Saturday night at the Bike. $40 NL?

[CaptainCrunch]

so sheer boredom sent me scurrying across town to entertain myself today. I ended up at the bicycle casino, mainly because I wanted a free meal.

I'm not a big wheel like most of you guys are, so you'll have to pardon the sheer penny ante level of my involvement here.

I was standing around, a couple hundred in my pocket, trying to decide what to do, when they announced they were starting a table of $40 NL, 1/2 blind. I figured, I'd been messing around with the $50NL on PP for a couple weeks now, what the hell.

Well, it was crazy town. Almost no raise preflop would keep folks out, at least for me. And yet, the usual winner was top pair, highest kicker. I saw a LOT of bluffing going on, usually from crusty old retirees. Had the usual chinese guy who got reprimanded for swearing at the chinese dealer, in chinese (this has happened every time I've been at the bike. Tradition?) I lost 1 buy in with my 2nd nut flush to the guy with the ace. His stack was huge, mine was tiny, I thought he was just trying to bully me by declaring "all in". Thats my excuse, anyways.

Anyhow, I rebought, and big slick gave me TPTK on the flop, raised all in, got called by someone with the same size stack as I, and kept it. Decided to check out the Bicycle Grill. Dissapointing decor, but the Prime Rib was quite juicy and delicious.

I returned after dinner, and had my proudest moment as a learning poker player. On the button with about $100 in my stack, had K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], and limped in with the pot 9 handed. Flop comes K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], its checked to MP who bets 10 and I make it 20 to go. He and the SB call. Turn is 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] checked to me, I bet out 20. lady to my left (SB) raises to $60. its folded to me, and I call time. I look at the board... my chips, and then at her. Suddenly, my newbie pounding heart quiets as I see her displing a moderately obvious tell. (dunno if it matters what it was) I realize she's bluffing the full house and call the remaining $40 ( I wasn't so confident as to push at that point.) river comes, a 2something, she checks, I check (I'm nervous again)and she shows K3. I show my Kt and take my pot. Everyone verbally pats me on the back "good call" etc.
Bout the most fun I've had to date, playing live. I need to do something about the pounding heart tho, in the middle of things its definitely -EV [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
I managed to leave while ahead, and I still have my free meal coming to me.

All in all, the Bike is growing on me as my favorite place in LA to play. Allthough Vegas, she is a-calling to me....

cheers

I honestly dont know if there is anything you can do about the fast heart beat, I do it as well, its just controlling the outward tells associated with that heart beat, flaring nostrils is a good one. just keep your cool on the outside even though you feel your chest exploding, like I said i have been playing for 2-3 years and still get that. Sounds like you had a great trip

[boondockst]

you minimum raised top two pair 9-handed? Maybe i'm reading it wrong but with all the straight draws and the flush draw, i'm pushing a little harder than that

[CaptainCrunch]

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I said i have been playing for 2-3 years and still get that. Sounds like you had a great trip

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm, ok. Yeah, I hope my tells aren't too obvious. Maybe I should bring a savvy friend to observe me next time. Oh, and start meditating or something. Yes, it was a load of fun.


As for the min raise.....well, I should've mentioned this is my first time playing NL live. Pretty much it was a lark, due to the small buy in. In fact, I've really not played it at all. So I'm sure I was pretty donkish. But considering I enjoyed the hell out of it, I think I'm off to the Books forum here to find out what book I need to read next. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]