Joe Tall
01-02-2004, 10:58 AM
On the brink of making my decision for the evening, I text messaged CrackerZack and asked him how the games were at Foxwoods on Wednesday. CZ got back to me with, "I left already but the 10/20 was beautiful." So I weighted my options, wished CZ a happy new year via text message and he replied, "You too, the games are juicy, take 4-figures out of it."
/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
The Brazilian Party was not promising, mostly because I would have been one of few and maybe the only one who spoke fluent English. Although, if you do ever get a chance to go to a Brazilian party, I do recommend it. As the women all get up and dance in the middle of the room and the boys sit around a watch, drink, and eat. When I say 'dance', I mean they DANCE with each other, you almost want a roll of $1 bills. However, I wasn't comfortable going on New Year's as it was going to be a much larger party and some of the Brazilian boys don't like white-boys dating 'their' girls, so I passed. /images/graemlins/frown.gif
My usual crew of derelicts were headed to same place we go every weekend, make that weekday. The bar owner is a friend of ours and has a private party on New Year's but now that I'm hanging out with Latin friend more often, I decided to keep myself out of trouble and pass on that too. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Off to Foxwoods I go to play my first full 10/20 session. I've flirted with the game numerous times. Mostly after getting up a rack in the 5/10 Kill and that was usually in the wee hours in the morning when the 10/20 was open seating. This time, on this dawn of the calendar change, I decided I'm ready to put in an effort to strickly play the 10/20. My poker roll has been ready for 10/20 for quite sometime, I just have not been confident to play. I've been playing 5/10 w/Kill at Fox and 5/10 Party for months now and it was just time to permanently move up.
I arrived at Foxwoods around 7:30 PM to find MaxPower beating on a 5/10 game. Strangely it was not as busy as I thought it would be. I got on the 10/20 list and was seated within a few minutes.
The game was beautiful, juicy, heaven, just as CZ predicted. 5 or 6 limpers on every hand, cold-callers, weak-tights, old man rock, any-two suited, etc. /images/graemlins/smile.gif
Within an hour I was up 2 stacks and goaded Max to get into my game. Max looked a little intimidated but think he learned a lot as it was a new level for him too.
In steps the Mother of all Maniacs (MoaM) and sits to my immediate left. The second hand MoaM played was from the SB and I was on the button. 2 limpers to me and I limp w/4 /images/graemlins/spade.gif4 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. MoaM seemed somewhat new to the game and instead of completing his SB he threw $15 in, the BB asked, "Is that a raise?" and he puts a false face of confidence on and looks at him and says "Yes". The dealer says, "5 more then", MoaM tosses it in. The BB folds, the limpers call and I call.
Flop: Q /images/graemlins/heart.gifJ /images/graemlins/spade.gifJ /images/graemlins/club.gif
MoaM fumbles $20 in, the 2 limpers fold, and I throw in $20 and say, "Raise". The dealer finally notices MoaM's $20 and says, "It's raised, are you good?". MoaM gives the false confident look again and waves it in.
Turn: 5 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif
MoaM checks, I bet, he folds what would be the first of 20 pots I would win from him as MoaM raised every hand for nearly 5 hours. /images/graemlins/crazy.gif /images/graemlins/blush.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif
The New Year was counted down and the casino roared. Everyone at the table stood up and shook hands wishing a Happy New Year, even the mean guy in the 4 seat (who is a good player). People are interesting when playing Poker. Shortly after, I decided to take a break, smoke a cigarette and check out the main casino. The place was packed with guys and dolls, drunks with silly hats, felt jacket pimps, trophy gals wearing crowns; I felt like I was high, quite surreal.
Back to the table as I shake my head and snap out of it to refocus.
Then this hand came up.
Decent Old Man (DOM) limps in and I raise A /images/graemlins/heart.gifT /images/graemlins/heart.gif in MP, MoaM 3-bets, 1 cold caller and MaxPower "tilt" caps-all-in. Max didn't have a great night, he was drawn out on a few times and missed a few draws, but I think he was ok with it.
DOM moans and calls 3-cold, I call 2, MoaM calls, 3 cold-guy calls.
