Benjamin
11-29-2004, 06:00 PM
Drove to Tunica Wednesday, got back last night at about 11:00. 8 1/2 hours each way. I'm tired. /images/graemlins/smile.gif I played a mix of limits from 3/6 (very little) to 20/40 (about 10-12 hours) and I came out solidly ahead. I played at the Gold Strike (where I stayed) some, but surprisingly they had trouble keeping a limit hold 'em game over 3/6 going, so I spent most of my time at the Horseshoe. It's is a nicer poker room by far anyway, IMO: next trip I'll probably stay there.
Weds we got in around 6 pm, ate dinner, and hit the tables. I play a little 6/12 at the Gold Strike, lose a little money to a serious LAG, and then the table breaks up. I head over to Binions to play higher than 3/6, win a little at 4/8 and then get called up to 10/20. Same LAG is there and he's apparently still on a rush with a big ass pile of red chips in front of him. I'm seated a couple to his left and proceed to get anihilated. He probably plays 75% of his hands and raises about 40%. I three-bet or raise him when I get the cards, and time after time I get out-drawn, or he actually has the goods preflop. Very painful.
I'm getting a little tilted after 2 hours of this, and I'm down over $500. I 3-bet him w/ KJo and get called in the blinds and by him. I flop trips: Hallelujah! I've finally hit. I bet, the blind raises, LAG folds, I 3-bet, and the blind 4-bets ... I call instead of capping (5-bet cap there) cause I'm worried about kicker troubles, or about a boat. I call the turn and river, and get shown KTs which hit a runner runner flush. Ouch, and I'm done with 10/20 for the day, down about $700 and completely tilted. LAGs stack is now monstrous and augmented by about $700 in bills where people have bought chips from him. I'm guessing he's easily got over $2500 in front of him. I learn later he gave it all back except a few of the bills.
I go back to my room and chill out for a few minutes, but I'm buzzing with casino fever, so I head up to the poker room to find a soft 6/12 going. I play goot, my cards hold up and I recoup $500 before I crash at about 2 am. A nice guy who owns/runs coalmines to my right tells me he had a heart attack last Saturday, almost died, had stents put in 3 places ... he says he worked 2 days this week and poker is how he de-stresses. Yowza. He's still playing when I leave.
Thanksgiving morning I hit the Horseshoe 4/8 at about 9:30 am. The table I was seated at was populated with people still drinking and playing from the night before. One older fellow was being a bit belligerent as he ordered and drank double Turkey and cokes and poured money on the table. Several others were like zombies, drinking their Budweisers and staring vacantly into the distance. Pretty sad, but easy pickings, and I won a bit there.
I got called up to the 10/20 must-move table, which was considerably more sober. A white-haired guy in a Members Only jacket wearing earphones open-raised from middle position. Folded to me and I called in the big blind with 9h6h (I know ... probably too loose). Flop came 865 with 2 hearts, I bet out, he raised, I called. Turned a seven and I check-raised him, he folded after making a small scene: "You have a good hand! ... I've only got aces!" Slammed his cards in the muck and I won my first decent live 10/20 pot. That guy became my nemesis for the day.
The table is pretty tight and raises are taking the blinds with some regularity. I fold for a circuit or two, then decide to steal from late-middle with A8o. Called by a blind, I flop 2 pair and win a nice pot, but the regulars didn't appear impressed with my raising standards. Nemesis makes derogatory comment. Several hands later he cold called a good-playing old-guy regular, and lost flush over flush when his Q5s lost to KJs. He commented on how he had just been re-taught a lesson. Not much later, though, I open raised from early with pocket jacks. Folded to nemesis on the button who cold-calls. Flop comes rags with 2 diamonds, bet, call. Turn is a diamond, and he raises me, I (foolishly?) call him down with my overpair and get shown 67d. He makes a comment about how it's ok to play bad if you pick the right target. Ouch. Later he busts my pocket aces cold-calling with Q9d. Double ouch.
