Tangling with Deeb

I had Freddy on my immediate left, great for the pictures I got for my wall, bad for my tourney prospects. Stealing the BB was pretty much out of the question, and he had a habit of 3-betting my raises.

I got into a hand with him almost as soon as he sat down and won that and the next hand with him. Then he won the next three we were in. In the third I raised and he three bet and I drew to 2368. On the second draw he was pat and I put him on a 9 and check-called. I drew one and caught an ace - I wasn't checking blind because I planned to value bet an 86. He checked behind and showed a 95 - stronger than the nine I expected to see but I was definitely drawing live. I thought a lot about that hand and the fact that I played it by the book a card ahead and just didn't hit. It is a sick game.

I got dealt a pat 87632 and made it three bets after the semi-pro in seat one popped it. My thinking was to flat call would tip my hand when I rapped pat. Deeb and the raiser called, Deeb took two and the other guy one after I rapped. I bet, Freddy called and the one seat popped it. Well, I could call and break it and draw to a number 2. Based on the action I didn't think I had many outs. I folded. I was partly mortified but my read was I was beat and drawing thin. Well, Deeb took one two more times and the one seat was pat twice. They checked down the river and the one seat showed an 86. My pat hand would have been dead and I was drawing to four outs at most three-way as the cards layed. A tough fold but turned out to be correct.

I can't help but think Deeb played loose against me early and used that later - definitely got more off me in the 3 pots he won vs. my meager early 2. The sixth time we tangled HU I raised from the SB with 237, again pretty standard. He re-popped and I called and drew 2 as did he. I caught a 6 and checked, he bet, and I raised and said I had 450 left. We got 1150 in with two draws to go and I was AI. I bricked on the second draw and then Deeb stood pat on the last draw when I put the card out for my final draw. He turned over 98 and I turned my 2367. Deeb was surprised. I stood up knees on chair and sweated it - and flipped over a 9! I win! Deeb goes "you're not supposed to have a 7 there you're supposed to have 9!" And I'm thinking yeah well I'm not that dickbag.