Straddle me, baby!

Miami Don told me the bloggers would be hitting the MGM to play low stakes mixed games on Friday night. Weeeeeeeell, you know I'm up for that.

I get to the MGM at 10:00 and there was no HORSE table running. I asked about making an interest list and the room manager told me that it wouldn't make. I actually had to go back and make them start a list. I sat at a 3/6 limit table in the mean time and just kept an eye on the electronic board to see if anybody signed up.

Next thing I know [which in poker time is about 1.5 hours later] they are calling my name for the HORSE table and I hear Colombo and Falstaff's names called as well. I knew then that the bloggers had arrived. Woooooooot!

I couldn't play today's Blogger tournament because I will be playing the Binion's Ladies event at 4:00 so I figured I would donk around with them at a HORSE table. Not that anybody but maybe Columbo knows of me. That didn't seem to bother them much though - more dead money for them.

Falstaff bought in for $500 and made a nice tower of chips on the table. That should have been a clue that this wasn't going to be your momma's HORSE game. I didn't recognize the names of the few people that I asked but I found out who Columbo was and there's no way in hell anybody would NOT know Falstaff - that boy has big ... personality.

I pimped the FullTiltForum private HORSE tunry at the IP to them as well as the Pokerslut Tour. Maybe some will actually show up. I played a few pots and lost two with HUGE draws and one just cause I was gamboling. First thing you need to know is this: EVERY POT WAS STRADDLED! Yes, you heard me, straddled. Talk about having pot odds.

1. It was folded around to me with KTh. Of course I 3 bet and get called by the straddle. Flop came Q high all diamonds. I bet out confident that it didn't hit him and he called. The turn was a 2. I check he checks. River was a Q. I looked at him and said you got there didn't you? LOL. I call his bet and he asks what do you have. "Shit, you?" He showed two black cards and a craptastic pair of 2s that took down the pot. Oh yeah, THAT was fun.
   
   
2. I have Ah34h6 and limp in the straddled pot. Flop comes with two hearts and two non-counterfeiting low cards. One bet is called all around. The turn was a high card that helped no one. At this point I have the nut low draw and the nut flush draw. As some would say, "I have a brazillian outs." The river paired the 2. Sigh. A bet and a call to me. "I'm the only idiot in this hand without a fricking 2." I fold. I could have scooped that pot.
   
   
3. Folded to me with ATh and here I go again, "I have to make it three." One caller. Flop KJhKh. Well what a fugly board but my opponent is villain from hand one so there's a better than good chance he didn't hit this flop. I bet he calls. The turn paired my T. I at least felt better about betting here. I figure he makes a move here if he's got a real hand but he just calls. I'm hoping for a heart but no o oo ooo. I think it was a 9. I bet, he asks if I'm full as he calls and I said, "EFF NO pair of tens," to his straight. I heard someone say something about a royal flush draw which I had neglected to realize; I have been totally content with just the nut flush.

Long story short, I played HORSE from 11:30 until 2:45 and was down half my buy-in which was considerably less than Falstaff's. It was totally worth it though. I thoroughly enjoyed the table chat and had a blast overall. I won a pot in LHE and a S8 hand but the rest of the time was spent folding really bad cards. I'm sure these guys thought I was uber weak-tight.

Early on the manager came over and asked us to give up some of our blue chips as the room was on the verge of running out and obviously we didn't need nearly as many as we had in play. He also ordered the dealers to not sell us blue chips. We had several very good dealers that changed every game change it seemed. He gave each one explicit instructions how to deal and when to change the game. I think it all went quite smoothly.

As hard as it may be to believe, we were actually given a language warning by the manager. Who knew we had such potty mouths? Well, besides my own.

I thought the table might break when Falstaff and another person left together but the seats filled rather quickly. There seemed to be a serious personality vacuum after Falstaff left and I think we all missed him for a moment - sorta like the call after a storm.

I really enjoyed talking to the two guys on my right. I was in the 10 seat so the dealer was between me and the guys on the other end.

The MGM was a really nice room. The screens with the wait lists were very nice and it didn't take long at all to get a seat. I was getting annoyed with the cocktail people. Not once, not twice, but 3 times I ordered water and had to re-order the next time one came back around. The restrooms near the poker room were very small and incredibly busy. Even though we sat two players out during the stud hands, there was still not enough time to get a bathroom break in sometimes.

All in all and great way to spend some time at the poker table. Today will be spent at the Rio trying to satellite into the WSOP Ladies event that runs tomorrow and then playing the Binion's Ladies event this afternoon. Wish the Pokersluts luck!

---

Our room at the IP overlooks the pool. Khanwoman noticed that someone had marked out this notice on the sliding glass door:

I think I now know why they did that. Last night, as I was napping in preparation for the night's festivities, I heard what can only be described as the sound track to a porno movie coming from the balcony or maybe the pool. I thought to myself, "YOU MUST BE KIDDING ME! SOMEBODY IS *BLEEPING* OUT ON THE BALCONY?" It was a marathon session to boot.