Sunday, November 25, 2007

greg's Home Game

I had mostly bad cards, but I waited them out and won enough to stay happy. One hand was particularly pleasing because I slow played four 6's until Gregg bet to put me all in on the river.

"Do you have the flush" he asked.
"No" I answered in a voice that disguised how good my cards were.

And even before Gregg had finished matching my chips in the pot, he decided he had won and started to reach for the pot.

"You better continue to match that pile," I warned. "You aren't taking any of this pot." And I flipped over the quads.

I had another nice hand with trip 6's and an ace against Bruce and bet that well enough so he went all in. He had two pair.

Peter lost a lot of close calls that cost him money. Bill got very annoyed that after he built a huge pile of chips over time with good play, he got caught by Gregg with so many lucky river draws.

As much fun as this game can be, it can also be very frustrating.

Frustrations included managing chips and the issue of banking this NL game. It is much different from a limit game. There is lots to do and think about and plenty that can be confused. Each hand is a challenge to monitor.

In limit any player can cash in chips or buy chips and it has no effect on the game. Only the banker needs to worry about selling and buying correctly, so as not to be stuck at the end.
In No Limit the size of a player's chip pile dramatically changes the nature of the game, so it is important that chip piles are clear and not confused.

Also in limit, the stakes stay the same throughout the afternoon. In NL, as the game progresses, money builds into some huge possible pots. So any errors make a huge difference.

One advantage Foxwoods and Vegas have over home games is that there is a fellow paid to pay attention to all the details and the players can relax and just pay attention to the cards, tells, betting patterns, etc. So while the competition may be tougher ( although I think Gregg is as hard a player to beat as anyone I ever played poker with) watching the game for every detail is unnecessary.

A lot of the players I read on line are mad about the coming tables where computers take over the job of the dealers, but I think it will reduce the need to monitor for error there too. On those new automated tables you can see the pot size and it is impossible to bet out of turn or check by mistake. Chips can't slip to the floor. Hands cannot be misread. Chips do not need to be collected in the middle, and side pots do not need to be humanly computed.

There are currently 12 tables like that at Mohegan Sun, and they are watching how those games are received while they build their new poker room. However, unlike the 5% rake tables I played on at Four Winds Michigan, the rake was still 10% at Mohegan Sun. You only saved the dealer tip.

Also Gregg's new chips did not work as well as we hoped. They seemed especially slippery. As play wore on I could see them wearing a bit, so perhaps with more play, they will be more manageable. Still, I felt a bit bad to have picked chips that perhaps weren't as practical as they might have been.

In the end Gregg won more than I did and that puts him ahead in our little side competition and leaves him as the reigning Poker King as I go off to Vegas and Florida

Monday, November 19, 2007

Last Foxwoods Poker Trip

FINAL FOXWOODS TRIP

Yesterday (nov 18) I used my free voucher from Foxwoods that I bought in August. It was good to get it in just before expiration. So the trip was free, and the buffet was free, and the keno bets were free and they paid $10.
With Vegas coming and then Florida, it will be March before I get up to Foxwoods again.

Even without poker I was ahead.

I decided to play just 2-4 for the day and not risk losing too much just before Vegas.

Once again I started a new game. I usually like to do that so that all players learn each other at the same time, but this is twice that I got seated at a table of excellent players. Not one hesitant new guy and nothing near a fish.
So I changed tables again when a seat became available. The second table was a much better choice with average players and a few calling stations. Also I was lucky to be seated with two old rocks to my right, both players I recognize from other days, old grumpy guys who play there every day. I never paid them a chip.


For two hours I just stayed even picking up a few little pots. Then I started to get hands. Unlike the 4-8 where I would have to now play with a rock hard table imagine, most of these players did not care that I had played few hands. One fellow at the other table did say something to the woman next to him when I raised. So I pegged him as one willing to fold to my aggression. The rest were very hard to move.

So one poorly played hand was a blind stealing raise on a pair of 3's. It influenced no one. And this was nice because the set came on the flop and I checked, the table fish bet and I called to keep more players in. On the turn with just three of us left, I checked, let the fish bet, raised, and then I bet the river and was called by the fish for a good pot thanks to my raise.

I won another pot with pocket 3's when I raised on the river just to have the calling stations put in a lot more chips in case I flopped big.

But my best hand was 5-6 clubs. I got silly and reraised to see a free card when
2-4 gave me an inside straight possibility. It was one of those gregg inspired bets. It did solidify that I was getting no respect even after long rock hard play becuase it pushed no one out nor did it let me check the turn. On the river the 3 came and I had the nut hand. One loosey goosey player kept reraising me on his A-5 straight and another groaned but kept calling with two pair. The Loosey-goosey was really excited with his hand and wanted to raise again when the betting capped. Had we been head to head I have a feeling that he would have gone the distance. Of course, the earlier raise must have been confusing too. I suspect he put me on high pocket pairs. That was my best pot of the day.

By 3:30 the real fish was gone and I had consumed a few Myers Rum so I decided it was time to hit the buffet. After fine meal of cod fish, chili, and prime rib I went back to find the table changed a bit. Better players were there. I raised on an A-8 of diamonds based on something I read in one of the poker books. It built the pot. The Flop was 8-8-A and Loosey Goosey saw me all the way to the river, lost, packed up his chips and left the table.

I had a run of A-high card so I was playing hand after hand and to those who had not played with me earlier, I looked like a loose player and got called. Some hands did well. My worst missed hand was to have A-K two pair beat with trip jacks. But over all I did well and had a good time bantering with a guy across the table.

So it was a fine afternoon. A cute girl to banter with at the table. A fairly easy game. And no one giving me much respect.
NEXT PLANNED TRIP TO FOXWOODS


Thursday, November 15, 2007

australopithecines

Foxwoods trip report

FOXWOODS POKER TRIP REPORT

Son Peter and I took the $10 special to Foxwoods yesterday. It was a fine day to be away, rainy and cold. Everything looked dark and wet, and the inside windows of the bus steamed over and added more gloom.
But inside Pete and I had some good conversation. He brought a little electronic game to amuse himself, but when I wasn't napping I nagged and bantered until he had to give me some attention. How wonderful to be able to do a little payback after all those years of riding long distances when he was the impatient guy needed attention.

The bus is a great place for talk because neither of us is driving. For me it is really a break, because whether I have a steering wheel in my hand or not, I am generally driving anyway.

Pete and I managed to talk through a number of issues and before we landed at the site for our great poker battles. We had found a much more favorable solution to the old 92 Ford truck's future. It had been sitting at mechanic Mark's for weeks now and needed a $700 repair.
Peter decided to sell it off.
He really wants a gas efficient car in its place.
Mark is more like a member of the family than a mechanic. He has fixed all our cars for over thirty years. So Peter called him from the bus, and told him to hold off on the fixing. Mark will let it sit in the site with a sign on and explain to potential buyers what it needs.

We were already winners before we went into the casino.

Foxwoods was full of people coming on the bus specials. From Yankee Trails alone they had 12 buses when they usually have only one. Most of the people were old, but there was a mixture. Few of them find their way into the poker room, but they clog up the lines to the free keno bets and the free buffet and their slow shuffles and walkers require some video gaming skills to walk to the poker room.

Peter hit on the free keno for nothing and I just hit for $5. Good thing we don't use real money for those $20 bets.

I started on a 4-8 table. Very soon I knew that I was on a table with all good players, many of them regular, all of them efficient. I lost money. My ace-ten caught two tens on the flop and aces on the turn and river. I won very little money.

So I moved. I saw a seat open at a nearby table and asked for a move.

My second table was a fine mix of players. A few good, fast, mathematical folks , one Asian who played loose and aggressive, one hesitant woman. I felt comfortable. I knew if I caught cards, I'd get paid enough. But the cards did not come.

I held A-J on the button when the flop came K-10-X. The Asian talked about how he was raising, but he feared that no one would call. I figured it was all fluff. I reraised to see if he would check to me and I could get a couple free cards.
It was probably a silly play, but I felt it would not push out any of the players between us, and I was right.
But I had read my opponent wrong. I thought he was bluffing. He held two pair, K-10 and he capped the bet.
Now there was quite a bit of money in the pot. I still can't do the math of the pot odds, but my overview said it was worth seeing the river. He bet a rag on the turn and I called. At this point three of us were left.
I had two outs to win. An ace might also win if the fellow was trying to push me. I was wishing very hard for a queen. And she came.
He proved himself less a fool again than I thought and checked the river. I bet and he called. It was a very good pot.

A-J. The same hand that kicked son Keith out of that Chicago tournament. I guess it is my new lucky hand. In both cases I played poorly.
At one O'clock Pete and I stood in the buffet line for about 45 minutes and then ate fine portions of battered codfish and prime rib. He was ahead $8 and I was ahead $63 with the $5 I picked up at the keno. So we felt very good.

I had not had enough Myer's rum, so I decided I'd play 2-4 in the afternoon.
At Foxwoods you can ask to have 2 hours off for lunch and then be given second place on a list when you return. Peter and I both ended up at the same 2-4 table and within a few hands I took a seat right next to him.
I have taught what I know about limit poker to quite a few people, but Peter, who as a teenage had very little use for anything I said, is my best pupil.
Son Keith is my teacher. I don't listen very well.
Peter listens.
He comes with very little bankroll and he plays a fine conservative game. This was his second time in a casino game, and he walked away with $62 after playing all day.
In one hand he was doing the betting. On the river he held chips up to separate them and I saw the shaking tell. "He has good cards" I thought.
Then he patted my k
nee under the table as if to say, "Don't miss this, and he turned over 4 sixes. I saw him play very few hands poorly. Most beginners do not have the patience it takes for the dry hand spells. They have to play.
At our table people were playing all those hands that cost money, any high card with unsuited rag was very popular. At the same time there was no real pre flop raising. So it was easy poker.

