(no subject)
This past weekend Brent and I (wives and kids in tow) made a trip out to Shreveport, LA with the intent of trying our luck at a little poker. We had planned this trip some time back, and I was eagerly looking forward to it. As some of you may or may not know I live out in the "sticks," ie Breckenridge TX (1 hr east of Abilene). By the time I drove to Brent's house, and then on to the hotel in Shreveport, it was 3am before my head hit the pillow. But we resolved to get up by 9am to try and get out the door by 10am so we could head to the El Dorado Casino to see if we wanted to try our luck at what seemed to be the only tournament in town for Saturday, the "Saturday Bounty."
Our wives dropped us off at the casino's doorstep, and we went up to the top floor of the casino where the poker room resided. When we arrived, we asked about the tournament, and if they were still taking entries as it was 10 minutes until 11am, and that's when the tournament started. We were told there were "4 spots left." We looked over the information sheet regarding the tournament. $70 Buy-in for $900 in chips, $30 re-buys (unlimited first 3 rounds), one time $30/$60 add-on at the end of the first three rounds, 1 “bounty” per every 20 entrants (random draw for who were the bounties), knock out the “bounty” collect $400 reward, blinds started at $10/20, and the first three rounds lasted 20 minutes with a break after these rounds. Brent and I talked it over, and each of decided to skip on the tournament. The reasons being is we both felt that the unlimited re-buys gave license to people to make crazy calls and just re-buy. We also coupled this thought with the fact that we both were only going to gamble with $160 for the day. If we bought in for $70, did no re-buys and took the $60 add-on, we'd be out $130 at minimum barring no re-buys. We then thought about sitting in at a ring game at the casino, but opted to check out Sam's Town next door to see what was going on there.
We went to Sam's Town. No poker room. I was ID'ed for the 2nd time entering the casino. We walked back to the El Dorado, asked one of the valets where the biggest poker rooms were in Shreveport. He told us the "here or the Horseshoe, but the Horseshoe is the biggest." We thought about walking to the Horseshoe which was within sight, but across the river, and opted for the cab. This proved to be a good call for only $7 and saved us the heat and the walk. Plus we we're treated to a story by the cab driver, who never was afraid to "whoop 'dat ass" when it came to raising his sons.
We got to the Horseshoe, walked down to the poker room. I was again ID'ed. I was told I look 25, and I am 35. Fine by me. Anyway, arrived at the poker room, which was sponsored or associated with the WSOP as the emblem was everywhere. They also had a nice big picture of Doyle and The Professor up on the wall. After looking over the games, we put our names down as a "phone-in" (this kept us a seat for 2 hours) for the $1/2 No Limit table, and went back up stairs to grab a leisurely lunch. After lunch, came back down, and were seated immediately. It was about 1pm. The table filled up pretty fast, and we were at 10 players in no time at all. Both Trey and I cashed $160 for chips. I know you should sit down for the full $200, but that's all my wife would let me have this trip, and that was fine as it would be my first time at a live casino ring game. It was the first time for Trey too. We both had ventured up to the Winstar casino in Oklahoma about a year ago, and played in a $150 10 player tournament, which had a chance to win his buy-in back and a seat in the Red River Roundup ($1000+$100 entry fee). We both failed to win the tourney. I was knocked out in 6th, and Brent in 4th. From that experience I learned: One, to bring a jacket/sweatshirt as it was colder than I ever anticipated in the casino, and two, not to play scared/nervously. The second point comes from the fact when I caught pocket 10s, raised 4x the BB, and was re-raised, I folded. Later I went out on 9s when my all-in was called by KQos and the guy caught a Q on the turn. The same guy who busted me out was the one who re-raised my 10s. In hindsight, and seeing the hands he played throughout the tournament, I believe I should have pushed with my 10s at the time. I digress.
