Set Over Set with the Educated Donkey

Aladdin $1-2 NL
12 hrs
+ $340

I was stuck for most of this session. Other than stealing with an overpair vs. what I knew was a bigger overpair, I hardly won any big pots. I was in the game for $500.

Then after 10 hours I hit a big hand. Unfortunately it was against my friend Steve AKA DJ Alpyne AKA El Diablo AKA The Chosen One AKA The Educated Donkey.

There was a raise to $17 from a guy to my left, then there were several calls, and I called in the blind with 44. The flop came K43. This was my first set of the day. I checked, the preflop raiser checked, Steve and another player checked, and the maniac on the button bet $20. I called, the preflop raiser called, and then El Diablo checkraised (he kinda likes to do that) to $75. The maniac folded, and I called to get action from the preflop raiser who was between me and The Chosen One. But the preflop raiser folded and the hand was heads-up.

I was sure I had the best hand. The only player at the table who would smooth-call a raise with KK was John and he was not in the hand. Steve and I generally check it down in small pots when we are heads-up, just cause we are not there to take each other's money, but in a big pot like this it would raise eyebrows from other players who might erroneously get the impression that there was collusion going on. When the turn came down I instantly pushed, trying to send the message that I knew I had the best hand and he should fold. But he insta-called $130 more with a set of threes.

So I busted him on that hand and he was highly pissed off. I think he told me that was the dumbest thing I ever did and I would be sorry. But still I am glad to say he fought his way back to a winning session, his third winning session of the day.

After that hand everything seemed to come easier. I played until the table broke and cashed out $840. Narrowed the sidebet race with John to four.