In the morning Peter did win with an A-2. He let it check around after the flop and no on bet, so he bet the turn. Some lady stayed with him with a pair of tens and then got mad at hm for having an Ace and not betting. He was happy. But I suppose now he may have trouble getting off A-2. That could cost him in the long run.

I had a few good cards, a few nice rums, and some funny banter with an old fellow who had a fine leather Western hat that he had bought in a Mexican town near Cozumel. We talked Mexico a little. After his buddy started to call him Tex Ritter, we started to talk of old Western actors and trivia like what was the name of Hopalong Casidy's horse. These old guys knew all the details of ten years before I was watching television. They all guessed William Bendix for the first Life of Riley, but one fellow knew if was Jackie Gleason. Robin would have loved this conversation. It was a fine time; the conversation and the rum made me feel young.
I took a good pot or two on bad betting by my new poker buddies and just sat and watched and drank rum and stayed just about $40 ahead. It was a fine afternoon. I did not drink so much rum that I actually sang the theme to "Rawhide" or even "Happy Trails to You" when I left, but I did have a fine time singing those songs in my head. Peter is not drinking alcohol, and it would not have done him any good anyway because I don't even think he even knows the theme to Maverick. He is not opposed to ordering rum, so even the slow waitress did not mean any dry trails for this old cowboy.



Very little preflop raising. Some fellow came from a no limit and started to raise every other preflop. The players grumbled about him later, but none of them rerasied him. I got to tell Peter that, especially if the really good player between him and Mr. Raiser had folded, he should reraise if he held very good cards, squeeze the rest of the players, but not get wedded to cards if the flop let him down . My chance came when I was on the button with A-8 suited. I actually used to not raise much with A-X suited, but one of the books I have been reading advised it if it would put money in the pot.
It would not have been a good play had I expected Mr Raiser to come back over the top of me. But I had read this fellow right. I could see all the grumbling in the heads of my fellow players as they called another bet. Most called for one card, and then dropped when my ace came. Mr. Raiser knew what I had done and figured it was mostly bluff, so he called me (betting his big red NL chips and getting change). I the disgusted way he bet, I could read he was very weak. My A-8 two pair took a good pot that hand, and Mr Raiser never raised preplop again.

Peter played well to my left. I did not feel pressured to adjust my strategy as much as I do sometimes when I play with family or friends. He took me down in one hand and it was nice to lose to him. Most times we were not in the same hands.

Just before I left to head home, a woman came on my right who had never played Hold Em before. She was a stud player, so she knew poker, but she did not really get the feel of the game. That is how it is at Foxwoods. You can almost always trust there will be some weak players at the table and that the average player being too loose but passive.

When we left, I was ahead $104 and Peter was ahead $62.

The ride home was boring. I could not nap well, Peter was quieter and into his Gameboy, and the people behind me chattered away the whole trip. Some of it was entertaining, but after three hours it gets old. There are few movies on the $10 special trips. I suppose this is because the drivers are not the regulars.

Still it felt good to be clawing up the cliff of defeat for this worldwind week of poker.

When I was in Illinois last week, all the guys were excited about the football upset. Illinois was up against the odds playing Ohio and pulled out a very exciting victory. I know nothing about football, but coming back from $450 behind in this week of poker to just $12, with today's game to go, feels very similar to the way those Illinois players must have felt against Ohio. Only there was no fighting on the field, unless you count the banter between Greg and I.

Tomorrow I have a home game at Gregg's. Then things slow down until Vegas.
Happy Thanksgiving

Monday, November 12, 2007

CHICAGO POKER

MAJESTIC CASINO - INDIANA- HOME GAME CHICAGO-TRIP REPORT

Majestic Casino in Indiana is a decent place to play poker. There is no free alcohol, but the game I played this week was good.
I played with regulars, but they were still a bit loose. Also there were a few bad players and novices in the mix.
One Asian fellow that eveyone called Bubba (probably because he called everyone Bubba) started the night loose but reasonable and gradually got very drunk and very loose aggessive, betting and raising every hand.
Two other players hardly knew the rules.
The better players slowed down then and waited for Bubba the Raiser before acting. Once that happens, I usually like the game.
However, I was in a 3-6 game with a Kill.
I don't like the Kills!!
Usually they redistribute the wealth if I manage to hit a couple pots. And they make my blinds expensive. The beauty of a 3-6 game is the easily folded dollar small blind. With a kill, large binds see fewer free flops.

Son Keith and I had arrived at 3 PM.
The day before I had seen son Frank sworn in as an Illinois lawyer in a huge ceremony and met many of his lawyer friends at a fine lunch at Manny's deli, where thirty of us were treated by one of the other father's.

That morning I slept as late as I could, watched "Rounders" for inspiration on son Keith's wide screen, ate left over Chinese food for breakfast, and then took a until Keith got out of work midday. I was to appreciate the nap ; taking just a half hour break for a little chili and seafood salad on my comps, we left the casino at 4:30AM for the near two hour ride back.
14 and a half hours of straight poker.



The long overnight session was disappointing. At the depth of my defeat, I had bought in for $600 and $450 was gone. Still I knew it was not my playing. I had experienced a run of incredibly low cards. 2-3 offsuit came and came again. That is a good pattern in a lover, but deadly in low cards. Had I caught A-K as often instead of that promiscuous 2-3 SOB, I would have taken all the chips on the table.

I stayed disciplined.
Good cards let me down on the river.

I was losing in spite of there being a few people who would pay me were I ever to catch a hand.



I did hit one string of hands. Two in a row and on the kill (where I must post $6 and the game will now be 6-12), I was dealt pocket queens. My kill was in place of my small blind. I raised it. It unsettled some of the players who needed to call my raise or fold their $6. The loose ones who had called without very strong hands even went so far as to question the dealer as to my right to raise the kill pot $6. The flop came all disconnected rags, and by the river, everyone had folded.

I also remember two missed pots. One was a 6-12 pot and huge. I had K-9 of hearts, a pair of kings, a straight possibility, and after the turn a flush draw. After the turn one opponent bet his top two pair, aces and jacks, so that made that round $24 and half the table was calling. I needed one heart for the nut. I missed. Two pair took it.

In another Bubba the Raiser was doing his betting thing and I was calling. I caught a nice straight 9-K on the river and raised his initial bets. Often his bets were on nothing and just a hopeful bet into our weakness. If bubba had not been Asian and drunk, he could have names himself Gregg.

This time they were based on a flopped 10 to the A straight where he held K-J.
I raised my smaller straight.
He reraised.
I called and lost a nice one.

Otherwise the night was one of discipline. I sat and watched the game. I waited. I stayed calm. I knew that I could win with good cards. Even my rock status did not mean I was not called if I raised.
I could push a few players out with my pairs, but a bluff was impossible. Once I successfully bluffed one other rock when I had just a pair of deuces on the river. Only once.
Players were often pissed when I raised, but they did not all fold. When we left, I was down $320.

***********************************

The next night we went to Mark's for a home game in downtown Chicago.

Mark is an old friend of Keith, and I had extended my stay in Chicago to play in this game. I was a bit nervous because my gambling bankroll has looked low for going into Vegas next month and after the Majestic debacle, it was now lower.

We started a 3 person cash game similar to what we played a Greg's. I lost $16.

More guys arrived and the tournament was set up. It was a $20 tournament with one rebuy. Before a tenth guy arrived, I had already lost most of my buy in and had bought in again for what was my one rebuy chance. A good bit of it had gone when I went all in on an Ace-Queen after both came on the flop. I was beat on the river to a guy who called me with K-J inside straight draw.


In order to let the new fellow in the game late, Mark decided that everyone would have the option of another rebuy, and although I was up chips again, I bought. So I was now in for $60.

And then things started to go my way. All these players were in their 30's, so I was the old guy. I had played tight. I hit a few pots and started to dominate the table. They started to tease that the "old guy has it on."

After not playing anything for a long while, I played a 5-7 of hearts in later position just for the hell of it. The flop came 5-5-7. There was some checking and I checked. Then there was a bet and I went all in. My one opponent hesitated, but he called with me and the river did not help him.

Later that trash play was to help me again. I had pocket kings and the flop was 3-4-6. A guy bet half his chips. I raised to put him all in. While he hesitated, he talked.

It was common in this game to talk the game a bit and hopefully get some information.

In his talk he mentioned that I had played that trash and I said, "yep, it was the 5-7 then too. Ya gotta raise those two cards up." And he folded what was most likely a straight draw.

Still I was not too optimistic. I have never beaten son Keith in a tournament. He generally wins. He had played no limit all night the night before and caught some poor beats. He had still only lost a little over a hundred in a game where people lost a thousand easily over the course of the play. Luckily, he was seated to my right.

I was strong in chips when he made a huge bet. I held A-J offsuit and I called. Rags dropped. Keith put in the rest of his chips. I called. He had tried to force out folks with K-Q, not expecting me to call with so few chips. Neither of us developed and my ace-high gave me a huge stack.

After that I just had to wait for players to eliminate themselves. I checked a pocket pair of kings when two 9's fell on the turn until it became kings full, and almost trapped a player with a healthy bet that would have moved him to go all in.

He suspected I had a higher pair than he had.

In the end I was left with the fellow who lost when I had the trip 5's on 5-7 and he was intimidated and low chipped. He also was the easiest at the table to read. When two aces flopped and nothing came on the turn, I went all in with my pocket tens and he called with very little, mostly to get it over with.

So I won my first tournament in a good long while. Had it been a straight $20 tournament I would not have won, but the rebuys gave me power.

A cash game afterward with Omaha High and Pineapple thrown in (the game now also included the newly sworn in lawyer son Frank) won me enough so that my losses for the entire trip were reduced to $116. Whew! I can live with that. Especially since I beat son Keith. He did not respect some of my play, but then as I say when raking in such pots in Vegas,
"When I can't play smart, I always try to play lucky."