I get called to the main game, and it's tough. There's only 2 or 3 players who aren't at least pretty good, and when two go walking it becomes the toughest table I've played at live, ever. Nemesis is there, complaining away, and I can't help taking some satisfaction as he gets beat down. I mostly tread water and bleed a few chips here and there as my big cards miss. I make a big blunder after I open raise late with 88, get 3-bet by a crafty but slightly too-loose older guy in the blinds. I call and the flop comes J-hi, with 2 undercards to my 8s. Crafty bets, I raise, he calls. Turns another undercard, and he check-raises me. Easy fold, but I call down and after the river bets go in a very sharp young regular says 'set of jacks is good', he's right, and I feel like a moron. I quit a little bit later to get some food and search for easier hunting, down some, but not too bad, and I feel pretty good about my play (for the most part) against tough competition.
Afternoon session I'm back at the 'shoe in the must-move 10-20. The game is good this time, with several soft spots and lots of limping. I have a great time growing my stack and chatting between hands with a nice guy to my right who is there with his wife who is also in the game. The main game is more of the same when I get there, as is the must move when I get back after dinner, and I finish the day up a good chunk.
Saturday morning I'm back at the 'shoe. I'd read previously about the 20/40 game there being quite good most the time: loose and aggresive, which I like. After my success the previous day I feel like I might want to take a shot, so I sit at a 4/8 and get on the list for 10/20 and 20/40. They open up a must-move for the 20/40 within minutes, and I'm in with my choice of seat. The game starts out moderately tight, but not too scary, and I get comfortable pretty quickly. I tread water for a while, then start to accumulate some chips. A very nice, tall, bald young guy sits down next to me, and I learn from table talk amoung other regulars that this guy is quickly becoming a legend: he's been slaughtering the game for months. Talking with him is fun, and we stay out of each others way for the most part. He's good and shows a very sharp ability at reading hands, he's moderately tight and very aggressive. I'm small blind and it's folded to me with him in the big. Now I like to play my blinds, but so many people chop and catch an attitude if you don't that I go both ways now. He looks at me and says 'go ahead, I play my blinds ... these guys all know that.' I'm happy to, and I peek at KTo. Raise! He calls. I miss the flop, but I have overcards: bet-call, bet-call. I check the river, and he quickly bets. I hem and haw for a minute before deciding to look him up, and my king hi takes it down over his J7s that missed a biggish draw. I'm happy.
I get aces early and raise, I'm cold called on the button by a young guy who is not too bad, but not good. He rivers a flush with his K3s and I have a new nemisis. LOL. Later a young asian guy sits down and proceeds to raise raise raise. It becomes clear pretty quick he's a huge LAG. I get pocket tens, and raise a couple of limpers from late-mid, 1 call by nemesis in the small blind, and LAG reraises from the big-blind 2 cold-calls by the limpers, I 4-bet and the LAG caps it. 5 to the flop for 5 bets each. Flop is rags, LAG bets, I raise, sb calls 2 cold, LAG raises again, I 4-bet, sb coldcalls again, LAG calls. We get a few bets from the limpers on that round, but they fold by the end, I think. Turn is a Q, LAG checks, I bet, sb calls, LAG folds. River is a 9, nemesis bets and says 'don't call I've got a straight' ... I'm in a daze at this point, refuse to believe him, call, and get shown JT for the rivered gutshot. Yowza that was a huge one. I'm ill, of course, but I keep my head, and I grow my stack back until it's about 4:30 in the afternoon, when I'm so tired I don't think I should keep playing. I find my wife and friend, we get some grub and I go try to take a nap.
