johnb
08-27-2003, 01:16 AM
I just returned from three days at the Paragon Casino in Marksville Louisiana. Having played most of the poker rooms through the south the last few years, I think that this is an overlooked jewel for poker in the south.
Saturday - The influx of new players brought on by the internet.
I got seated about 9:00 pm Saturday at a new table that was starting up. The poker room had three holdem and two stud games going. The holdem games were 4-8. One stud game was 1-5 with no ante and one was 1-5 with a $.50 ante which was new. I also noted a sign up in the room that said that they were now spreading 5 card draw but never saw a game going. The holdem game was juicy. There were two couples playing B&M for the first time. I found out rather quickly that I was one of the two people at the table who does not have any internet experience. The concensus seemed to be that UltimateBet and Pokerstars was their favorite. They all complained about problems getting a table at Partypoker. One had called and said that she was told that they were going to try and add more tables. I don’t know for sure how much experience they had but neither couple who were new showed anything but rookie tendancies. They all called to much and never raised.
Funniest incident.
One young lady with computer only experience. (CP) She calles the pot with four other players. Flop comes
10-9-8 mixed suites.
Early position player (ep) bets and cp calls in late position.
Flop is a rag. Early position plyer bets and cp calls.
River is a j. CP literally jumps a foot out of her seat, yells “yes” and pumps her fist.
Player to my left who is a Paragon regular and the only other non net player and myself roar with laughter.
Early position player isn’t laughing. He check calls the cp k-q. We jokingly remind the cp that she is not on line and that we can see her in this game as her husband turns red and shakes his head.
THE GAME itself was loose passive with 5-6 callers pre flop. I was up close to $200 at one point but finished only +75 for four hours after catching two kings with my A-K and getting called to the river by a lady who spiked a third 7 to go with her pocket pair of sevens and beat my trips with her full house.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
The game was much tougher and filled with regulars. Two bad leaks were exposed in my game. After a run of about two hours with no cards I began playing marginal cards and got punished for it. I nearly quit after the first hour due to the toughness of the line up but did not (Leak #2, quit when you instincts tell you to) I ended up -$180 in only three hours. Example of my bad play:
Q-5diamonds in the small blind. Flop is 7d-3d-10d. I bet and got called to the river by a calling station with a-4d.
SUNDAY NIGHT:
The game was much better. The game was back to its loose passive self with several of the newbies in the game. Playing solid tight agressive poker I ended up +$105 for four hours.
MONDAY NIGHT- TOURNEY NIGHT
I will put a separate post in the tourney section but this is a great tournemant. There were 70 players who payed $20 a piece. Up to three $20 rebuys were allowed and the room adds $500. The total prize pool was about $5000 with the rebuys. I really had no cards most of the night and busted out about 35th just after the break when I went all in for my last $1500 with queens and an ace floped.
Two table were going post tourney. The action was tighter than Saturday or Sunday night but better than Sunday. I played well but did not catch any cards. My best hand was A-Ks in late position that I came in for a raise with. With 5 callers the flop came 9-10-k. I lead and got two callers. The jack fell on the turn. It was checked to me and I bet. I got one caller and then a check raise. Big pot that I called two more with to see the inevitable a-q.
THE MIRACLE GET EVEN HAND.
We were down to one table and I was about $105 down. We were eleven handed and I called to ep callers with 5-5. EVERYONE AT THE TABLE CALLED. All eleven in for one bet. The dealer burned and picked up three cards and turned her hand over. The top card was, YES, a five of spades. The flop was 5s, 4s, 9h.
Ok, spade flush is a real possibility. Checked to me and I bet. 7 callers. Please don’t let a spade fall. Turn is...4d. YES. I bet and got five callers. Please let a spade or diamond fall and make someones hand. Alas river is a rag but I still got three callers and take down a monster to get me -$3 for three hours play.
SUMMARY
The paragon is a hidden gem in central louisiana. It is easily worth the two hour drive from shreveport and well worth the drive to play in the tourney. The room seems to have loosened up quite a bit with comps. I asked for breakfast and got it and the casino rate for three nights which was unheard of previously for this casino. Most of the dealers are efficient and friendly. I recommend the room.