Perhaps I can get my losses back tomorrow when I go to Foxwoods on the bus with son Peter or on Wednesday when we have a game at Greg's. At any rate I won't now get into the place where I lose $1000 in a week of poker just a few weeks before going to Vegas for a trip in which I am already feeling short on bankroll even if the trip itself will be basically free.
Free flight. Average room fee of $5.50. Lots of free food and free play.

For a long, long while the poker games were just not happening, and then in one week, I manage to play four times and all in different venues.
Life is just like the run of the cards.
Streaks happen.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Greg online

Greg plays with free money on line no limit and he writes:

AND I wanna tell you about a good game I had last night on Pokerroom.com, 5 at a table, $10,000 buy-ins.
I came in about 9pm and lost a couple buy-ins, i.e., $20,000 and then started to build my stash.
Another fellow lost about $50,000 and then starts to build.
Buy 10:30pm he and I have $50,000 each; by midnight we have $120,000 each. Other guys are coming and going like flies as we swat them and watch each other carefully -- trading a couple grand now and then.
Then the big hand just after midnight. He checks. I hold an A, 8 and bet $2,000 -- 3 players fold and he calls.
Flop: 9, 10, J. He checks; I bet $4,000; He calls. (no flushes available).
Turn: A; He checks; I bet $6,000; He calls. (now, he's not a slow better; but it's instructive to know that when you're playing a loose player like me, slow can be very good.)
River: A; So I've got 3 Aces and an 8, 9, 10, J.
with 9, 10, J, A, A on the board. I can see about 6 ways to beat me.
Finally he bets! $10,000. I raise to $20,000. He goes all in. I call. So there you have it -- $240,000 in the pot.
He's holding a Q, K. (straight to the Ace) I'm busted!

*************
We talked about overvaluing a small straight draw. In NL the small straight is a real killer.

The fact is that the fellow had Greg beat on the flop. He might have dccided to go all in then. I think he should have decided by the turn. If Greg is still betting, he should have put Greg on trips and made him pay high for the river card. Instead, he goes all in after the river makes any full house and even when Greg's possible Full House is very probable. In fact, he rerasises a 20 grand bet that Greg should only have made as a value bet if he had at least a full house. This was a poor bet on other guy's part and he was just lucky Greg was also playing poorly.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Head to Head with Greg

At the last minute Greg said he could play for an hour or so yesterday. We set up the game in his little cabin in the back. It was a mild day so it was comfortable. No mosquitoes. I arrived at 2 PM and left at 10 PM. That is what an "hour" of poker means in Gregg's dialect. The money went back and forth quite a few times. We had about $150 on the table for the last half of the play, so those were major all-in pots. I remember some all-in hands:

I flopped the low end of 8-9-10 and he had the J-Q.

He had trip sevens and I had pocket tens for a boat.

Once he tried an all-in bluff when I was waiting with eights full of aces.

The little cabin gets dark in the evening. A small propane lantern gives us just a bit of light. Once after the deal, Gregg started to flop thinking he was dealing that hand with his red cards. I corrected it and beat his pocket queens, but we ran the rabbit on the red deck just to see. He would have flopped 4 queens had he dealt that flop, but three of them would have been red queens.

Toward the end of the evening, we went all-in and I won. Our chips were about even and Greg said, "Just take all of mine," but I insisted we count in case he had some left after he paid me off.
He did.
About $7 worth.
And with that $7 he retook almost all the chips on the table.

Finally, we were about even and I left to pee in the bushes. I don't know what happened. Something with the dog I guess, but when I got back the table was overturned and all the chips and cards as well as the propane lantern were on the floor.

So we split the money in the bank, went to laugh over a few stories on the porch bench overlooking the wetlands, and called it a night.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Four Winds poker - no dealer

I visited a new casino, Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, Michigan (opened a month ago) to play for a little while on a table that eliminates the need for the live dealer. I played a NL game. I bought in for $50 and was up and down until my last hand where I went all in on K-J two pair to be beat by a fellow with 3-4 and the wheel straight.

I liked the electronic tables. The rake was cheaper and there was no tip, so that cut down on the cost of playing. Fewer mistakes were possible. You could not check so softly as to deny it after it had gone around. You could not bet out of turn. You could not bet with the wrong chips. There was no crazy stuff like the single chip rule which confused me in Laughlin and cost me money.

When it was your turn to play, a light lit on your console and you punched how much of the preloaded buy in you wished to bet and then confirmed your decision. Hands went by faster. No shuffling, no time needed for counting chips and calculating side pots, no chip fills, no taking of tip boxes, no dealer changes. It was all done quickly by computer. Some have worried that without a dealer there might be a lack of social exchange and there is something to that. No pretty girls faces to study during cold hand streaks. Still, it is possible to say something to someone at the other end of the smaller table, be heard, and not have the dealer jump into the conversation.

Would that make it easier to cheat with a partner? Well, it might. You would have to call the floor. But the last time I was with two guys showing hands, he dealer could not do anything anyway and I had to call the floor. It would be impossible to cheat by marking cards or hiding them. It would be impossible for the dealer to misread a hand at the end.

I liked it. But I was not there too long.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Gregg at Slink's

one more good hand from last night.
$200/$200/$200 the others fold.

Flop: 3 Kings

I'm holding an A Q.

Jay check; Gaspar check, Check; Gregg bet $200; Jay call: Gaspar call.

Turn: 3.
Jay check; Gaspar check: Gregg bet $200; Jay call,(saying "I smell a King over there); Gaspar call.

That was the red flag I needed.

River: 7

Jay check; Caspar check; Gregg check.

Me A Q; Gaspar A J; Jay K 9.

Jay "I thought you'd go all in.

Well played; he just shouldn't have said anything. I would have gone all in.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Son Peter's first casino poker

Poker buddy Bill was booked on the bus with me, but had family obligations and at the last minute called and told me that he could not come. So my son Peter pretended to be Bill and went in his place.

It was a fine father/son sharing of story and banter. We had poor seats in the bus, in the back where all the bumping and rolling is exaggerated, had it seemed hotter than usual, but we managed seats together on a full bus and had a good visit.

I played 2-4 all day. In the morning I played at the same table with Peter and even sat next to him for a while and that was good. Pete has played a lot in free on line games but I guess this was his first time in the casino. In spite of a lot of our talk, he started a bit too loose and did not get lucky so his bankroll went down, but soon he seemed to get it pretty well. He ended the day $28 down in poker and got $25 back in free keno.

Keno gave me $5 but I put it in a Haywire machine while Peter was in the bathroom and lost it. It is the only slot I've played in all my trips. Losing it was all Peter's fault. I told him he will have to plan his bathroom trips with more concern for others.

We went to the buffet at one o'clock and had no trouble. Lines were short. It tasted very good. I even had a pierogi. And it was good to have time to talk about hands. We were seated immediately back at a 2-4 but at different tables and although the opportunity came for table change, Peter was content playing by himself. He played all afternoon.

My afternoon was tough. All day I was not on my top game and made mistakes, some very stupid mistakes. I had a run of bad cards, and I was down over $100 when it changed to a run of great cards. I had pocket queens and the flop came 2-2-X. I decided to raise it, hoping to see a free card, but it was a bad decision. I pushed two guys out and was left head to head with one of the most conservative players on the board. The fact that she called me meant she had the third deuce. The turn changed any plans to fold, it was a queen. She called my turn and river bet in spite of having trip deuces and I won with the full house.

After a few more wins, where good cards developed I realized that I was getting a lot of respect, and that sometimes people would fold on the river.

So I bluffed. In fact, I took that information on my own tells that Bill had given me, the fact that sometimes I set chips up to bet too early, and I set up to bet the river, moved my hand toward the bet as my opponent hesitated, and then bet. He folded. My next bluff just a few hands later came against two players. They folded. In about the space of seven hands I took four of them with bold lies on the river. In one hand I had A-2 and actually bet ahead of my hesitating opponent, apologized, and found that when I then made the actual bet, he folded.

On my fifth try I was called on the river. I did not have to show my busted straight, but the guy had only a pair of aces. So that was the end of the bluffing cycle. It had returned my losses; I ended up ahead $34 for the day.

The ride home was a bit uncomfortable. Peter and I are large men, so when we sit side by side, we are not completely side by side. But we had a movie, "Shall We Dance." and although I had seen it, I enjoyed it again. After this hot bus ride, a night swim in the lake was wonderful! The water was warm enough to be comfortable, but if I stretched my feet down as far as possible I encountered a wonderful coolness. The moon was full, Venus burned brightly and just over the trees to the North was the big dipper. One boat quietly slipped across the other side with young people talking of school and laughing. I remembered swimming at night with my buddies at Lime Lake when I was in 8th grade. There won't be too many more days for such comfortable swimming.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Gambling with board member Innit

Foxwoods

I went up again on Friday and had a fine time playing poker. We could not play a movie because the electronics were broken on bus number 248. Other people on the bus said they had been broken for over a year when they first complained. They gave us a fine Foxwoods T shirt which alone was worth the $10 ticket. There was no movie this time, but I brought along my nice little cassette tape player and some recent Prairie Home Companion shows, one from 1981 and another 1984. They helped pass the time. Ain't modern technology grand!

I was supposed to be traveling with Innit from this board. He lives near me and may join our local games. He is not retired yet, but soon. However, the ten dollar sale meant that Yankee Trails had at least five buses going to Foxwoods and we were scheduled for different buses. We did get to have lunch together and hang out a bit by the craps table and the poker table. He was not yet comfortable playing Hold Em in the casino. He did have a heck of a run on the craps table. I think he said he hit 15 sixes in one roll. Had he pressed, he would have been rich. He did have the six placed so he did okay.

