Old dog, still has his tricks

[2Tone]

Live game anecdote

Playing my now-usual 2/10 spread limit game last weekend. In the four seat is Dwayne, an elderly guy in a wheelchair and a baseball cap identifying him as Korean War Veteran. I’ve played with him a couple of times before, and he hasn’t done anything out of the ordinary.

This time he puts out a live straddle of $4. There are a couple of callers, and I call in late position from the ten seat with QJ. Flop comes jack high, and Dwayne leads out for $4.

I have about $90 behind, including a stack of 20 white chips resting on my cards. I raise to $10 total. Dwayne calls, everybody else folds.

Turn is another blank. Dwayne checks. I bet another $10, the remaining chips that had been protecting my cards. As I’m making my forward motion, chips in hand, Dwayne power mucks clear across the entire length of the table, over the pot, and straight into my cards. There was a lot felt between us – it would have been a hell of a shot in pool.

“That hand’s dead,” he says to the dealer.

I’m momentarily stunned. Dealer is silent and motionless. I look across that table at Dwayne, who is looking at the dealer expectantly. I get it together enough to be frustrated, and ask the dealer if we need to call the floor.

Another couple of beats go by before Dwayne wheezes out a chuckle, and flashes me a missing-tooth grin. “Protect your hand next time, son.”

Table cracks up, dealer pushes me the pot, and play continues.

Lesson taken.