A Flawless Read Gone Awry

I was playing at the Hustler the other night, hoping to make some easy cash for the week at the small no limit game. I should have remembered that the money is never easy in the $1-2 game there. Here’s yet another example why …
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The table was pretty loose, which is just how I like it, because I get action when I have good cards. (On the other hand, I like tight tables too because I can push everyone around a little bit. I guess I’m just used to feeling like the best player at any table …:-D) Thirty minutes into the action, I had already put my entire stack at risk four times. I had won two and lost two, but the losses were smaller than the wins so I was up about sixty dollars on the night.

Anyway, I was feeling a bit spunky after winning a nice sidepot from being all in the previous hand, so I doubled the blind on the button with a drawing hand. Well, not exactly a drawing hand … more like 9-4 offsuit. But four players had limped in ahead of me, so I figured if I was going to bluff at the flop, I might as well sweeten the pot a little. The blinds and everyone else called, as expected.

The flop was about the best I could have hoped for: A-9-2 unsuited, giving me middle pair. The table checked around to me. After some quick math, I calculated the pot was $24 (7 players x $4 each = $28 pot - $4 rake = $24). So I made a strong continuation bet of $18. This way I could find out if anyone was slow-playing me. Hopefully, they would put me on the Ace and I could just take down the pot right then and there.

Did anyone call me? No, but the small blind went crazy and raised me all-in for another $90. I was blown away. Everyone else folded to me, and I started rubbing my forehead, trying to figure out if I was being bluffed, 'cause a bluff was about all I could beat at this point.

After I finished reeling, I asked the dealer for time and set about trying to get a read on the guy. He looked somewhat nervous, but no more than anyone does with an amount like that at risk. I had seen him go all in twice. One time he'd showed a stone-cold bluff. The other time he'd had the nut straight. 50-50. So I started talking.

“Why would you raise so much?” This has become almost a standard question in the poker world for those with skill in reading opponents. Didn’t get anything out of him with that. Probably time to fold.

I decided to try one more thing. I told him I had nines, and finally his poker face cracked for a second. For just a moment, his eyes bulged and his bottom lip sagged a bit. “Yikes,” he was thinking, “what did I get myself into here?” If I hadn’t been watching him like a hawk, I would have missed it. But for just a second, his face was a mask of absolute terror.

Got him.

I made the call, and much to my surprise he turned over A-2. Top and bottom pair … I only had 2 outs!!! Why the heck had he looked so afraid just now then? Was he that good of an actor???

After I missed the turn and river, I mucked my cards and he managed to simultaneously look both confused and relieved. Finally he said something.

“I thought you said you had 9s,” he chided me with a smile. “Shame on you, for scaring me like that!”

I frowned. “No, I really did have 9s. And you seemed so concerned, I guess I thought they were good.”

Then I realized what had happened, why he’d looked so terrified. I’d read him correctly, but he had given off a tell based on bad information.

He had thought that I was holding pocket 9s, which would have given me a set, rather than a just a pair of them.

I had to smile. I’ve made a lot of money by making reads at the poker table. Never did I imagine that making a good read would cause me to lose money instead.