The Wampum line was not too long, so I stood in line to get a $10 matchplay voucher using a coupon from Louisiana Mudgriff Dan, my silver strike Vegas buddy. While I was there I checked my points and I had enough for a $26 Trailways voucher. Sometime in the next three months my bus fare will be free.

Innit and I went to the craps table and I played the matchplay. Not very dramatic. The shooter rolled six- something – six and I walked away with my $20 win on my $10. This puts me way ahead of the mathematical expectation for matchplays. I have lost one I split with Robin, and one $10 play and hit all the rest.


I played 4-8 in the morning, lost a few hands, and then started to get well above average cards. I was doing well, but at noon I noticed I was only $50 ahead. I am paying more attention to how much I am winning or losing and I knew this indicated that the pots were too small, so instead of staying around, I cashed out and went to lunch with Innit and his women friends at one o'clock. I was $40 ahead. The buffet line was not very long. The women told me that before two we would miss the bingo crowds, so I learned a good buffet time. I also found out that I could cash out and leave my initials at the main desk when I went to lunch. When I came back, they would put me on the top of the list for a seat. This is much better than the table rules if you don't cash out. The first two people have just 45 minutes away from the table before chips are locked up. If a third person leaves, s/he has only ten minutes. I can't have a leisurely buffet in 45 minutes. This time I was gone an hour and a half.

I checked my keno winnings. No $150 this time, just $5.

I came back and checked out the 4-8 table. Seeing many of the same rock players, I decided to try 2-4. I thought I could probably play all the rest of the afternoon, relax and drink some Myer's rum and lime and at worst break even. That would leave me $65 ahead for the day. On the 2-4 I knew I could play without paying so much attention to trying to confuse my opponents and I was ready for more relaxed play.

In the morning I had made some “tell” mistakes, so I did not trust my poker face. One in particular was pretty funny. I got pocket kings when I was on the button and when the betting got to me only the blinds were left. The rule is to raise, but most of my opponents were gone and I felt that the blinds were weak. I did not want to just take six dollars on my pocket kings. However, I hesitated and then said, “I guess I'll just raise” and that was enough so that they put me on a high pocket pair. The small blind said that he had been prepared to ask for a chop, and I believed him, so I expected I had the best hand. The flop came K-queen-blank and two clubs. They checked and I bet my trips. They called. The turn came 3 of clubs. They checked and I bet, and the big blind check raised me. So I knew I was beat and he had caught the flush. The turn paired the 3 on the board. He checked and I bet. He called. Nice lucky river win for me. The BB told me that he knew I had a large pocket pair, but he hoped at the end that it was aces.

Still, I did not want to be so much on my guard. And then the best thing happened. A new 2-4 table opened. It is so fine to play at a new table. The poorer players still have some money and no one knows anything about their opponents.

It was a fine, easy table. Calling stations. Chasers. Everyone was pretty predictable. They bet their cards. If they raised, they had high pocket pairs. There was one fellow who raised preflop on less than premium just for fun. He played directly across from me. If I had cards and good position, I usually reraised him, trapping the calling stations and slowing him down so I might see a free turn card. Later in the afternoon, a Yahoo joined and raised often and bluffed and then proudly showed us his winning trash. I could not get a free card from him. If I raised post flop on a draw, he reraised. He was a lot of fun, however. He gathered some chips and then the rock predictable players slowly drained him. One fellow never bet until he raised on the river with a high full house. So I knew we now had one who would wait while we bet into his apparent weakness.

With so many people in pots, a few times I took a chance. Once I caught a gut straight on the turn. At this table, in spite of the fact that I raised my straight, everyone who was in stayed to see what I had. The rive gave me a better straight and still they stayed with nothing. Nice pot.

I got one stretch of bad cards just at the right time. I know some of you poker players do not think there is a right time for bad cards, but in the late afternoon, when the rum is starting to work and a young girl's charming face is dealing the cards and calling the game in a sweet and charmingly cadenced voice, it is time to sit back in your chair and only interrupt your sensual enjoyment when the most premium cards come along. The name of the rum was Myer's; the name of the dealer, Justine. I thought I was in Vegas.

I left $90 and 4 Myer's rums ahead which put me up $155 for the day. On the way home an accident held us up for an hour and a half. I wrote that experience up IN the next post
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Saturday, August 25, 2007

Coming Home from Foxwoods

NOTE: This is not a trip report so if you just want to read about poker, skip this one.


Just a few minutes ahead of our returning Yankee Trails bus tonight some fast driving young person caused this accident:

The Glastonbury accident, at 7:30 p.m. Friday,
involved just one car.
Police said a 1994 Ford Explorer was heading west
when the driver
apparently lost control and swerved across the
highway from the left
shoulder to the right shoulder and then back to
the right lane.
The car rolled over several times, ejecting two
people and partially
ejecting the third, before stopping upside down,
witnesses told police.
Two of the three passengers were taken to
Hartford Hospital by Life Star
helicopter, and the third was taken there by
ambulance.

Word was that some had died, but I can't confirm that.
This has been a tough week for Connecticut. The night before 4 teens had died in a crash in Bristol and just a little while before there was an accident on Route 2 that killed two women.


Our bus stopped.

Rushing by us came a half dozen rescue vehicles, ambulances, the red and blue probing lights flashing along the length of our bus. Fellow passengers rose to watch the scene, strained to see what the two helicopters overhead were doing, wondered out loud what exactly had happened and how long it would take to get us back on the road.

After a while, we got out of the bus into the humid August air to stretch out legs and stand around talking and waiting. Bits of news trickled in from our sister bus ahead of us and directly behind the wrecked car. People left their cars, walked up to see, and returned to report back the details.

A woman in the vehicle behind me had been returning from the beach in her SUV with four children. She was happy that the youngest girl had urged them to stop back at the last rest stop bathroom. That stop had delayed them long enough so that they had missed any chance of being rear ended. She worried that next year her 15 year old daughter, who now sat on the guardrail sucking a summer lollipop and talking to her girlfriend, would be old enough to learn to drive.

“So many accidents are recorded for young drivers in the first year of their license,” she said. “80% of new drivers have some sort of mishap the first year.” Those seemed tough odds to buck.

Back on the bus again we bus people worried that we'd be late and our home people would worry. We fretted over the inconvenience of such a long delay. We were tired.

We lived in our small world of bus people. Ahead in the larger world people were dead and sometimes we knew that, but other times we better knew the delay was going to be long, and we knew it was hot. and we knew we were weary, and we wanted them to be quicker about clearing out the bodies of those people and cars, so we would not have to wait.

We complained that our bus had a broken electronic system. Our sister buses were playing movies as we waited. We had seen them while we were walking by, all those tiny screens lit with interesting diversion.

We had not been lucky enough to have a movie; our tiny screens were black. To give an announcement the bus driver had to walk half way down the length of the bus to be heard. He had no working speaker system.

One woman told us that everything electronic was broken on our bus, bus number 248, and had been broken for over a year. She said she had complained to Yankee Trails but to no avail. We felt cheated. Randomly we had been assigned this defective bus, and we thought it was unfair. Number 248, the unlucky bus.

A woman across the isle gleefully celebrated our luck in having our own bathroom right on the bus unlike those in private vehicles parked around us. I imagine such feelings of good fortune are rare for anyone who has actually ridden that bucking bronco bathroom toilet, and then looked in vain afterward for a place to wash.

Some of us had been unlucky losers at the casino. Some had not. Such a small way to play with fate, to put a few dollars in an entertaining machine or into chips to bet the cards. It was not like weaving in and out of traffic at high speeds on a humid August night. Some of us had been overly reckless at the casino, but we were old people, and we only risked the symbolic stuff of life, not life's real stuff. And we were also bus people who had avoided being rear ended.

The fellow across the isle told me how he was taken into the army in 1952 and because a certain vaccination had not worked right in his body, he was sent to be a meat cutter in Munich, Germany instead of to war in Korea. He helped to entertain officers and their wives in a plush military club. It was good duty. Off duty He drank some beer. Many of the successfully vaccinated in his group went on to die in Korea. He had not liked the dark, thick beer. But he had liked Munich.

I told him how I had been destined to go to Vietnam until I discovered that for a single month I could gamble on getting an assignment in Europe by putting in a volunteer statement. I won two and a half years in Spain. Others went on to fight in the Vietnamese jungles and died. I was sent to eat chorizo and manchego and to father a son who as a young man would drive safely enough and luckily avoid being rear ended, so that he could one day become a lawyer.


Just about every August day I buy Silver Queen sweet corn from Willie down the road. It is the same small kernel white corn I bought from Willie's father 30 years ago. Willie took a break from the family farm to fight in Vietnam and managed to survive many risky, hard fought battles that had left the enemy dead but luckily left Willie unwounded. The first summer back on the farm Willie lost his left hand when it was caught in a corn cutter.

Wille's brother had been a gambler in the days when that meant making illegal bets with unsavory characters. Like the brother in “A River Runs Through It,” he often had trouble paying off his gambling debts. One day he just disappeared. No one knows where.

My childhood friend Dick left his family dairy farm to join the Navy during Vietnam, but before he even finished his basic training, the Navy discharged him and sent him home, due to a back injury that they had not found in his initial physical. Dick figured he'd lucked out of going to war because the Navy did not want to pay for the injury or the mistake. After he came home, he spent many long hours over many years driving tractors and heavy earth moving equipment, using all sorts of carpenter's tools to turn his father's dairy farm into a campground and then into a historical Canal Town with over 40 historically representative buildings filled with locally collected antiques.

When Canal Town went bankrupt, the antiques were sold off in Georgia and Dick helped raze the buildings to lower the land taxes.