So, back to the $1/2 NL ring game. I am feeling nervous. Part anticipation, part hoping to win not lose money, part first time at a ring game. First hand I catch AQos. At this point there are only 6 players at the table. I raise to $8 and get four callers. The flop comes rags, rainbow, no paint. Two checks to me, I check, and the player to my left raises to $15. Everyone folds, including me. I thought about calling, but seeing as how it was the first hand I opted to let it go, and gather more info on the clean cut, button shirt, droopy eyes fellow who won the pot. I guess at this point I should lay out the table as it has filled up to 10. Here is a description of everyone by seat:
Seat #1: Average looking guy, in his 40s, short wavy brown hair, with a light peach/pinkish t-shirt on. Seems to get up and leave from time to time for extended periods, especially shortly after winning a big hand. I'll call him "Pinky."
Seat #2: Another average looking guy, mid/late 30s, short sandy hair, with a dark blue collared short-sleeve knit shirt with thin white stripes.
Seat #3: Older guy, in his 50s/60s, red collared short sleeve shirt, bald, glasses, who upon arrival announces that he thinks this should be cheaper to play than the $4/8 table as he sits down with his rack of white chips.
Seat #4: Another older fellow, 60s/70s, baseball cap, I forget the attire as I couldn't see him too well, knows some of the dealers, seems crusty, and grumpy.
Seat #5: Brent.
Seat #6: Yours truly.
Seat #7: A lady, named Terri, in her 50s, a high school theater teacher from Tyler, TX, very nicely dressed, hair all done up, dyed, make-up, rings on every finger it seemed like, friendly, chatty, always asking the dealer to deal for the bad beat progressive jackpot.
Seat #8: The afore mentioned clean cut, droopy eye fellow, in his 40s, short brown hair, long sleeved light blue button down shirt. Likes to create straddle bets. I'll call him "Droopy."
Seat #9: Older guy, in his 60s, blue t-shirt, chewing on a cigar the whole time, always playing with his chips, always telling stories, apparently he got himself kicked out of the military to avoid going to Vietnam (something about a triple F discharge), claims to have seen a UFO in Mexico, and seemed to remember every bad beat he ever had. Brent dubbed him "Roswell."
Seat #10: An African-American fellow, in his 40s, possibly 50s, wearing a faded Horseshoe ballcap, a Dallas Cowboys Roy Williams jersey (#31), has a gold chain with a pendant of Christ on the cross portion of an anchor showing, knows most of the dealers, cool, calm, collected demeanor.
Not too long after my first hand I get AKos. I again raise to $8, get several callers, miss the flop, and fold when I miss the turn, there is a straight draw on the board, and someone, I honestly forget who, bets out.
A few hands later I catch AKs, and raise it up to $15, having not liked the callers from earlier $8 bets. I get four callers again, seats 1, 7, 8 and 10. I miss the rainbow flop, there is a Q and 8 on the board. Pinky checks, I check, Terri checks, and Droopy leads out again with a $15 bet. Pinky calls, I fold, and Terri calls. The turn is a 5. Droopy again bets, Pinky folds, Terri calls. River is a rag. Terri checks, Droopy bets again, Terri calls. Droopy turns over 85os for two pair. Terri has a KQos, and loses. She turns to me and states how she can't believe he called with 85os. I can't either, but I am happy to know what he is calling a $15 raise with. At this point Brent leans over to me and says, "Well, you've taught me one thing so far. If I get AQ or AK, I am limping."