Night session I return to the 'shoe and pile up some money at 10/20 against a delightfully loose table of drunks before I get called to 20/40. The game is kind of tight at first, and I tread water with piss poor cards until about 4 am. The locals thought I was the biggest rock on earth, but, jeez, it was a nasty run of cards. Early in the game I am sitting next to this big dude who looks kind of like Robin Williams. Very talkative. Turns out he is elysium of the 2+2 mid and high limits board fame. First time I've knowingly played live with a 2+2er. Towards the end of the night it loosens up and becomes the ram and jam loose aggressive game I've heard about. One hand I'm proud of: after hours of hardly playing I 3-bet a loosish early raiser w/ 88 from mid-late. Flop is 9 hi, I bet and I'm called in 2 spots. I'm fairly confident i'm ahead. Turn is a 6, blind bets out, and early raiser now raises. I think for a minute and muck. It went to showdown, he shows 66 for the turned set, and I saved myself 120 bucks. I overhear an exciteable mid-eastern local woman talking about me: 'he plays his first hand in hours, then folds on the turn.' Another local says 'just like the book says to'. LOL
About 2 am Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz show up and cause a massive stir. Rail birds flock, and the room is buzzing. They sit at separate 4/8 tables near mine, and each have a big body guard standing over them.
Soon after I get JJ in mid-late position, and open raise. Guy to my immediate left, who is getting a bit agitated about losing all night, and who just pulled more money out, 3-bets me, and mutters something about tilt. I call, flop is low, I bet out, he raises, and I call down. He has queens. I've now dropped all my 10/20 winnings from earlier, and a couple hundred more. I'm tired and getting ready to go. Folded to me 2 off the button w/ KTo, I open raise. Same guy 3-bets me, the good-playing, exciteable mideastern local woman cold calls on the button, and I figure i'm in trouble. Flop comes K hi, I check to see what happens, intending to checkraise if the action isn't too heavy. He bets, she raises, I fold. Turn is a King, and they showdown QQ and JJ. I was outplayed, and I'm pissed that I didn't bet out.
A hand or two later I get pocket 10s and I raise, a youngish asian guy who posted a late blind to enter the game, and who looks drunk 3-bets me. Flop comes an ace, and I decide to take a shot because I don't think his 3-bet was legit. I checkraise him, he calls. He calls the turn. River is a king, and he folds to my bet. I'm happy. I want to show my hand, but restrain myself. I quit when the blind gets to me, down only $48 bucks on the night. I feel good, and I can't wait to get back.
B.
Weds we got in around 6 pm, ate dinner, and hit the tables. I play a little 6/12 at the Gold Strike, lose a little money to a serious LAG, and then the table breaks up. I head over to Binions to play higher than 3/6, win a little at 4/8 and then get called up to 10/20. Same LAG is there and he's apparently still on a rush with a big ass pile of red chips in front of him. I'm seated a couple to his left and proceed to get anihilated. He probably plays 75% of his hands and raises about 40%. I three-bet or raise him when I get the cards, and time after time I get out-drawn, or he actually has the goods preflop. Very painful.
I'm getting a little tilted after 2 hours of this, and I'm down over $500. I 3-bet him w/ KJo and get called in the blinds and by him. I flop trips: Hallelujah! I've finally hit. I bet, the blind raises, LAG folds, I 3-bet, and the blind 4-bets ... I call instead of capping (5-bet cap there) cause I'm worried about kicker troubles, or about a boat. I call the turn and river, and get shown KTs which hit a runner runner flush. Ouch, and I'm done with 10/20 for the day, down about $700 and completely tilted. LAGs stack is now monstrous and augmented by about $700 in bills where people have bought chips from him. I'm guessing he's easily got over $2500 in front of him. I learn later he gave it all back except a few of the bills.
I go back to my room and chill out for a few minutes, but I'm buzzing with casino fever, so I head up to the poker room to find a soft 6/12 going. I play goot, my cards hold up and I recoup $500 before I crash at about 2 am. A nice guy who owns/runs coalmines to my right tells me he had a heart attack last Saturday, almost died, had stents put in 3 places ... he says he worked 2 days this week and poker is how he de-stresses. Yowza. He's still playing when I leave.