The campground went along pretty well and eventually became Dick's full time responsibility. He decided to add portable cabins and had one up on cinder blocks while he installed plumbing. Then, as his wife told it, “Something went wrong; the house slipped off the blocks.” I remember his casket draped with his carpenters belt and workboots. Dick's brother-in-law said that by going under the house Dick had taken a risk that he would have advised others against.

I don't think Dick ever visited a casino, but his father would take trips similar to my Foxwoods trip. I don't think he gambled his own money much, just went for the free play promtionals and free buffet with friends. He told me at at Dick's funeral that he had lost money so quickly on his last trip that after it was gone, he had kicked the machine.


We were telling such stories yesterday to pass the waiting time until a way for us could be cleared through the wreckage, and we could finally go home.

And then, finally, we were moving past the overturned wreck and on our journey once again. The woman next to me said the sight of the crushed wreck we passed made her a bit nauseous, and then we hit the open road and and the bus people applauded our luck.

When I got home, I took my fine new promotional Foxwoods T-shirt the bus company had given each of us today. I hung it on a hook in my closet, thinking I would wear it on some future gamble, and wondering if somewhere there was someone picking appropriate funeral clothes from an unfortunate person's closet.

I also took down my swim suit. The icy Burden Lake water washed me clean of the day's sticky humidity. Suspended by a noodle, I floated and watched the moon between the branches of the tall trees and heard the light clanking of pans in the pizza kitchen at Kay's.

The poker had been fine. I had won all day, morning and afternoon. I had lost a hand or two in the first few minutes, and then won that money back and never again been behind more than a few dollars. I had sipped four iced glasses of Myer's rum and lime and watched Justine's sensual facial expressions as she dealt hand after hand of cards I tossed away. I had won $20 in my matchplay gamble, won $5 on free Keno bets and come home to icy lake water ahead $155 and full of prime rib, chili, battered cod, and ice cream covered brownie with rich vanilla sauce.

On Monday I'm going back to Foxwoods to gamble once again. Bill is going with me. I hope the bus has a clear route to the gambling and home again.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

First of three on sale

Well, yesterday I took advantage of the first of three sale days at Yankee Trails. $14 bought me a bus ride with $20 in keno and a food voucher included. The next trips are on Aug 10th - Friday and on Aug 27th Monday. If you cant to come along with me book leaving from Rennselaer, and we will ride the same bus.

The poker started out just fine. My fourth hand I stayed with 3-4 clubs.
Ace -2 of clubs came on the flop, so I called. Blank on the turn. I called. On the river out came the 5 of clubs. There were three of us left and I had to act first. I bet out. I knew it would signal a strong hand, but I also knew anyone with a flush would call me and anyone with the king high flush would raise. However, no one had much. I showed the hand. It is fun to show high hands. It is also a good idea early on to show that you might play a 3-4. Sometimes all you need is for you opponents to have seen you win with trash one time to have them think that at least at times you play junk and to stay with that hope to the river another time. That may have made me some money four hands later.

I was dealt pocket 9's. To my right was the loosest player at the table. He was first to act and he raised. I reraised to push out some players behind me, but five more people paid $12 to see the flop. Nine was the high card on the flop. I checked, someone bet, and I check raised. No use slow playing this table. They were not going anywhere. I ended a winner for a nice pot.

I was up about $150 at around noon when I took a break to check my free Keno bets and stand in line for my $25 casino player matchplay. Keno paid $150. I used the matchplay at a craps table. The shooter threw a ten, then snake eyes, then another ten and I pocketed $50 more dollars and went back to my poker game. I no longer bet odds with matchplays. They usually reduce the house edge, but when there is a matchplay on the line, and I am only going to play one roll, they reduce my huge advantage. I have been doing very well in matchplays over the last year. The math says playing this was should have given me $145, but I have actually made $288.

I returned to the game to find a couple new players. One guy turned out to be "Raising Rick." There always seems to be one at the table who raises every pre plop. I started to get bad flops on my good cards, so I was throwing away $8 each after flop fold. And my money went South.

I went through the $150 and all the $200 profit from Keno and the matchplay and was working on losing some real money when the game turned. Suddenly, I had some good hands and some strange luck with trash.

Take the 3-6 of diamonds I decided to play after Raising Rick did not raise one time. I bet just a bit too fast. My loose neighbor to my right had raised and I had thrown in the $4 without noticing. Previously a woman player had forced the money bet by accident to stay there so knew there was no pull back. $8 to see the flop with 3-6 or diamonds. "I must be mad." Maybe too many Myer's Rum. Two diamonds came on the flop, blank on the turn, and a nice diamond on the river. I called my one opponent and had the table heads shaking when I showed my 3-6 of diamonds after not playing a hand to the river in an hour.

Then I took a pot with an Ace high. Four people still in at the river (none betting) and I take the little $40 with my ace, laughing all the while.

All afternoon I had been dealt nothing over pocket 9's as far as pocket pairs. Both had tripped, but one had been beaten by pocket 4's that made a full house. Now I got pocket aces. Raising Rick and Loose Louey were going to be in, but I bet out even against two flopped sixes. On the river came a third six and Loose Louey called my full house bet with his pocket 8's, knowing from my betting that I probably had a good pocket pair, but he had to see.

So at the end I drank about 4 fine Myer's Rum with lime, and won back enough to leave down only $62 from my $400 in play money. With the Keno and craps bailing me out, that left me $138 ahead.

I was too late for the long buffet line. I went instead to Pollo Loco
and in spite of it being a fast food spot, I was impressed with the quality of the food. For my $10 (voucher is good for the $15 buffet or $10 other places) I had two breasts and a wing, re fried beans, a shred ed lettuce salad and a nice portion of flan that you can see pictured in the menu if you click the website. I go it all to go and ate just outside at the many tables set up. I had a bottle of water left from my poker game, so it was a great meal. I was rushed, but I had I not finished, I could have easily packed the rest onto the bus and eaten on the ride back home.

Another good day at Foxwoods. After 13 trips to Foxwoods and Turning Stone I am ahead $1610 and Turning Stone is not that productive. I estimate I have probably won $2000 at Foxwoods.

The Keno win kept me above zero this trip. I did not really ever expect to win $150. However, this should not be an endorsement of Keno. The house advantage is 25%. At this point I am above the curve. I have realized about $190, but $220 has been wagered for me by the bus company. Had I used my own money, I'd still be behind, no matter how good the $150 felt yesterday. Of course, most gamblers do not keep notes on wins and losses so they have only their memory to coach them. Many Keno players would have rebet the $150, feeling they were on a rush; I put it in my pocket knowing any win in Keno is an aberation.

Poker

Well, yesterday I took advantage of the first of three sale days at Yankee Trails. $14 bought me a bus ride with $20 in free keno dollar quickpicks and a $10-$15 food voucher included. Two more yet to go his month, one at $14 and another at $10.

The poker started out just fine. My fourth hand I stayed with 3-4 clubs.
Ace -2 of clubs came on the flop, so I called. Blank on the turn. I called. On the river out came the 5 of clubs. There were three of us left and I had to act first. I bet out. I knew it would signal a strong hand, but I also knew anyone with a flush would call me and anyone with the king high flush would raise. However, no one had much. I showed the hand. It is fun to show high hands. It is also a good idea early on to show that you might play a 3-4. Sometimes all you need is for you opponents to have seen you win with trash one time to have them think that at least at times you play junk and to stay with that hope to the river another time. That may have made me some money four hands later.

I was dealt pocket 9's. To my right was the loosest player at the table. He was first to act and he raised. I reraised to push out some players behind me, but five more people paid $12 to see the flop. Nine was the high card on the flop. I checked, someone bet, and I check raised. No use slow playing this table. They were not going anywhere. I ended a winner for a nice pot.

I was up about $150 at around noon when I took a break to check my free Keno bets and stand in line for my $25 casino player matchplay. Keno paid $150. I used the matchplay at a craps table. The shooter threw a ten, then snake eyes, then another ten and I pocketed $50 more dollars and went back to my poker game. I no longer bet odds with matchplays. They usually reduce the house edge, but when there is a matchplay on the line, and I am only going to play one roll, they reduce my huge advantage. I have been doing very well in matchplays over the last year. The math says playing this was should have given me $145, but I have actually made $288.

I returned to the game to find a couple new players. One guy turned out to be "Raising Rick." There always seems to be one at the table who raises every pre plop. I started to get bad flops on my good cards, so I was throwing away $8 each after flop fold. And my money went South.

I went through the $150 and all the $200 profit from Keno and the matchplay and was working on losing some real money when the game turned. Suddenly, I had some good hands and some strange luck with trash.

Take the 3-6 of diamonds I decided to play after Raising Rick did not raise one time. I bet just a bit too fast. My loose neighbor to my right had raised and I had thrown in the $4 without noticing. Previously a woman player had forced the money bet by accident to stay there so knew there was no pull back. $8 to see the flop with 3-6 or diamonds. "I must be mad." Maybe too many Myer's Rum. Two diamonds came on the flop, blank on the turn, and a nice diamond on the river. I called my one opponent and had the table heads shaking when I showed my 3-6 of diamonds after not playing a hand to the river in an hour.

Then I took a pot with an Ace high. Four people still in at the river (none betting) and I take the little $40 with my ace, laughing all the while.

All afternoon I had been dealt nothing over pocket 9's as far as pocket pairs. Both had tripped, but one had been beaten by pocket 4's that made a full house. Now I got pocket aces. Raising Rick and Loose Louey were going to be in, but I bet out even against two flopped sixes. On the river came a third six and Loose Louey called my full house bet with his pocket 8's, knowing from my betting that I probably had a good pocket pair, but he had to see.

So at the end I drank about 4 fine Myer's Rum with lime, and won back enough to leave down only $62 from my $400 in play money. With the Keno and craps bailing me out, that left me $138 ahead.