Flop: A /images/graemlins/spade.gif2 /images/graemlins/club.gif3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif
DOM bets out, I raise, MoaM folds (rare, but he did fold more often to me then anyone else, especially when I was the preflop raiser).
3-cold-guy, calls 2 cold, Max shrugs his shoulders, DOM moans again and calls.
The turn and river were blanks and I was called the whole way, Max missed, DOM flipped over KK and 3-cold flipped over QQ. DOM stated after that he was going for the limp-re-raise. Hmmmmm, what a great idea... /images/graemlins/smile.gif
I played that crazy 'dark bet' QQ hand I posted in Mid-Stakes about an orbit or two later and then the very next orbit, I get my chance.
Tight Old man limps, DOM folds, I limp w/A /images/graemlins/diamond.gifA /images/graemlins/heart.gif, on cue MoaM raises, 3-cold callers including a decent Asian guy who took over Max's seat in the SB. BB folds, TOM calls and I 3-bet, MoaM caps and all call.
Flop: J /images/graemlins/spade.gif5 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif9 /images/graemlins/club.gif
The SB checks, TOM checks, I check, MoaM bets, all fold to the SB who check-raises, TOM calls, I 3-bet, MoaM caps, SB gets pissed off, shows his cards to his Asian buddy next to him and folds, TOM folds, and I 5-bet, MoaM calls.
Turn: 5 /images/graemlins/heart.gif
I bet in the dark, MoaM calls.
River: T /images/graemlins/club.gif
I bet in the dark again, MoaM says, "Not this time with that $hit!" and calls.
MoaM flips over QTo and the pot is shipped my way. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif
I play another orbit and get a little tired, rack up 3.5 and call it a night. 4-digits, CrackerZack was right-on again, well done CZ.
Just as I stand up this young Asain kid comes to take my seat. He says, "can I grab chips off of you", and I say, "Surely." He pulls out a neatly wrapped roll of $100s and peals off 5. I give him a rack and a Bob T. "Play Well". He grins and says, "surely".
I wish the table Happy New Year and start to walk away. When the mean guy, turns to me, and reaches out his hand. I shake his hand and he says, "You play very well.", and I say, "Thank you very much, sir, you too and have happy New Year."
Happy New Year, everyone.
Peace,
Joe Tall
/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
The Brazilian Party was not promising, mostly because I would have been one of few and maybe the only one who spoke fluent English. Although, if you do ever get a chance to go to a Brazilian party, I do recommend it. As the women all get up and dance in the middle of the room and the boys sit around a watch, drink, and eat. When I say 'dance', I mean they DANCE with each other, you almost want a roll of $1 bills. However, I wasn't comfortable going on New Year's as it was going to be a much larger party and some of the Brazilian boys don't like white-boys dating 'their' girls, so I passed. /images/graemlins/frown.gif
My usual crew of derelicts were headed to same place we go every weekend, make that weekday. The bar owner is a friend of ours and has a private party on New Year's but now that I'm hanging out with Latin friend more often, I decided to keep myself out of trouble and pass on that too. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Off to Foxwoods I go to play my first full 10/20 session. I've flirted with the game numerous times. Mostly after getting up a rack in the 5/10 Kill and that was usually in the wee hours in the morning when the 10/20 was open seating. This time, on this dawn of the calendar change, I decided I'm ready to put in an effort to strickly play the 10/20. My poker roll has been ready for 10/20 for quite sometime, I just have not been confident to play. I've been playing 5/10 w/Kill at Fox and 5/10 Party for months now and it was just time to permanently move up.
I arrived at Foxwoods around 7:30 PM to find MaxPower beating on a 5/10 game. Strangely it was not as busy as I thought it would be. I got on the 10/20 list and was seated within a few minutes.
The game was beautiful, juicy, heaven, just as CZ predicted. 5 or 6 limpers on every hand, cold-callers, weak-tights, old man rock, any-two suited, etc. /images/graemlins/smile.gif
Within an hour I was up 2 stacks and goaded Max to get into my game. Max looked a little intimidated but think he learned a lot as it was a new level for him too.
