Last weekend in Atlantic City (Guest Blogger: Darko)

Was in AC over the weekend with PP & W. And, was sitting quietly with W, and grinding out a session on Saturday night at The Borgata.
PP was sitting with a maniac-filled table. W decided to take a short walk cuz she was sitting on a healthy nest egg, and check out the action in the room, and stopped by PP's table. She comes back with the news, that there's a Darko Jr at PP's table -- who took down a monster pot with a 3-2o bluff. W says, he's the younger version of me! (Ed. Note: Ouch!) I say nay, that's impossible, but W said it with such conviction, and I trust her judgement. I gave her a $1 chip and asked her to ask PP to lock up a seat for me when one opens up.
Not to shy away from a challenge, and out of boredom, I made it a point to check out the action, when the button passed me at my table. Fair enough, there are two characters at the table controlling the action. I watched a few minutes and easily recognized the antics & hollywood as cheap theatrics… the "I am a donkey" routine, the "raise blind", etc. Only two thoughts that popped into my mind - I'm gonna crack these clowns, and send them home with a story.
Went back to my table, waited for the action to die down, and a seat eventually opened up at the maniac table. I moved myself over, and there was a bit of controversy with the floor since all the tables were running short at 5:30a, and I filled the maniac table to 10.
Here we go… 1/2 NLH in the early hours… alcohol and fatigue has worn down most of the players! Within 3-4 orbits, I easily established that I'm the new sherrif/table captain, and showed a few big bluffs, and some big lay downs, and took down a few big pots by talking smack to some of the players, including Darko Jr.
Then came the hand! I had about $400 behind. I was UTG+4 with Darko Jr (DJ) at UTG+1. UTG straddles (a blind bet, with no option in AC), DJ re-straddles to $15. Folds to me, and I jack it to $45 "on principle" with 8-2o! I get one caller deep in the rotation, and DJ.
Flop comes AcTh9c (flush draw and str8 draws on board), DJ fires $30, I continue hard with a reraise to $95, one caller folds, and DJ calls. It's heads-up, yes!!!
The Turn comes a Kd, DJ checks, and I shove for $263 all-in. He insta-calls!!! Eff-it, I call, he says - without hesitation. My eyes glared at this kid! It's nearly a $900 pot, and being the last aggressor, I have to showdown 8-2o!!! The river shows a ragged 3 - doesn't complete a flush draw. I'm suppose to show first, but I stared blankly at the board, then at DJ, he finally turns over 8c7c, and claims "You win, I got nothing, 8-high!, You win!". I'm puzzled, and looked at the board again, wait… I think it's a chop -- hesitated another 20 seconds to be sure, and the table was puzzled that I refused to turn over my cards… what?? You can't beat 8-high?? I finally saw it for what it is, and 8-high actually chops the pot! I turned over the cards, and the table erupted!!! Chopped pot! DJ was laughing, and high-fived me and said that's the best play he'd ever seen. After that, he and his cronies didn't make too many splashes… (would've been sweet to crack the kid).
He had an open-ender with a flush draw, and an over card, and he missed! Dodged a bullet there.
Hahaha