I was too late for the long buffet line. I went instead to Pollo Loco
and in spite of it being a fast food spot, I was impressed with the quality of the food. For my $10 (voucher is good for the $15 buffet or $10 other places) I had two breasts and a wing, re fried beans, a shred ed lettuce salad and a nice portion of flan that you can see pictured in the menu if you click the website. I go it all to go and ate just outside at the many tables set up. I had a bottle of water left from my poker game, so it was a great meal. I was rushed, but I had I not finished, I could have easily packed the rest onto the bus and eaten on the ride back home.

Another good day at Foxwoods. After 13 trips to Foxwoods and Turning Stone I am ahead $1610 and Turning Stone is not that productive. I estimate I have probably won $2000 at Foxwoods.

The Keno win kept me above zero this trip. I did not really ever expect to win $150. However, this should not be an endorsement of Keno. The house advantage is 25%. At this point I am above the curve. I have realized about $190, but $220 has been wagered for me by the bus company. Had I used my own money, I'd still be behind, no matter how good the $150 felt yesterday. Of course, most gamblers do not keep notes on wins and losses so they have only their memory to coach them. Many Keno players would have rebet the $150, feeling they were on a rush; I put it in my pocket knowing any win in Keno is an aberation.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Worst player as opponent

Compared to Turning Stone, I have found the $4- $8 game at Foxwoods easier to beat. I don't win at Turning Stone. I have only lost twice out of 13 times at Foxwoods. My trip there on Sunday was a perfect example. In the beginning I was down and stayed down for a couple hours. At one point I was $100 down. But then I won some pots and finally one huge pot. I left $205 ahead for the day.

I did not get good cards. In that entire time my higher pocket pairs were kings one time and jacks one time, My big win was K-5 of clubs. But my opponents were not very good. There were a few good players, generally rocks but at one point a very aggressive player. The rest were passive and predictable or just plain terrible.

For example":

One guy bet his "straight" right through the river and turned it over while we all explained it was missing a middle card. Another time he called his pair of kings to the river and turned them over and we explained that his other card, a jack, made a straight. He also got his hand mucked by the dealer because he pushed out his unprotected cards (he sat next to the dealer.) He was the BB. We let him take back his BB $4.

Three older women came and played a while. At one point I had not played a hand in over an hour and decided to see what a raise might do. I held A-2 and there was a 2 on the flop. I checked and one of the older women bet. The ace was a club. There was a club on the flop. I certainly did not want to pay on the river, but I was ready to play. I raised. Well, she grumbled and grumbled about how she hated check-raisers, but I did not manage to push her out. I looked right at her when I checked the unhelpful turn card. My eyes said. "I'll check raise again" So she checked. The river was an Ace and I bet my tow pair, and she called. I had gotten my cheap view of two cards. I won. But then she was really grumbling. How had I check raised on a pair of deuces and then just caught on the river? Of course, I loved it. Her grumbling woke up the others to think that perhaps I did play badly at time after all.

One of the other women got in a long discussion with her neighbor as to whether 8-5 seemed to "come up a lot." "Don't you think that happens,"she asked me. I hardly knew how to answer. "Sometimes," I said.

But the worst player at our table, well... the worst player I have ever seen at any table........ was this Black guy from some country in Africa who did not know the game or the language, and was a very slow learner. We tried to tell him to go play 2-4, but he either did not know what that meant or wanted this game. He did not know, or learn, how much to bet and needed to be told each and every time. He rarely knew when it was his turn. He held up the game. But he did contribute. A good Black player next to him would explain after each hand what he might have done better, but his English was so bad that he could not really understand much of it. Once he bet his pocket threes on the river when there were two higher pairs on the board because he thought 3 pair must have an advantage. He could not understand the power of an ace in your hand when the flush was there. He could not get it that a pair on the board meant a possible full house. Once he asked me "What wins that" pointing to a guy's four deuces. He did not understand straight flush, but he did get it that he had not had a hand that would have beat the 4OAK. All that would have been bad enough, but he was on the end and his vision was so bad that he could not see the cards. Every once in a while he would stand up and study them, sometimes with reading glasses which must have been useless, but it was clear that he often confused suits.

Of course, he did get lucky, especially when some players thought they should just bet and call him no matter what. He did recognize some hands. But it was sad. I guess he played thru about $300. He bet nearly every hand.

He was very useful because the other Black player was hard to figure, so as he explained how he would have played each hand, I got a good sense of his own play. He advised the guy to be very careful when I bet because I only played premium hands so if I was in the pot, watch out. That Black guy had trip nines when I took the biggest pot of the day that I was in, probably $150. I held K-5 or clubs and got caught in squeeze betting both before the flop and just after. Two clubs were on the board. The turn gave us a king so I had a very good full house draw and a very good flush draw and the pot was packed full. I called. When the river was a club, the Black guy bet his nines and it was my turn. There were two people after me. I knew that if I raised after having showed no strength, it would give away my flush and might push the Black guy out, as he respected my play. I also knew that there was the full house possibility. I just called. The next two people called me. I can't imagine with what. I did not see their hands. But I sure liked raking in those chips.

My good gambling buddy, Louisiana Mudgriff Dan, had sent up a couple of Foxwoods matchplays, so I took one for $25 to the craps table. I had had a few too many Myers Rum and was tired. I missed my first chance to bet and was glad because the guy crapped out. Then the guy next to me took the dice and he was a setter. And he had the throw. His dice just hit the crack at the end of the table and barely rolled back. Point 8. Next roll 8. And I scooped up my $50 win.

I went to the buffet, but the line was too long. I'd miss my bus. So I played my buffet coupon as a $10 matchplay but it lost. Damn/ Gambled away my supper. Nothing but cheese and crackers and a peach on the bus ride home. But the cheese was this fancy sage cheddar I had bought for company, and the crackers a whole grain specialty I had left from Hawaii. So I did not feel so bad riding home with cheese and crackers and $245 of new money in my wallet.

Well, I hope to play with all of you soon.
Good gambling.
Edit/Delete Message

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Turning Stone

TURNING STONE

Well, yesterday I got my butt kicked. Lost $263. The Foxwoods trip canceled so I switched to a Turning Stone trip at the last minute. As before the game was mostly local regulars in the morning. They know and play with one another often. They are not any better players than I am, but when I get poor cards over a period of time at such tables, I can�t make much on the good cards.

I started with good cards. I made two preflop raises in the first four hands and was called around and then had to toss them when the flop came to nothing. Still, that gave me a loose table image. But that only lasted a while. Then I went into rock mode.

The game stayed fairly easy. One raise preflop perhaps but hardly ever a reraise. I liked the game. Just not my cards. Acting two places before me was one fellow who liked preflop raises a little too much for my blinds. Especially hard was to toss one 4-6 off suit blind, see two pair on the flop and then a full house on the river. It probably would not have been much of a pot. I�d have won on a two pair bet. But still.

I got to watch people�s faces more than I do when I am actually playing hands. I saw one of the best I ever remember. The flop came 10-10-5 and a fellow at the far offered a very tiny wince and followed with a half hearted call. I told myself to watch for that as I was certain he did not have a ten. Then he played poker faced and on the river surprised the table with a full house that he had on the flop. I never remember being so subtly fooled and was happy to have been out of the action.

After the buffet I had my own time to act. I was to the right of a fellow who raised often. He was on the button. I had pocket kings. Forcing anyone out was going to be impossible with a raise, but if he raised, they would call him and then if I reraised the pot would be nice and big. No raises. So my pockets were invisible. The flop was lots of unconnected trash. It checked to me and I bet. Half called. The turn was a king. It checked to me again and I said, �Well, someone has to bet� and half heartedly threw in the bet. Three called me. By the river there was no hand possible. I bet again and one guy called me. My trip kings received the kind of surprise from others that let me know I had fooled all of them. Of course, it did not help me in future hands.

Diamonds killed me. Once on the small blind I had 5-8 and it flopped with a 3 of diamonds. The big blind bet, I raised. On the river the big blind had turned his 5-8 into a runner, runner flush.

I reraised preflop with A-K and it was capped. Three diamonds came on the flop. Everyone checked. Nothing on the turn, and the capper bet. I folded. Others called. He had capped the bet with A-K of diamonds and flopped the nut flush.

The buffet was good but the chocolate fountain where you can dip strawberries was not working.

My free craps rolls got me $10. On the last paper bet the dice were mine and I rolled box cars. My three keno bets with coupons yielded zero. I tried the pull tabs. My $5 gets me $7 worth. I won back $2.50.

But on the way home the movie was fine. Fools Rush In. That Salma Hayek is one of my favorite fantasies and movies with Spanish and Vegas are perfect for a day of poor poker.

The rest of my life is all winning. We are going to Hawaii after all. Today we make last minute plane reservations. So no Vegas in July. but remember that I am still going in June and going solo, so if anyone wants to pick up some of my poker losses there, think about it. June 20 - July 5. I�ll see Vegas on the 4th. $22 average room rates. Binions right now on i4Vegas has $25 rooms weekdays and $50 rooms weekends. Center of downtown. Pool. Hard to beat that.

The fishing has been wonderful. The lake is empty and the fish are biting. I cleaned over 75 this week. My neighbor Ron brought Lu Ann, his cute blond, date out in the boat for a day of big perch and I showed them how to cook them over the grill and bone them for eating. She is a gambler, so in between screaming when she caught a fish, she told gambling stories. It can�t get better than that.

In the money for food on line poker games, Greg is losing, finally. I am 78% of the way to a free lunch next week.

