The local boat casino is now spreading cash game poker.
It's been a rumor around here for a while that they were going to be doing this. After I heard this at the last home cash game I decided to give them a call and get the scoop from the source. I was told by the floor games manager that they would be training the dealers for a couple weeks while they waited on regulatory approval. It was their hope to have the games running by Mar 1st.
I got a text from home gamer that the boat was up and running! Woooooooot! I headed over there on Friday morning. There was one 1/2 NL table going and they were trying to seat a 3/6 limit table. I took a seat there but let them know I wanted to play 1/2 as soon as they had an open seat.
I ended up playing a couple rounds of 3/6 while waiting for the new 1/2 table to open. I spewed from the BB when my Q7s was outkicked by Q9o on a Q high flop. Sigh, I'm such a donk.
I finally take my seat at the 1/2 table. Who knew so many people would want to play poker at 10:30am on a Friday. Well, it was payday. I guess that explains some of it. It seems that several of these players were regulars but I could tell there were a few soft spots.
Shamus recently mentioned the comparison of Live poker to Online Poker. The 10x rule has been bandied about for some time now - I think it was Bart Hanson who does Deuce Plays podcast for Deuces Cracked that started this comparison. I would say that my table played reasonably close to Full Tilt's 10¢/20¢ NLHE games.
I was busy trying to get a feel for the other players while folding my craptastic hands. Several people loved any two suited cards. There was one guy who loved to bet the turn whenever the flop was checked around. Another guy would go to town on his gum whenever he had a hand or hit a flop. Ahhhhh, good old live games.
I wasn't hitting any flops and I had spewed on the 3/6 table but I was really delighted to be playing live poker! I had been getting all manner of J8o hands when I decided I would limp with J8h. The flop came down JTh4h. Wow, nice enough flop for me. The older guy on my right tosses out $10 and I call. The guy on my left ships for about $50 more. Well shit. I'm thinking I'm going to have to call this when the guy on my right, after taking his sweet time, calls. At this point I'm pretty sure I'm behind and my draw may not even be good; I fold. Older guy shows 44 for bottom set and shover has JT for top two. Turn: T boating them both up. I had the only flush draw, which did hit on the river, but I had the worst hand all the way around.
By now I'm down about $50. I pick up ATs in the SB or BB. Almost the whole table limped in and I sure as heck didn't want to try to raise anybody out with this hand but I do want to see a flop: Ragged T high. I just check around with everybody else. Somebody bets the turn and I call. River goes check check and I take down a smallish pot. Well that felt good. My first pot of the day.
Later I pick up KK after several limpers and a raiser. I've been playing tight - because of lack of anything playable - so I decide to just flat call. A 3-bet there and everybody folds and the only card I don't want to see on the flop is an A. I think we get another one or two callers behind me. The flop is uncoordinated and J high. It's checked to original raiser who fires $10 into a $40-50 ish pot. I know that's a small bet that won't keep the guys behind me out and I really don't want anybody drawing cheaply so I bump it up to $30. They all fold. Now I'm in profit territory.
I limped a few hands that miss and end up leaving up $21. I'm thrilled. This is only my second live 1/2 session.My first live 1/2 session at the Tropicana (summer 2006) was a failure. I called a raise with AK and called another large flop bet before I had to fold to a shove (not Zerb). Turns out (not Zerb) hit a set of 4s on the flop v the raiser's AA and got paid off. It was not a good session for me at all.
I'm pretty sure that I'll soon be a regular player at the boat. Not sure if that's a good thing or not, only time will tell.
2 comments:
Live poker, there is nothing sweeter. I think the 10X rule is about right too.
My last live session was a disaster too, but I played some of my best poker. Our nearest casino is about an hour drive away. I'd like to get there more regularly, but it just isn't in the cards.
Wow - thanks for the heads up about the new poker room. My home game disappeared over a year ago and Illinois Charitable Games took six months off and only recently started back up, so this option is certainly welcomed.
I may have to wait on it a bit though ... unless I plan on getting a divorce. However, my wife is going out of town in three weeks. Gee -- what will I do in my spare time?
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