Losing your way in Queretaro

Nowadays, Queretaro is an economic powerhouse by Latin American standards. Conveniently placed on Highway 57 and 45, it is a portal to both USA to the north and Western Mexico. Now home to multinational companies and the top Mexican universities, it’s GDP per capita ranks alongside most Eastern European cities.

Wind back 20 odd years to 1986, and the city was only starting on it’s path to economic success. It did however, have the honour of hosting the second round match of the 1986 World Cup between Denmark and Spain. While the Spaniards had bumbled through an easy group, the Danes had been electric in winning all three games in the traditional “group of death” comprising West Germany, Uruguay and Scotland. They had moved up to the status of many people’s favourites for the tourament, and were expected to see off Spain comfortably.

When Jesper Olsen slotted in a penalty midway through the first half, all was going to plan. Unfortunately for the Danes, on the stroke of half time the same player inexplicably passed the ball square across his own penalty area, and Real Madrid’s Emilio Butragueno ghosted in to level it up. The Danes never recovered, and were anihilated in the second half, losing 5-1.

My poker felt along the lines of the Danish Mexican experience last night. Really strong starts in both the tournament and the cash game, but ultimately limited reward. I placed 3rd in the tournament which was good for £110, and ended up £80 on the cash game, but I think I was up in the region of £400 on the cash at one point.

“Round 1 Hands”

Tournament Hand: Blinds 100/200 I raise to 600 in the mid position with 99 and the Baron’s friend calls (I don’t recall his name - Paul?).
Flop is 6, 7, 2
I check and Paul leads for 1k. I call.
River 8.
I shove for 5k with my overpair and open ended straight and get a pass. I had him covered and think my hand is strong enough to do that there, and the shove MIGHT get pocket tens/jacks to pass, as neither of us were pot committed until my shove.

Tournament Hand: Blinds 200/400 7 players remaining and Hugh open shoves UTG. I have a enough chips to make a very loose call with my favourite hand (22) and I win the race.

Cash Hand: This is an interesting one, and I probably played it recklessly but was well rewarded. Raised pot to £3 gets the usual suspects - myself, Sonny and Tom. I hold J♣2♣.

Flop 9c2d7c giving me bottom pair plus the club draw.

I bet £10, which Tom calls. Sonny shoves for about £50. I put him on a club draw (probably higher than mine) but given I have a pair and two of his outs I re-shove for £300 to isolate him. Tom calls with top two pair :( but I luckily hit a Jack on the river to outdraw him. Sonny had the Queen flush draw.

“Queretaro Hands”

Tournament Hand: We are down to three players and in the money. Myself and Tom are the two big stacks with about 13k and Ben is the shortie, but still has 6k. I find 88 in the small blind and raise to 1800 (blinds 300-600). Ben shoves and I have to call - he has KQ and I lose the race which relegates me to short stack.

Tournament Hand: A few hands later Tom raises my big blind to 2k and I find A7 in the hole. I shove for 5k and he has to call. He has K7 though so I am in great shape, but two Kings arrive on the board and I am sent packing in third place.

Cash Hand: I value bet three times on the river with either 2 pair or an overpair and get called by either sets or better 2 pair. This costs me about £150.

Cash Hand: We played a bit of £1/£2 Omaha at the end of the evening. Wilkinson calls Sonny’s raise and I come along with Qd9d8c7s. Now, the problem with my hand is is that my “gap” is at the top, so if I get straight draws I may well not be drawing to the nut straight. Nevertheless I never pass these hands pre-flop unless there has been very heavy action before me.

Flop 10d9h2h

Sonny moves in for £26 which Wilkinson calls. I call - I have a pair and an open ended straight but just want to see what develops on the turn, and whether Mike will keep pushing.

Turn is Kd giving me the second nut flush draw also. However, Mike bets £110 and at this point I should probably let it go. No card gives me the nuts. My straights might be worthless with a QJ for Mike, and this would have made sense from the betting as he’d protect against the flush. I call.

River is another King, and we check it down, and Mike has missed all his draws as well but has a bigger pair Ad10d3c5c. He also had a better flush draw than me also, so this hand could have got even worse. This was a bit of a car crash of a hand for me.

A quick mention for the Baron, who was down to 75p at one point but took that up to £450 by the close - incredible stuff! Anyhow - that’s about it - £130 up for the night but didn’t play particularly well, and was certainly inconsistent.

I think the tournament hands played themselves, but I shot myself in the foot in the Omaha cash hand, reminicent of Jesper’s square ball in central Mexico 22 years ago.