Today we are off to Chicago to see son Frank graduate from law school. It will be a fine celebration. The final tickets on DING ended up $25 each way. Not bad airfare.
Well, get lucky and win big. See you next week.

dew

"I'd give you advice on how to play poker Son, but I've only been playing the game for fifty years, so I'm still learning the game.
--VP Pappy

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Mike's poker news

Hi, Dewey. Played till 1 a.m. the other night and won a whopping $8.00. I
suppose I shouldn't quibble as at one point I was down $70.00. That night,
the theme of the table was "River City" as I never saw so many hands made on
the river. In fact, guys were apologizing to one another, it happened so
much. My hand of the evening:

I have pocket 3's and the flop comes with another 3, so now I have a set. I
bet and many stay with me, and the turn card is something or other, but I
notice that the board now has two spades. I bet again and a couple of guys
stay with me. The river card comes and turns out to be a "good news-bad
news" joke for this one guy. The good news for him is that it's another
spade, which makes his flush. The bad news is that it's the THREE of spades,
which gives me quads! I bet, he raises, I re-raise, and he just calls and I
turn over the hand. The guy sitting next to him, who's a biker, says "It's
kinda like running into a wall on your bike, ya know?" Very funny. I rivered
this guy again later to pick up the nut flush and he busted out. I never
stay with ace-low card. I always fold it, unless I'm on the blind, which I
was in this one hand. I have ace of hearts and 3 of diamonds. So I stay on
the big blind and the flop is junk--all numbers, so I still have high card,
and from the betting, I didn't get the impression that anyone had an ace or
pair. But I also notice that two of the cards are hearts. So everyone
checks so I check. The turn is another heart, everyone checks, so I say,
what the hell, and I bet. The river is ANOTHER HEART so now I have the nut
flush and bet and a bunch of people call including this guy who goes all in.
So I win again. I shook his hand before he left and he said, "I've never
seen rivers like this game!"

Other trends: Big Slick and pocket aces ALWAYS won. Pocket kings, queens,
and jacks ALWAYS lost. It got so that the guys who got these latter hands
NEVER raised pre-flop, they felt so snake-bit. I lost with pocket queens
THREE times and pocket kings ONCE. It never failed that after I pre-flopped
raised with these cards, I was ALWAYS dominated with an overcard on the flop
that gave someone else a higher pair. I just started to fold on the turn or
before the river card. It was just getting too expensive to chase.

It's amazing how different this game can be from one session to another.
Mike

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Turning Stone

TURNING STONE

Poker buddies Slink, Ezzy and I took the bus on Sunday for a day at Turning Stone. We could not have picked a better day for bus travel rather than driving. Although much of the precipitation luckily did not come in the form of snow, there were patches of slush and perhaps some ice. On the way up we passed a few cars off the road and in one case that involved a tractor trailer truck and a car, the car appeared almost totally crushed. Later we learned the driver had died.

Here is how the storm was reported locally:

A nor'easter dumped a slushy mix of rain and snow on the Capital Region Sunday, causing sporadic power outages and scores of car accidents as power lines snapped under the strain of ice and wind and cars slid off slick roadways.
More than 2,000 National Grid customers were without power Sunday evening, and several car accidents caused injuries. A two-car collision on the Crescent Bridge in Colonie sent two people to the hospital with what officers described as serious injuries.
The National Weather Service calls for more snow and sleet today that will change to rain tonight. And they warned to be on the alert for flooding around the region.


For $19 the bus left Albany at 9 AM. from behind the WalMarts at Crossgates Commons. The Foxwoods bus is usually a little late, but this bus was a little early. We left the casino at 6PM. The trip is about 2 hours.

I did not much like the movies on the bus and Ezzy ended up a bit isolated but otherwise it was a great trip. Slink and I had the usual 2 hour talk about life, religion, old age, retirement, marriage, and of course, poker. Since we were not really playing against one another as much this time, we shared a bit of our strategy.

Well, Slink shared his. I just lied.

One thing he made me consider was whether I put too much money on low pocket pairs. Slink was a bit skeptical about Helmuth including 7-7 as one of his best hands to call/raise pre flop and felt anything under pocket jacks was dangerous.

For $19, in addition to the bus ride, we received a bonus package. Included in the bonus was $25 of free play which we used in $5 increments on the craps table. We did not do well. Most of the losses were on my roll when I talked the others into betting along with me on the Pass Line, instead of doing the "Don’t,"and then hit craps and sevened out enough to deplete quite a few free bets. I became an unpopular roller.

Also included was $5 toward food, three matchplays for $2 Keno and a $2 bonus on a $5 pull tab. Ezzy won a couple dollars on the Keno. I don’t think anyone else won on these. I gave my pulltab away. I would like a sense of the odds on pull tabs. Keno is considered to be 25% house advantage and unplayable with real money, but when you get a 50% advantage coupon it now becomes a player advantage bet.

We waited a while for our table, but then started together on a new table. While we waited, the drinks were free at the little bar. That is more comfortable than most poker rooms. There is no alcohol at Turning Stone. My kinda place. I waited longer because I did not decide in the beginning to be available to play $2-$4. After watching the game, however, I found it was a nice tight game and may play it the next time as I can see how there might be a longer wait on some days.

Play at the 4-8 in the beginning hour and a half was tough. I got good cards and won pots, but these were good players, and I could not see where I was winning much money. Often they folded when I bet. Perhaps I should have gone in with smoking guns. pushed hard until caught with stealing pots or betting trash, and then switched to Mr tight, but I suppose my last losing session on Foxwoods made me a bit gun shy for Greg style aggression. So many of my low pocket pairs developed into trips that I threw out what Slink had told me on the bus. He probably was lying anyway.

I know he wished I had believed him when I played my pair of pocket 8’s and out flopped the other two 8’s. Slink was to my left. I checked the quad flop and he bet. The guy after him called. I called. On the turn, I checked and Slink bet, the guy called, and I raised. Both debated, but both decided to see the river. On the river I bet and Slink called. The other guy debated a long while and folded. I was so grateful to Slink for betting up my quads. He told me he was more than glad to be able to do it, and if I got them again I should just discreetly tell him, and he would be glad to reraise even if we were head to head. Unlike his attitude on the craps table, at poker, Slink is more concerned about building pots for his poker buddies than actually winning anything. What a guy!

I did seem to cause players to fold whenever I bet. Perhaps it was the slow play of the 8’s. Coming as one of my first good hands, it may have actually cost me money in later play. I especially hated it that when I made river bets, people went bye-bye. You expect most players to reluctantly see river bets even if they suspect that you have the best hand, just to keep you honest. These guys would have let me lie. I just did not lie enough. Sorry, Greg, I hope you are not too disappointed in your student. Becoming a born again tilt aggressive convert is just very hard for me. I too easily back slide into conservatism and sensible play. I’m ashamed to admit it, but there is it.

Players were nice enough but not very interesting. Some were not at all personable. Others tried to distract with banter. Quite a few knew one another and probably played there together often. This is not a good thing.

But then the game got good. There was a one o’clock expensive tournament and many of the players at our table left to play in it. Replacing them were some more regular players who were a bit loser and did not fold every time I made a bet on the river.

There were few other memorable or dramatic hands. I was never behind and quit ahead $245 when it was time for diner, but lost back $29 after supper. $3 in lost Keno bets left me ahead $213 for the day. Slink lost around $100 due mainly to second best pots. Ezzy lost at poker but got it back at craps and left ahead $10.

Ezzy and I had diner and a good talk together at the buffet. He even let me show him my favorite hand of the winter. I carry the cards with me, so I can use them as visual aides to demonstrate that hand and tell the story.


I was impressed with that buffet. It has changed for the better since the old days. It is a bit pricey, but the senior citizen special at 3:30 PM is $14 and change. You can’t use a coupon with the special, however. So I used my $5 food coupon for some maple walnut fudge at the candy shop which I brought home for a rare treat.

The buffet included a nice prime rib and very good ham. Some breakfast foods were still out and the bacon was crisp. One spot had skewers and you could dip fruit in melted chocolate. This is as good as a medium priced buffet in Vegas. The evening price is $22, but before 4PM the crowds are low and the price is still the lunch $16 before discounts.

Also, my main complaint at Turning Stone has been solved. I hated having just 30 minutes to grab food, especially when lines might be that long, and then coming back to wait over again for a seat. Win or lose I like that relaxing buffet break even when I don’t have delightful company like Ezzy. company. A fellow player taught me the ropes. Cash out and go to the room manager in the back. Tell him the table number and that you are going to eat. He writes down your name and the time. You then have a held place in line for seats for an hour and a half. When you get back from diner, you tell him again and your name goes on the TOP of the waiting list. It worked great. I did not feel rushed, and I ended back on the same table right away.

You do have to pay particular attention, however, to the way coupons work or are ignored. Ezzy had a coupon. I had a senior discount. I tried to pay for both on one charge and they would not give me the senior price. It had to be charged separately. No coupon can be used with a senior price special either. It was all a maze meant to entrap the frugal into losing any advantage.

I was lucky Ezzy was still talking to me when we shared the buffet. On the bus on the way out we all had agreed that if we were head to head in a hand with just us we would check each other down regardless of hand strength. But when I ended up head to head with Ezzy and caught my inside straight draw on the river to beat his trip kings, I bet anyway. You just can’t trust us poker players, can you?

Well, Ezzy is a true gentleman. He did not hold that against me one bit. Next trip I’ll see if I can interest him in some watches or perhaps share with him a great investment deal I just got on e-mail from Nigeria.

Slink was a lot kinder to his old buddy Ezzy. On our last trip, after Bill lost at poker and went to play craps, Slink stalked Bill and made one “dark side” bet to purposely spoil a good roll. Luckily Slink left Ezzy alone on the craps table. As a result he won. Which just goes to prove how craps can be easily won if those Hell inspired dark side bettors can be restrained from their evil ways. Still, I know you have watched many movies and are aware that although Jason may appear to be in the pond for a while, there will come a time when he will be back, dripping with evil and bringing from the “dark side” to the craps table the most callous carnage imaginable. Aptly named, Slink is such a creature. Beware!!!!!