Thanksgiving morning I hit the Horseshoe 4/8 at about 9:30 am. The table I was seated at was populated with people still drinking and playing from the night before. One older fellow was being a bit belligerent as he ordered and drank double Turkey and cokes and poured money on the table. Several others were like zombies, drinking their Budweisers and staring vacantly into the distance. Pretty sad, but easy pickings, and I won a bit there.
I got called up to the 10/20 must-move table, which was considerably more sober. A white-haired guy in a Members Only jacket wearing earphones open-raised from middle position. Folded to me and I called in the big blind with 9h6h (I know ... probably too loose). Flop came 865 with 2 hearts, I bet out, he raised, I called. Turned a seven and I check-raised him, he folded after making a small scene: "You have a good hand! ... I've only got aces!" Slammed his cards in the muck and I won my first decent live 10/20 pot. That guy became my nemesis for the day.
The table is pretty tight and raises are taking the blinds with some regularity. I fold for a circuit or two, then decide to steal from late-middle with A8o. Called by a blind, I flop 2 pair and win a nice pot, but the regulars didn't appear impressed with my raising standards. Nemesis makes derogatory comment. Several hands later he cold called a good-playing old-guy regular, and lost flush over flush when his Q5s lost to KJs. He commented on how he had just been re-taught a lesson. Not much later, though, I open raised from early with pocket jacks. Folded to nemesis on the button who cold-calls. Flop comes rags with 2 diamonds, bet, call. Turn is a diamond, and he raises me, I (foolishly?) call him down with my overpair and get shown 67d. He makes a comment about how it's ok to play bad if you pick the right target. Ouch. Later he busts my pocket aces cold-calling with Q9d. Double ouch.
I get called to the main game, and it's tough. There's only 2 or 3 players who aren't at least pretty good, and when two go walking it becomes the toughest table I've played at live, ever. Nemesis is there, complaining away, and I can't help taking some satisfaction as he gets beat down. I mostly tread water and bleed a few chips here and there as my big cards miss. I make a big blunder after I open raise late with 88, get 3-bet by a crafty but slightly too-loose older guy in the blinds. I call and the flop comes J-hi, with 2 undercards to my 8s. Crafty bets, I raise, he calls. Turns another undercard, and he check-raises me. Easy fold, but I call down and after the river bets go in a very sharp young regular says 'set of jacks is good', he's right, and I feel like a moron. I quit a little bit later to get some food and search for easier hunting, down some, but not too bad, and I feel pretty good about my play (for the most part) against tough competition.
Afternoon session I'm back at the 'shoe in the must-move 10-20. The game is good this time, with several soft spots and lots of limping. I have a great time growing my stack and chatting between hands with a nice guy to my right who is there with his wife who is also in the game. The main game is more of the same when I get there, as is the must move when I get back after dinner, and I finish the day up a good chunk.
Saturday morning I'm back at the 'shoe. I'd read previously about the 20/40 game there being quite good most the time: loose and aggresive, which I like. After my success the previous day I feel like I might want to take a shot, so I sit at a 4/8 and get on the list for 10/20 and 20/40. They open up a must-move for the 20/40 within minutes, and I'm in with my choice of seat. The game starts out moderately tight, but not too scary, and I get comfortable pretty quickly. I tread water for a while, then start to accumulate some chips. A very nice, tall, bald young guy sits down next to me, and I learn from table talk amoung other regulars that this guy is quickly becoming a legend: he's been slaughtering the game for months. Talking with him is fun, and we stay out of each others way for the most part. He's good and shows a very sharp ability at reading hands, he's moderately tight and very aggressive. I'm small blind and it's folded to me with him in the big. Now I like to play my blinds, but so many people chop and catch an attitude if you don't that I go both ways now. He looks at me and says 'go ahead, I play my blinds ... these guys all know that.' I'm happy to, and I peek at KTo. Raise! He calls. I miss the flop, but I have overcards: bet-call, bet-call. I check the river, and he quickly bets. I hem and haw for a minute before deciding to look him up, and my king hi takes it down over his J7s that missed a biggish draw. I'm happy.