After a while I catch A10h in late position, Droopy raises to $8, and I decide to call. 5 players. The flop comes with an A and two rags, one of which is a heart. Droopy bets $5. Pinky and I call, I think there was one other caller. The turn comes another rag heart. Checks all around to Droopy who bets $30. Pinky and the other player fold. There is about $60 in the pot, I have an A with a decent kicker and a flush draw. I stare at the board. I figure I have nine outs with a heart and three more with a 10. Thirteen outs, 26% to make my hand. I look over at Droopy, he gives me nothing, staring straight ahead. I remember the 85os, but he made the pre-flop raise. I put him on an A, but I don't know what kind of kicker he has. Maybe it's a K, Q or J but it's highly possible it could be some suited rag. I decide to call, if I miss and he bets out big I will likely fold. As I reach down to count out my chips I can see my hand trembling slightly. I try my best to control it, but it's still there. Yes, I am still nervous, and I wonder if Droopy sees it. Now there is about $120 in the pot. The river delivers. I get my heart. I pause for about ten seconds and announce the magical words, "All-in." I stare at the board. I am leaning forward, hands clasped in front of my mouth. I can see out of the corner of my eyes, Droopy struggling with the decision. After thinking about it for thirty seconds, Droopy calls. I turn over my A10 of hearts, and Droopy mucks, with a sarcastic, "Nice catch." I have doubled up, and I am thinking it's sweet retribution for calling with rags on my AQ-Ks.
Later, Droopy put on a $4 straddle (for the third time), and I caught AJo. I called, and when action came back to Droopy he made it $20. I threw away my AJo. I figured I'd let the guy have four of his dollars back. Not too soon after Terri busts Droopy out top pair to his mid pair. He re-buys for another $100. He plays some more. Loses about half and leaves. Brent tells me, "There goes the bank." He is replaced by a elderly man in his late 60s, early 70s, plain blue trucker hat, thick rimmed glasses. Plays loose, lots of calls. I saw Droopy return an hour or more later, but he sat down at another table in the back of the room. Too bad.
Later on I pick up AQc. I decide to limp in. No raises, 6-7 players. The flop comes Js and two rag clubs. Roswell bets $10, gets a couple callers, including me. Turn is a blank. Roswell bets $15. I am the only one that calls. There is now about $60-70 in the pot. The river again delivers, and I make my flush. I bet $30, figuring an all-in or pot size bet will chase out Roswell. Again, I am leaning forward, hand clasped in front of my mouth and I stare at the board. Roswell goes into the tank. He is flipping his cards back and forth between each other perpendicular to the table, where he and I am sure the two guys next to him can see his cards. He thinks about it for 45 seconds and decides to call. I show him the nut flush. He shows J9c. I take down about a $120-130 pot. He turns and starts talking to #31, and I pick up that he can't believe I limped with AQ suited. He had sat down after my failed raises with similar hands. I couldn't really hear what #31 told him back, but Roswell went on about it for a while. Much much later when he brought it up again, and after he suffered a brutal bad beat, which I will get into shortly, I told him why I had limped, and he was polite, and said, "No, no, no. It was a good hand and great play."
At this point I'd like to elaborate a little on Pinky. He's been playing a lot of pots, a lot of pre-flop raises. In between hands he is busy bending seat #2's ear, something about an insurance claim gone awry. He's dragged down a few small pots most of which uncontested. He then gets wrapped up in a hand with "Crusty" in seat 4. After the turn, with no more than $50 in the pot, Crusty pushes all-in for his remaining $90. Pinky gives it a little thought, but not too much, and calls. Crusty turns over trips, and Pinky has the open ended straight draw. The river makes Pinky's straight, and Crusty is steamed. Crusty re-buys, but doesn't hang around too long afterward, after getting steamed about his raising pre-flop to $5, and the dealer not hearing him, and everyone after just calling the BB not his $5 raise. The floor has to be called over. Seat #2 heard Crusty announce his raise. Everything has to back track up to his raise. This event unnerves him further, and he leaves not too long after. He may have busted out, but I can't remember. Later, Roswell and Pinky get tied up in a hand, where I again have picked up AQos. I limp again, along with the afore mentioned and one or two others. The flop comes all rags, 9 and lower. Roswell bets $5, mostly everyone calls, including me (thinking I have two overs), one or two fold. The turn comes and Roswell goes all-in for a little over $100. Now, I cannot remember if there was a connecting card on the flop or it came on the turn, but Pinky again calls with an open ended straight draw of J 10 9 8 between his hand and the board. The river delivers again for Pinky as he catches his straight. Roswell is beyond steamed. Pissed off is more like it, but he re-buys.