In steps the Mother of all Maniacs (MoaM) and sits to my immediate left. The second hand MoaM played was from the SB and I was on the button. 2 limpers to me and I limp w/4 /images/graemlins/spade.gif4 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. MoaM seemed somewhat new to the game and instead of completing his SB he threw $15 in, the BB asked, "Is that a raise?" and he puts a false face of confidence on and looks at him and says "Yes". The dealer says, "5 more then", MoaM tosses it in. The BB folds, the limpers call and I call.
Flop: Q /images/graemlins/heart.gifJ /images/graemlins/spade.gifJ /images/graemlins/club.gif
MoaM fumbles $20 in, the 2 limpers fold, and I throw in $20 and say, "Raise". The dealer finally notices MoaM's $20 and says, "It's raised, are you good?". MoaM gives the false confident look again and waves it in.
Turn: 5 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif
MoaM checks, I bet, he folds what would be the first of 20 pots I would win from him as MoaM raised every hand for nearly 5 hours. /images/graemlins/crazy.gif /images/graemlins/blush.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif
The New Year was counted down and the casino roared. Everyone at the table stood up and shook hands wishing a Happy New Year, even the mean guy in the 4 seat (who is a good player). People are interesting when playing Poker. Shortly after, I decided to take a break, smoke a cigarette and check out the main casino. The place was packed with guys and dolls, drunks with silly hats, felt jacket pimps, trophy gals wearing crowns; I felt like I was high, quite surreal.
Back to the table as I shake my head and snap out of it to refocus.
Then this hand came up.
Decent Old Man (DOM) limps in and I raise A /images/graemlins/heart.gifT /images/graemlins/heart.gif in MP, MoaM 3-bets, 1 cold caller and MaxPower "tilt" caps-all-in. Max didn't have a great night, he was drawn out on a few times and missed a few draws, but I think he was ok with it.
DOM moans and calls 3-cold, I call 2, MoaM calls, 3 cold-guy calls.
Flop: A /images/graemlins/spade.gif2 /images/graemlins/club.gif3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif
DOM bets out, I raise, MoaM folds (rare, but he did fold more often to me then anyone else, especially when I was the preflop raiser).
3-cold-guy, calls 2 cold, Max shrugs his shoulders, DOM moans again and calls.
The turn and river were blanks and I was called the whole way, Max missed, DOM flipped over KK and 3-cold flipped over QQ. DOM stated after that he was going for the limp-re-raise. Hmmmmm, what a great idea... /images/graemlins/smile.gif
I played that crazy 'dark bet' QQ hand I posted in Mid-Stakes about an orbit or two later and then the very next orbit, I get my chance.
Tight Old man limps, DOM folds, I limp w/A /images/graemlins/diamond.gifA /images/graemlins/heart.gif, on cue MoaM raises, 3-cold callers including a decent Asian guy who took over Max's seat in the SB. BB folds, TOM calls and I 3-bet, MoaM caps and all call.
Flop: J /images/graemlins/spade.gif5 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif9 /images/graemlins/club.gif
The SB checks, TOM checks, I check, MoaM bets, all fold to the SB who check-raises, TOM calls, I 3-bet, MoaM caps, SB gets pissed off, shows his cards to his Asian buddy next to him and folds, TOM folds, and I 5-bet, MoaM calls.
Turn: 5 /images/graemlins/heart.gif
I bet in the dark, MoaM calls.
River: T /images/graemlins/club.gif
I bet in the dark again, MoaM says, "Not this time with that $hit!" and calls.
MoaM flips over QTo and the pot is shipped my way. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif
I play another orbit and get a little tired, rack up 3.5 and call it a night. 4-digits, CrackerZack was right-on again, well done CZ.
Just as I stand up this young Asain kid comes to take my seat. He says, "can I grab chips off of you", and I say, "Surely." He pulls out a neatly wrapped roll of $100s and peals off 5. I give him a rack and a Bob T. "Play Well". He grins and says, "surely".
I wish the table Happy New Year and start to walk away. When the mean guy, turns to me, and reaches out his hand. I shake his hand and he says, "You play very well.", and I say, "Thank you very much, sir, you too and have happy New Year."
Happy New Year, everyone.
Peace,
Joe Tall