I get aces early and raise, I'm cold called on the button by a young guy who is not too bad, but not good. He rivers a flush with his K3s and I have a new nemisis. LOL. Later a young asian guy sits down and proceeds to raise raise raise. It becomes clear pretty quick he's a huge LAG. I get pocket tens, and raise a couple of limpers from late-mid, 1 call by nemesis in the small blind, and LAG reraises from the big-blind 2 cold-calls by the limpers, I 4-bet and the LAG caps it. 5 to the flop for 5 bets each. Flop is rags, LAG bets, I raise, sb calls 2 cold, LAG raises again, I 4-bet, sb coldcalls again, LAG calls. We get a few bets from the limpers on that round, but they fold by the end, I think. Turn is a Q, LAG checks, I bet, sb calls, LAG folds. River is a 9, nemesis bets and says 'don't call I've got a straight' ... I'm in a daze at this point, refuse to believe him, call, and get shown JT for the rivered gutshot. Yowza that was a huge one. I'm ill, of course, but I keep my head, and I grow my stack back until it's about 4:30 in the afternoon, when I'm so tired I don't think I should keep playing. I find my wife and friend, we get some grub and I go try to take a nap.
Night session I return to the 'shoe and pile up some money at 10/20 against a delightfully loose table of drunks before I get called to 20/40. The game is kind of tight at first, and I tread water with piss poor cards until about 4 am. The locals thought I was the biggest rock on earth, but, jeez, it was a nasty run of cards. Early in the game I am sitting next to this big dude who looks kind of like Robin Williams. Very talkative. Turns out he is elysium of the 2+2 mid and high limits board fame. First time I've knowingly played live with a 2+2er. Towards the end of the night it loosens up and becomes the ram and jam loose aggressive game I've heard about. One hand I'm proud of: after hours of hardly playing I 3-bet a loosish early raiser w/ 88 from mid-late. Flop is 9 hi, I bet and I'm called in 2 spots. I'm fairly confident i'm ahead. Turn is a 6, blind bets out, and early raiser now raises. I think for a minute and muck. It went to showdown, he shows 66 for the turned set, and I saved myself 120 bucks. I overhear an exciteable mid-eastern local woman talking about me: 'he plays his first hand in hours, then folds on the turn.' Another local says 'just like the book says to'. LOL
About 2 am Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz show up and cause a massive stir. Rail birds flock, and the room is buzzing. They sit at separate 4/8 tables near mine, and each have a big body guard standing over them.
Soon after I get JJ in mid-late position, and open raise. Guy to my immediate left, who is getting a bit agitated about losing all night, and who just pulled more money out, 3-bets me, and mutters something about tilt. I call, flop is low, I bet out, he raises, and I call down. He has queens. I've now dropped all my 10/20 winnings from earlier, and a couple hundred more. I'm tired and getting ready to go. Folded to me 2 off the button w/ KTo, I open raise. Same guy 3-bets me, the good-playing, exciteable mideastern local woman cold calls on the button, and I figure i'm in trouble. Flop comes K hi, I check to see what happens, intending to checkraise if the action isn't too heavy. He bets, she raises, I fold. Turn is a King, and they showdown QQ and JJ. I was outplayed, and I'm pissed that I didn't bet out.
A hand or two later I get pocket 10s and I raise, a youngish asian guy who posted a late blind to enter the game, and who looks drunk 3-bets me. Flop comes an ace, and I decide to take a shot because I don't think his 3-bet was legit. I checkraise him, he calls. He calls the turn. River is a king, and he folds to my bet. I'm happy. I want to show my hand, but restrain myself. I quit when the blind gets to me, down only $48 bucks on the night. I feel good, and I can't wait to get back.
B.