Forget about those big pots.

Just recently I found myself walking around the Rio Casino.  Periodically checking out the WSOP and watching some of the main event.  I decided to take a glance at the cash games to see if I could find a juicy one to play in.  I walked up, and there it was.  A 2-5 game in which four friends were playing.  Each player was about 5k deep and creating tons of action.  Now ideally, this was not the best game for my style of play.  I like to play aggressively, out of position, and put my opponents in difficult decisions on every street, but this game I had to get in on.

The first few hands were playable, but I would either have to call $100 preflop to play, or 4-bet with my mediocre hand.  In any other game, I would have 3-bet and maybe 4-bet most of these hands to take complete control of the hand, but in no way shape or form would these guys lay down to a 4-bet.  Then the hand came where I knew if I connected i could snap off one of the big stacks.

I was dealt 6h 6d on the button.
Aggressive player in seat 4 raised to $25
Ultra Aggressive raised to $100.  Now keep in mind, this player has been doing this all night so his range is huge and cannot be put on a real hand.
Action folds around to me, I flat call the $100.
Blinds fold, and seat 4 calls.

The flop, 6c Ad Qs.

I tank for a few seconds, then check.
Seat 4 checks.
Seat 5 looks at me and asks, “how much do you have behind?”.  I responded “about $600.”  Now keep in mind, I didn’t want to sit in with the same stacks they were for two reasons.  1) I wanted to implement a strategy of snapping of a large stack and 2) I am giving great pot odds when I have made hands in pots I am in.
Seat 5 bets $400.
I go all in with my $630.
Seat 4 folds.
Seat 5 calls $230.

As of now, there is about $1500 in the pot.  I flip over my sixes, only to my dismay, to see the ultra aggressive seat 5 flip over pocket queens.

Turn 7s, River 5s.

I couldn’t believe the set-over-set.  I watched him scoop the pot, and I re bought immediately.  The night went on to run like this.  A few other significant pots I had played in were, set vs river flush, top two vs river straight, and set of jacks to river straight.  My image at the table was perfect as well.  I drank with all the players, talked, interacted, and had the image of being a loose aggressive player among them.  Even though I was showing down the nuts almost every hand, nobody put me on those hands.

Now most players would be disgusted, filled with rage, and would almost want to give up the game.  I accepted the hands, moved on, and started to look for the next game.  You must remember, when you get an opportunity to sit in a godsend game, to get it in with the best of it, regardless of how you are running.  What makes a great poker player is to lose monster pots over and over again, but still have enough swagger and poise to keep playing in these games knowing it is only a matter of time until you are the one raking in the pots.