Swimming With Sharks

Having tested my footing at the online no limit tables I had the opportunity to check out some live play at the local Harrah's. The buy in is $100 min with a $200 max. The blinds were $2 and $5. This seemed a little steep for a $200 buy in but since everyone was working under the same restrictions I figured all was well. As luck would have it they opened up a new table just as I arrived so I sat immediately and got to work.

I found the play to be comparable to the $100 tables online and certainly superior the the live 3/6 tables. I managed to garner some respect from the regulars and had an overall excellent time. I played my first buy in down to $50 and rebought for another $100. I treaded water for a while when the following hand comes up. I play a standard raise from middle position with AA. I get a few callers and the flop comes A high with 2 clubs. The A of clubs was on board so I had no flush draw. Deciding to take down the pot I lead out with a pot size bet.

The loose aggressive button looked at the small blind and said, "I'm going to get him out of this pot." Referring to me of course. He then proceeded to push all in. It folds around to me so I reply, "If you make your flush you can have it" as I push my stack into the middle. We show our cards and sure enough he's on the nut flush draw. The turn is a harmless two but then the table erupts as a third club hits the board. I hold my head in disgust and am about to get up when my friend sitting to my left points out that yes it was a club, but it was also a 2 giving me the full house. This puts me back to around even and I continue to take down a few pots here and there.

As midnight approached (my self designated leaving time), I find myself $35 up and figured I'd just play till my blind. I then way...way...way overplay top pair to another loose aggressive and I find myself down $150. Vowing to get my money back I play until the table breaks at 3:30 am. I never got my money back but I did fight back to only $40 down. I had the opportunity to outplay my nemesis to pay me off a few times but he just refused to do it. He was a decent player but the cards were flowing his way all night and he was the monster stack with over $1,100 when we finally broke apart.

As players began to leave the table just wasn't filling up from the waiting list. When a floor came over one of the regulars asked what was going on and the floor replied that no one wanted to play at the Shark Table. I couldn't help thinking that if this is the Shark Table, I certainly belong here.