitch!" The table lets out an oooooh, and Andrew mucks his nut flush. I'm slightly shocked, and say to Ray, "Wow, you are right, he is evil when he's playing poker!" Ray informs me this phrase was coined at one of the Thursday games (which are even looser and more actiony than this and I'm not allowed to play in because I'm too good) so while Mike is evil at a poker table, this shouldn't dim my nice guy image of Mike.

So, we start playing Stud/8 - which is pretty much my new favorite game, thanks to reading the chapter in Super System 2. I start with

4h 4s / As and the bringin is a dollar, which I call, someone completes (someone is always completing at this game) and decide that I have enough odds to see 4th street.

4th street is another 4, so I have 4 4 / A 4, which is absolutely beautiful because now I have trips disguised as a low hand, and Kevin and Tim are both showing high face cards so are going to assume I'm going low (which I am, but I'm going for a scoop of the pot now). It's bet to me, I raise, Kevin reraises, Tim caps, I call, Kevin calls.

5th street is an 8: 4 4 / A 4 8. Again, what a great card - I can probably scoop the pot here if I get another low. It's bet to me again, I raise again, Kevin reraises, Tim just calls, I cap, Kevin calls, Tim calls.

6th street: 4, giving me 4 4 / A 4 8 4. CHACHING! Tim bets, I raise, Kevin just calls, Tim calls. I'm guessing they finally got a little scared of the possible full house.

7th street: a big brick J, but I'm not too worried because it's going to be pretty hard for Kevin and Tim to make a low with all the high cards they have showing. Tim checks to me, I bet, Kevin calls, Tim thinks and thinks and finally calls, and I turn over my hole cards and say,

"Them's QUADS, bizzzzzzzzzitches!" Being a girl, I have to say it all feminine and stuff, you know And I happily hog the pot.

Did I mention I love this HOE game? Of course, then they all get revenge on me by calling O/Low for three rounds in a row and I bleed off $100, but I still ended up tripling my buy in thanks to a rush in Holdem.