Saturday - The influx of new players brought on by the internet.
I got seated about 9:00 pm Saturday at a new table that was starting up. The poker room had three holdem and two stud games going. The holdem games were 4-8. One stud game was 1-5 with no ante and one was 1-5 with a $.50 ante which was new. I also noted a sign up in the room that said that they were now spreading 5 card draw but never saw a game going. The holdem game was juicy. There were two couples playing B&M for the first time. I found out rather quickly that I was one of the two people at the table who does not have any internet experience. The concensus seemed to be that UltimateBet and Pokerstars was their favorite. They all complained about problems getting a table at Partypoker. One had called and said that she was told that they were going to try and add more tables. I don’t know for sure how much experience they had but neither couple who were new showed anything but rookie tendancies. They all called to much and never raised.
Funniest incident.
One young lady with computer only experience. (CP) She calles the pot with four other players. Flop comes
10-9-8 mixed suites.
Early position player (ep) bets and cp calls in late position.
Flop is a rag. Early position plyer bets and cp calls.
River is a j. CP literally jumps a foot out of her seat, yells “yes” and pumps her fist.
Player to my left who is a Paragon regular and the only other non net player and myself roar with laughter.
Early position player isn’t laughing. He check calls the cp k-q. We jokingly remind the cp that she is not on line and that we can see her in this game as her husband turns red and shakes his head.
THE GAME itself was loose passive with 5-6 callers pre flop. I was up close to $200 at one point but finished only +75 for four hours after catching two kings with my A-K and getting called to the river by a lady who spiked a third 7 to go with her pocket pair of sevens and beat my trips with her full house.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
The game was much tougher and filled with regulars. Two bad leaks were exposed in my game. After a run of about two hours with no cards I began playing marginal cards and got punished for it. I nearly quit after the first hour due to the toughness of the line up but did not (Leak #2, quit when you instincts tell you to) I ended up -$180 in only three hours. Example of my bad play:
Q-5diamonds in the small blind. Flop is 7d-3d-10d. I bet and got called to the river by a calling station with a-4d.
SUNDAY NIGHT:
The game was much better. The game was back to its loose passive self with several of the newbies in the game. Playing solid tight agressive poker I ended up +$105 for four hours.
MONDAY NIGHT- TOURNEY NIGHT
I will put a separate post in the tourney section but this is a great tournemant. There were 70 players who payed $20 a piece. Up to three $20 rebuys were allowed and the room adds $500. The total prize pool was about $5000 with the rebuys. I really had no cards most of the night and busted out about 35th just after the break when I went all in for my last $1500 with queens and an ace floped.
Two table were going post tourney. The action was tighter than Saturday or Sunday night but better than Sunday. I played well but did not catch any cards. My best hand was A-Ks in late position that I came in for a raise with. With 5 callers the flop came 9-10-k. I lead and got two callers. The jack fell on the turn. It was checked to me and I bet. I got one caller and then a check raise. Big pot that I called two more with to see the inevitable a-q.
THE MIRACLE GET EVEN HAND.
We were down to one table and I was about $105 down. We were eleven handed and I called to ep callers with 5-5. EVERYONE AT THE TABLE CALLED. All eleven in for one bet. The dealer burned and picked up three cards and turned her hand over. The top card was, YES, a five of spades. The flop was 5s, 4s, 9h.
Ok, spade flush is a real possibility. Checked to me and I bet. 7 callers. Please don’t let a spade fall. Turn is...4d. YES. I bet and got five callers. Please let a spade or diamond fall and make someones hand. Alas river is a rag but I still got three callers and take down a monster to get me -$3 for three hours play.
SUMMARY
The paragon is a hidden gem in central louisiana. It is easily worth the two hour drive from shreveport and well worth the drive to play in the tourney. The room seems to have loosened up quite a bit with comps. I asked for breakfast and got it and the casino rate for three nights which was unheard of previously for this casino. Most of the dealers are efficient and friendly. I recommend the room.