An encounter with "the dog"

by KJ1218

This page is part of Ken's Poker Page

Editor's Note: Michael Shelton Davis, also known as the Mad Dog,
died of heart failure at age 35 on July 27, 1999. Seat Open! ...RIP, Mike.
On 03 Aug 1999 06:12:15 GMT, in rec.gambling.poker kj1218@aol.com (KJ1218) wrote:
Part I
My first encounter with the Mad Dog was just a couple of years ago, but will remain with me for life. We were sitting in a fairly wild game of pot limit at Hollywood park when "the dog" took his first bite out of me. I had about $2000 in front of me. I was sitting in the ten seat, Mike was in the three. The action on these three hands I'm about to describe all ended on the river heads up with me looking into the teeth of Mad Dog.
At the river of the first hand I ended up with a mediocre holding in about a $300 pot, but I think my pair is good.
Mike smiles and laughs, and boastfully declares to the whole table..."Come on KJ, don't tell me you're gonna let me bluff you out of this pot!!"
I squirmed. I tried not to let him effect me and reasoned I should lay the hand down thinking that his encouragement was too strong. He wouldn't be THAT emphatic, that comfortable with a bluff.....would he? Sure enough a moment after I fold my hand he turns over a stone cold bluff. Growls and laughs as if he just won a foot race.
I admit I had to chuckle a little myself. That is until hand number two came along about ten minutes later.
Part 2
Hand two came about ten minutes after the first. I'm sitting there on the river once again looking into his big grinning face. This time facing about a $500 bet. He leans back in his chair, lighting his cigarette, waiting patiently as I stew in the pain of indecision. As I reach for my chips, he decides to help me with my indecisivness.
"Come on KJ, there is NO WAY, NO WAY, you're gonna let me bluff you twice in a row!.....are you?
Another minute of stewing....."I fold".
"Really? You're kidding me! I did it AGAIN!!! He turns over again, a stone cold bluff for the second straight time and rakes in the $800 pot laughing and having a jolly time.
Ouch. Ego bruise. He had the table laughing and I hunched over my stack thinking "I'm a wimp". He had gotten to me.
Now comes hand three about 20 minutes later. This time the pot is over a thousand. Mike's bet covers my remaining stack of about $800. How can I be in this situation AGAIN?! I must love pain, I thought. Sure enough as soon as I check, Mike shoves all the money in and the dialogue starts almost immediately.
He starts talking to the guy in the two seat...."He's gotta call....there is NO WAY he can let me bluff him a third time....it would just be too embarassing! He's got NO choice....he's gotta call me.
....In my head "AAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH"....I've lost all concept of the game. I'm flustered. But he's right. I have no option. There IS no way I can risk the humiliation of him bluffing me out of three straight pots and showing me up in front of the whole table.
"I call.", I said.
...this time he was silent and just quietly turned over the nuts.
I picked myself up and left the table. My ego was bruised, but I got over it rather quickly. I realized that I had been out maneuvered by one of the best. We came to respect one and other and battled a few more times. I longed for the experience of playing against him. I liked him a lot.
He had a lot of character. He said what he felt with conviction. Right or wrong, he spoke his mind. I respected him for that. I, for one, will miss him.
KJ
Published with the permission of the author.
Reproduction without the author's permission prohibited.

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