Thursday, November 30, 2006

Session at Harrah's

I went to Harrah's several nights ago to play some poker. I was very surprised to see that the room was full at 8:30pm. They had seven 3-6 tables going, five 1-2NL tables and two 2-5NL tables going on a Monday night. That is pretty impressive compared to Cypress Bayou (Shorty's) that has a $180,000 Bad beat Jackpot, and can only fill up 3 or 4 tables with usually three 3-6-12 tables and one 5-5 NL table.

My buddy Bill came meet me to talk about the site. Big Mike was there and had a big night. I wanted to get on a 2-5 table but wound up playing on a 1-2 NL table. The max buy-in is $300.00, so this is what I came in with.

First hand I look down at Big Slick, Ah-Ks. I make a $20 raise and get 4 callers. I am in position on everyone except an Asian Guy I have played before. Flop comes Qc-Jh-3c with 2 clubs. I do a continuation bet of $50.00, and only the asian guy calls. Turn comes the 9s. I make it $80.00 to go, and he goes in the tank for a few minutes and smooth calls me. The river come a brick and I bet out $80.00 again, and he goes in the tank again. He calls and shows the 9c8c.

So I donkey off over 1/3 of my starting stack on the first hand running a bluff with Big Slick, I could tell this session was going to be a rough one. I buckle down with the remaining $70.00 and played tight. When bill got there, I cashed out with $175 so I booked a $125 loser on that table.

Bill and I go across the street tot the bar and have a beer and discuss the site. We talk a little about the Dead Money Satellites, and we decide to go back to the poker room. I have had a little too much to drink, and I plan on just walking Bill to the room, getting my parking validated and then catch a cab home, but they were just opening a new 1-2 game, and Bill and I would get to sit next to each other, so I sit down with $200.00. I lose most of that running a bluff (Go figure), and I pull out another $200.00, and make a couple of hands to pull me back to $320.00. I finally realize that I had drank to much beer and leave the room a loser of a little over $200.00.

I pose a question that came up in one of the hands. I have As-3s and my opponent holds Jh8d.
The flop comes out Js4h2s. What hand would you rather have?

I made a bet after the flop and we checked it down from there as i missed my flush, but we turned them up and the dealer told me he would rather have the J-8 as "It is a made hand".
Not me. I liked my hand as I win with any spade, any Ace and a five. Plus my hand had lots of potential for a big score if an 8s comes on the turn or river. He has 2 pair against my flush.

I happen to watch one of my favorite movies recently, Reality Bites, and I really loved Ethan Hawks in here. This show reminds me of a lot of things in my past...good and bad.
Below is my favorite quote as it sums up a good poker strategy...Take pleasure in the details.

  • When you are the one that sucks out on the river...instead of your opponent
  • When you actually win with Big Slick
  • The sound of chips hitting the pot
  • The camaraderie of the table banter
  • Tipping the dealer
  • Pleasure in a hand played well

"Its all just a...random lottery of meaningless tragedy and a series of near escapes...so i take pleasure in the details ya know? a quarter pounder w/cheese, those are good....the sky about 10 min. before it starts to rain, the moment when your laughter becomes a cackle...and i sit back..and smoke my camel straits...and i ride my own melt"
Ethan Hawk's Character Troy in Reality Bites

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