After each win against Crusty and Roswell, Pinky soon gets from the table and takes off for a while, leaving his chips on the table. He's gone at least 30min plus each time. I think what a subversive way of securing his winnings and not allowing opponents a shot back at their lost chips/cash. I also think Pinky is a gambler. I am not sure if he understands pot odds or if he just doesn't care. Eight outs seems to be good enough for him to call all-in over-bets to pots. Either way, I am sure I can make some money off him given the right cards at the right time.
I pick up pocket 2s, 5s, and 7s (2x), limp in, and call a few small raises with position each time and nothing comes of it and I fold on any substantial bet after the flop, turn or otherwise. Sometime later I pick up pocket As. I raise to $15, and I get four callers, including Pinky. The flop comes all rags 10 or less, rainbow. Pinky bets $10, I raise to $40, and everyone folds. I take down a pot of about $70. Sometime later I pick up pocket Qs. I raise to $20. Pinky is the only caller. The flop comes rainbow 5 7 9. I bet $30, Pinky calls. The turn is a 3. Pinky by this time has called off most of his winnings and has maybe about $70 left. I say, pointing to Pinky, "I'll put him all-in." Pinky, who for some reason is watching something else, says, "What?" The dealer explains I've put him all-in, and quickly folds. I take down another pot for about $100. In retrospect I think Pinky only had a pair, and a middling pair at that. With the way he was calling down draws, he surely would have called if he was on one.
From this point on I run cold. I limp in a few times with KQ and suited Ax in late position, but throw the hands away when the betting ensues and I have nothing or not enough of the flop to justify calling. Threetreys has been running cold all afternoon. He takes down a small pot with pocket As after raising to $15 getting the normal 3-4 callers after betting out post flop, and he happily shows his As when everyone folds. That's the only hand I can recall him raising on. His biggest win came on a BB special where he held J and I want to say 9. Everyone limps. The flop comes J J X, and seat #2 bets $30 or so. Brent calls. Calls the turn bet. And by the river pulls down the pot as seat #2 has mistakenly limped with Qs. (The same player saw his pocket As cracked earlier when he limped then too.) The win rebuilds his stack close to his buy-in. By the time we left the table Brent was down $30. He never really got anything to play, small pockets a couple of times, AQ twice I think, but AA was the best he saw all afternoon.
As 5:30pm rolled around, we knew we were going to have to meet up soon with the wives and kids for dinner. We called and checked in and played for another hour. By this time the face of the table had changed. Seats 2, 3, 4 had the most roll over. People sat down with small buy-ins, $100 or less and lost them in no time at all. Except for seat 3 which was filled by a college kid with a New Orleans Saints hat and a matching polo shirt, who I will call "the Kid" from here on out. Terri, the school teacher in 7 had also left, and was replaced by another 20 something, who knew #31. An Asian fellow filled seat 4, who looked like a business professional and wore Ray-Ban aviators. I was in a way sad to Terri leave. I enjoyed her company as she was very affable, and our chit chatting between hands helped put me at ease and make me feel more comfortable, helping calm my nervousness.
During the card dead period, I take to watching people involved in the hands, seeing if I can pick up any tells. I quickly notice that Pinky, who is involved in almost every hand, has his eyes always darting from his chips to the pot to the other person's chips to the pot when I think he has a hand. My suspicions are confirmed when he turns over two winning hands and the same behavior has occurred during the pot. Good to know. In another instance the Kid is involved in a hand with seat #2 (a newcomer) and big bets have occurred after the flop, and now the Kid has led out with a substantial bet (if memory serves $100) on the turn. Seat #2 waits a long time before calling. Well over a minute, maybe two. During that time, the Kid with his sunglasses now on, sits with both arms resting on the table, looking straight ahead, trying to remain stoic. I am looking at his neck and his chest trying to see if I can see a fast heartbeat, but I can't. Then I see him smack his mouth once and he swallows. He's weak. I am pretty sure of it. I am not sure seat #2 saw it, but after long deliberation he calls anyway. The river comes 5. In fact it's runner runner 5. If I remember the flop was 3 X 4, turn 5, river 5. The Kid pushes all-in on the river, and seat #2 calls. Seat #2 turns over 34o and the Kid turns over 42o, they chop. The Kid is beyond lucky that the 5 came on the river for the chop.
