Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dante1334/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

The biggest hand of the night came when I had A♣10♣ and called a small raise pre-flop. After a flop of 9♣7♦J♦ it checked around and the button bet $20. Everyone folded and I probably should have, however, I had a bit of a read on this guy and he seemed to be buying the pot. I smooth called and waited for the turn.

The turn was a rag and I checked it to the button again. This time he bet another $30. I considered re-raising but I figured if I was right and he was just bluffing or semi-bluffing that I could check raise him on the river and take it down, especially if an over card hit.

Well the river came an 8♣ hitting my gut shot straight draw. I should have bet it at this point but was greedy and wanted to set a trap for the button (who had drawn out on me in a previous hand). Unfortunately he simply checked and I flipped over my straight and took down the pot (about $125 total).

Had I been thinking at all, I would have realized that if my read was correct and he had a weak hand, he probably wasn’t going to take another expensive stab at the pot. As it turns out, he had a J♠ with a small kicker and I still believe I would have taken down the pot with a large raise there. However, I was waiting to check raise and I probably wouldn’t have gotten that option.

So I have to admit, I got a bit lucky on that one. However, he had done pretty much the same thing to me (drew to and hit his gut-shot straight) earlier in the evening and ended up taking about $40 off me so in my mind, we were pretty close to even.