Poker night

Had poker night for my friend's birthday party. Was doing pretty crappily, due to a combination of bad cards and a couple of stupid mistakes. I'm all in with my last chips, with a 4-5 in my hand and 6-8 in the flop. The turn comes up, its a Jack. I'm about ready to throw in the towel and go upstairs to get some food when the river comes down...as you've probably guessed, it was a 7. Win the hand, and I'm back in. Play for awhile, and get it down to four left at the table (out of beginning with 7). We had decided that the top three got money, and its pretty evenly matched between myself and two other guys (birthday boy was way ahead, 100+ chips to our 80ish). Blinds are at 4-8 by now, and birthday boy gets into it with me. I'm holding an Ace-Jack, off-suit. Flop comes down and gives me a pair of aces. The turn was a 2, and the river was a 4. Birthday boy goes in 15..the community cards didn't appear to have much. I figured he was bluffing, so I go in. Little did I know that apparently, birthday boy NEVER bluffs. Came up with a 2-6 straight. So I'm down 15, but still in it. Two hands down the road, I'm holding Jack-Ace. Jack comes up on the flop, and Ace comes up on the turn. Other two people fold. Birthday boy goes in with 20 after the river came up with a 4. I'm thinking that he's bluffing this time, especially after last time and after the fact that he's already gone in 8 on this hand. So, with all but two of my chips, I go in. Turns out this son of a gun was holding pocket fours. Lesson learned: when Jason bets big, he's not screwing around. Ever.

Oh well, I played off a couple good hands with a straight and a pair of Aces and Kings that outright knocked one guy out and helped put another out of his misery. And but for the grace of God and that 7, I would've been the first guy away from the table. And while I'm not a hold 'em expert, that would've been very disheartening, as one of the guys we were playing with had the stupidity to ask if we allowed "four-card straights." No offense, he's a great guy. But four card straights?!? And I was gonna leave the table before this guy? I guess it wasn't such a bad night after all. Just would've been nice to get some of my $5 back.