Imperial Place and the mighty Seven Duce

I had started working on a different blog which is going to take too much time to compose and so I decided to just give a brief update of the happenings last night.

After dinner I needed something to do so I checked my Bravo Poker App and saw that the IP had two No Limit games running and headed down that way.  Getting there was an adventure with wind gusts up to 80 mph and the way that I usually go happens to be blocked off by construction.
Once I ran into the dead end I almost decided to hit up a different location instead, however I tried one more time on a tiny, cramped back alley and it led me to the parking garage so Game On.  However, I did note to either find a different route or play elsewhere until the construction completes.

When I arrived there were two tables still running and I got stuck at the short one.  I was the 7th player at the table.  Within two orbits two people went on extended walks and two more decided to call it quits which left us  3 players and 2 open seats at the other table.  The dealer spread the deck out and let us draw to see who gets to get seated and who goes on the wait list.  I picked a King and took a spot at the new table, one seat to the left of the biggest stack.

1st issue with the new table - it was cold.  Like, really frigid and no matter how much everyone complained they would not allow us to all just go sit at a different table - I just got a seat change button and lived with it.
2nd issue, the seat I was in had a direct AC vent blowing down on me and the guy to my right which, with the general lack of movement involved in sitting at a table, gave me a deep chill.  Why is there an AC vent on? Or even why is one blowing directly onto a poker table at this time of year?  Who the hell knows, go to get a free cookie and quit complaining.

My first hand being dealt in was in the cutoff (the spot to the immediate right of the button).  There were 5 limpers to me and I look down and see my favorite hand, 72 suited.
72 is a pretty bad hand, some people consider it the worst hand in poker.  I consider it a challenge. In general I play pretty tight and as such my personal rule is that the first time I get 72 during the course of an evening I will raise it and play it aggressively (not too aggressively, if I don't have a way to win after the flop and people really seem to have a big interest in the the chips and appear to have hit something and don't want to go away I can get rid of it without thought because I do, after all, have a shit hand).
The other thing is I really love to see people's reactions when I table my hand either as a winner at showdown or after everyone folds.  I especially love to table it when someone thinks for a while and acts as if they are making a big lay down because they put me on a monster.  I rarely ever show poker hands to the table, 72 is one of the very few exceptions - Just as Rob as he got to watch me do it once!

So, with that background in mind 72 (of diamonds) is the first hand I am dealt at the table and immediately I know that I have to raise.  I make it $15 to go and to my surprise I end up with 3 callers - not exactly what I was hoping for (I would have preferred everyone fold, or maybe just one caller).  So, 3 callers for $15 and we head to the flop with an inflated $60 pot.

The flop comes out 7h Ad 5d - This is a great flop for me.  Sure I only have middle pair but I also have a flush draw to go with hit.  I actually hit the flop which means my hand is not a total bluff now and I have ways to take it down.
The table checks it to me and I bet out $35 (slightly more than half the pot) hoping to take it down. However one guy decides to play with me and calls.
At this point I'm not 100% happy and have to figure out a generic range for this player because:
1 - I have never played with him before.
2 - He likes his hand enough to have put $50 into the pot already - he also has my stack covered.
3 - This flop gives a lot of possibilities.

Taking things in, just off the top of my head he could obviously have an Ace with a good kicker or even have hit two pair on that flop with a suited ace or 75s which people love to play.
He could have 46 or 68 for an open ended straight draw or he could also have himself a bigger flush draw than myself.
I do not put him on a set because most of the time, in these games, a set would check raise that flop instead of check calling.

Fortune smiles upon me as the turn is the 7 of clubs giving me three of a kind with a flush draw.  He checks the turn to me and I lead out $75, again a bit over half the pot size.  I've got about $50 left in my stack at this point and $75 is a pretty big bet.  It looks like I'm trying to push the flush draw away.
After thinking about it for a moment or two he decides to raise me all in which I immediately call.
I flip my hand up and proclaim that I have the 7 and ask him if he's in need of a diamond.
He turns over A6 offsuit - only able to hit one of the last two aces in the deck to beat me.

He shakes his head in disbelief asking me if I really just tabled 72 in this position and the two guys to my right kept repeating "you really have seven duce?  seriously?  what the hell man."
I had to remind them that I raised and I'm here to have a fun time and gamble.

The river is the King of hearts - no harm done and I have over doubled up on my first hand at the new table.
Oh, it pays to have fortune smile upon you at times.  It also pays to be bold at times as well.  You can't just sit around and wait for big hands to make your money.  Sometimes you have to create the hands yourself.

So, this is the 2nd time in about 2-3 weeks where I have won a size able pot with the mighty 72 and I am hoping to report back more stories in the future about my favorite poker hand which has won me numerous big pots!