The most interesting hands came between Pinky and the Kid. The Kid quickly grew tired of Pinky's standard $10 pre-flop raise and on two instances raised him to $80. Pinky folded, but not before some exchange between the two. Something about all he needs is for me to fold, and he'll have position on Pinky. I've got "squadoosh," and Pinky folds, but not before some more jawing. The Kid takes down the pot uncontested pre-flop. Then it happens again. Pinky bets his standard $10, the kid raises to $80, maybe it was $90. Everyone folds back to Pinky, who announces, "All-in." The Kid thinks about it, but not for too long, and announces "call." He turns over Q3o, and Pinky turns over AQo. The Kid is dominated, but catches his three on the river. The Kid is ecstatic. Pinky is now on tilt. The Kid rubs salt into the wound by announcing, "There was never any doubt," which makes me burst out laughing in that you've got to be kidding me kind of laugh. Then he says to Pinky, "You never, ever, push all-in with AQ." Pinky gets up from the table and goes to get more money as fast as possible. The next hand Pinky plays he looks over at the Kid and says, "You wanna do this again? I am all-in." The Kid responds, "OK, I call." I am holding A10c, which I throw away. Everyone folds. The Kid says, "Dealer I am giving you $20 if I win." Pinky turns over pocket Ks, and the Kid turns over pocket As. By the river the board is nothing but rags with two 3s on the board. What a crusher. Threetreys and I were reeling. From Q3o to AA, wow. Interestingly, #31 announces that he threw away pocket 3s. He would of made quad 3s. Crazy, but I would of thrown 3s away too. Needless to say, Pinky is still on tilt goes to get more money, this time he buys back in 40% of the Kid's stack, which is apparently what the Horseshoe allows. You can buy in for $200 max or 40% of the largest stack at the table, whichever is greater. The Kid now has somewhere $800-900.
Sadly, our hour before dinner quickly passes, as I am praying to get some cards to take the Kid and Pinky to the cleaners, but they never come. In the end perhaps it was for the best. At 6:30pm Brent and I cashed out. He's down $30, and I am up $290. So, for 5.5 hrs I have made a little over $50/hr. Not bad. I wish Brent would have won something, but as he said he would of spent more going out to see a movie with his wife. We went and ate. Talked about going back, but after dinner we were both really tired from the overnight drive and waking up early. No gambling on Sunday as we all slept in, and checked out late. We had a 3hr drive ahead of us, plus I had a two hour drive after that with a stop by the in-laws. We made it back to Breckenridge at midnight.
Well, that's about it. All I can say is I do owe a great deal of credit to the Poker Academy Online software for all the countless hours and hands I have played preparing me in this first step. The Poker Academy online forum also has provided insight that aided in my growth as a player. I feel less of a live casino game rookie, but I still need to work on my nerves, and the trembling hands. Brent said it didn't show, when I lamented to him about my nervousness. That's good, but I still need to work on getting it under control. Perhaps that comes with more live experience, but pre-flop when involved in the hand I would chant a little mantra in my head about expecting to see the flop I wanted. I also reminded myself to breathe, calmly, with deep easy breaths. It's amazing how home turf makes such a big difference because at my bi-weekly game here in Breckenridge, I rarely get nervy.
Very soon (in the coming months), I will report back with my adventures at Winstar as Brent and I plan to tackle a ring game up there in the near future. Shreveport was fun, and the food was fantastic. Fresh raw oysters, need I say more. But the Winstar is closer, and the play cannot be that different than the Horseshoe in Shreveport. Plus we save ourselves a hotel room, gas, travel time, and the wives can shop it up in the Metroplex. Anyway, sorry for the length, and thanks for reading.