We all had a great time and will go again. The bus trip is just half the time as it is to Foxwoods and very comfortable. Slink got me to look at the bus deals for overnights to Turning Stone . This really appeals to me because I would rather play poker later in the afternoon and into the evening when the looser players arrive. I could take a nap midday and play late into the night if I had a room there. I wasn’t really aware of how much Bonus is offered for overnights. On August 28-30 (Tues - Thursday) for example,
each person pays $189 but gets $105 in free play and $24 for food, as well as two nights and three days in the casino. That brings the cost per room down to $25 a night. Almost like Vegas, except it requires double occupancy. I expect that the keno matchplays and pull tabs are also included. And the time is very efficient. The bus drops you early and picks you up late, so you get a good bit of time there. The problem for me is that it can only be booked with double occupancy.

There is a similar deal over one night in October and similar bonus savings.

We had another nice talk and ride back to Albany. All were glad not to be driving in this gunk and I was especially glad to see that the roads up my way were just a little slushy in spots and not difficult to navigate. What terrible weather for April!

I have made 10 poker bus trips over the winter and am very sorry I did not try it sooner. My score is plus $1490. This is a great retirement hobby.

¡Buena Suerte!

Monday, April 16, 2007

Slink Izzy Bill at TS

TURNING STONE

Slink, Ezzy and I took the bus on Sunday for a day at Turning Stone. We could not have picked a better day for bus travel rather than driving. Although much of the precipitation luckily did not come in the form of snow, there were patches of slush and perhaps some ice. On the way up we passed a few cars off the road and in one case that involved a tractor trailer truck and a car, the car appeared almost totally crushed. Later we learned the driver had died.

Here is how the storm was reported locally:

A nor'easter dumped a slushy mix of rain and snow on the Capital Region Sunday, causing sporadic power outages and scores of car accidents as power lines snapped under the strain of ice and wind and cars slid off slick roadways.
More than 2,000 National Grid customers were without power Sunday evening, and several car accidents caused injuries. A two-car collision on the Crescent Bridge in Colonie sent two people to the hospital with what officers described as serious injuries.
The National Weather Service calls for more snow and sleet today that will change to rain tonight. And they warned to be on the alert for flooding around the region.


For $19 the bus left at 9 AM. from behind the WalMarts at Crossgates Commons. The Foxwoods bus is usually a little late, but this bus was a little early. We left the casino at 6PM. The trip is about 2 hours.

I did not much like the movies on the bus and Ezzy ended up a bit isolated but otherwise it was a great trip. Slink and I had the usual 2 hour talk about life, religion, old age, retirement, marriage, and of course, poker. Since we were not really playing against one another as much this time, we shared a bit of our strategy.

Well, Slink shared his. I just lied.

One thing he made me consider was whether I put too much money on low pocket pairs. Slink was a bit skeptical about Helmuth including 7-7 as one of his best hands to call/raise pre flop and felt anything under pocket jacks was dangerous.

For $19, in addition to the bus ride, we received a bonus package. Included in the bonus was $25 of free play which we used in $5 increments on the craps table. We did not do well. Most of the loses were on my roll when I talked the others into betting along with me on the Pass Line, instead of doing the Don�t, and then hit craps and sevened out enough to deplete a few free bets. I became an unpopular roller.

Also included was $5 toward food, three matchplays for $2 Keno and a $2 bonus on a $5 pull tab. Ezzy won a couple dollars on the Keno. I don�t think anyone else won on these. I gave my pulltab away. I would like a sense of the odds on pull tabs. Keno is considered to be 25% house advantage and unplayable with real money, but when you get a 50% advantage coupon it now becomes a player advantage bet.

We waited a while for our table, but then started together on a new table. While we waited, the drinks were free at the little bar. That is more comfortable than most poker rooms. There is no alcohol at Turning Stone. My kinda place. I waited longer because I did not decide in the beginning to be available to play $2-$4. After watching the game, however, I found it was a nice tight game and may play it the next time as I can see how there might be a longer wait on some days.

Play at the 4-8 in the beginning hour and a half was tough. I got good cards and won pots, but these were good players, and I could not see where I was winning much money. Often they folded when I bet. Perhaps I should have gone in with smoking guns. pushed hard until caught with stealing pots or betting trash, and then switched to Mr tight, but I suppose my last losing session on Foxwoods made me a bit gun shy for Greg style aggression. So many of my low pocket pairs developed into trips that I threw out what Slink had told me on the bus. He probably was lying anyway.

I know he wished I had believed him when I played my pair of pocket 8�s and out flopped the other two 8�s. Slink was to my left. I checked the quad flop and he bet. The guy after him called. I called. On the turn, I checked and Slink bet, the guy called, and I raised. Both debated, but both decided to see the river. On the river I bet and Slink called. The other guy debated a long while and folded. I was so grateful to Slink for betting up my quads. He told me he was more than glad to be able to do it, and if I got them again I should just discreetly tell him, and he would be glad to reraise even if we were head to head. Unlike his attitude on the craps table, at poker, Slink is more concerned about building pots for his poker buddies than actually winning anything. What a guy!

I did seem to cause players to fold whenever I bet. Perhaps it was the slow play of the 8�s. Coming as one of my first good hands, it may have actually cost me money in later play. I especially hated it that when I made river bets, people went bye-bye. You expect most players to reluctantly see river bets even if they suspect that you have the best hand, just to keep you honest. These guys would have let me lie. I just did not lie enough. Sorry, Greg, I hope you are not too disappointed in your student. Becoming a born again tilt aggressive convert is just very hard for me. I too easily back slide into conservatism and sensible play. I�m ashamed to admit it, but there is it.

But then the game got good. There was a one o�clock expensive tournament and many of the players at our table left to play in it. Replacing them were some more regular players who were a bit loser and did not fold every time I made a bet on the river.

Players were nice enough but not very interesting. Some were not at all personable. Others tried to distract with banter. Quite a few knew one another and probably played there together often. This is not a good thing.

There were few truly memorable or dramatic hands. I was never behind and quit ahead $245 when it was time for diner, but lost back $29 after supper. $3 in lost Keno bets left me ahead $213 for the day. Slink lost around $100 due mainly to second best pots. Ezzy lost at poker but got it back at craps and left ahead $10.

Ezzy and I had diner and a good talk together at the buffet. He even let me show him my favorite hand of the winter. I carry the cards with me, so I can use them as visual aides to demonstrate the hand and tell the story. He is such an agreeable fellow! I can�t imagine how he ended up in that original high school group with the rest of those Delmar hooligans.

I was impressed with that buffet. It has changed for the better since the old days. It is a bit pricey, but the senior citizen special at 3:30 PM is $14 and change. You can�t use a coupon with the special, however. So I used my $5 food coupon for some maple walnut fudge at the candy shop which I brought home for a rare treat.

The buffet included a nice prime rib and very good ham. Some breakfast foods were still out and the bacon was crisp. One spot had skewers and you could dip fruit in melted chocolate. This is as good as a medium priced buffet in Vegas. The evening price is $22, but before 4PM the crowds are low and the price is still the lunch $16 before discounts.

Also, my main complaint at Turning Stone has been solved. I hated having just 30 minutes to grab food, especially when lines might be that long, and then coming back to wait over again for a seat. Win or lose I like that relaxing buffet break even when I don�t have delightful company like Ezzy. company. A fellow player taught me the ropes. Cash out and go to the room manager in the back. Tell him the table number and that you are going to eat. He writes down your name and the time. You then have a held place in line for seats for an hour and a half. When you get back from diner, you tell him again and your name goes on the TOP of the waiting list. It worked great. I did not feel rushed, and I ended back on the same table right away.

I was lucky Ezzy was still talking to me when we shared the buffet. On the bus on the way out we all had agreed that if we were head to head in a hand with just us we would check each other down regardless of hand strength. But when I ended up head to head with Ezzy and caught my inside straight draw on the river to beat his trip kings, I bet anyway. You just can�t trust us poker players, can you?

Well, Ezzy is a true gentleman. He did not hold that against me one bit. Next trip I�ll see if I can interest him in some watches or perhaps share with him a great investment deal I just got on e-mail from Nigeria.

Slink was a lot kinder to his old buddy Ezzy. On our last trip, after Bill lost at poker and went to play craps, Slink stalked Bill and made one �dark side� bet to purposely spoil a good roll. Luckily Slink left Ezzy alone on the craps table. As a result he won. Which just goes to prove how craps can be easily won if those Hell inspired dark side bettors can be restrained from their evil ways. Still, I know you have watched many movies and are aware that although Jason may appear to be in the pond for a while, there will come a time when he will be back, dripping with evil and bringing from the �dark side� to the craps table the most callous carnage imaginable. Aptly named, Slink is such a creature. Beware!!!!!

We all had a great time and will go again. The bus trip is just half the time as it is to Foxwoods and very comfortable. Slink got me to look at the bus deals for overnights to Turning Stone . This really appeals to me because I would rather play poker later in the afternoon and into the evening when the looser players arrive. I could take a nap midday and play late into the night if I had a room there. I wasn�t really aware of how much Bonus is offered for overnights. Consider this trip on August 28-30 (Tues - Thursday) for example,

http://www.yankeetrails.com/Travel_Packages/fullDetails.asp?tourid=1060&categoryid=1&subcategoryid=

Each person pays $189 but gets $105 in free play and $24 for food, as well as two nights and three days in the casino. That brings the cost per room down to $25 a night. Almost like Vegas, except it requires double occupancy. I expect that the keno matchplays and pull tabs are also included. And the time is very efficient. The bus drops you early and picks you up late, so you get a good bit of time there. The problem for me is that it can only be booked with double occupancy. If anyone is interested in booking those nights in August with me, let�s do it.

There is a similar deal over one night in October and similar bonus savings.

We had another nice talk and ride back to Albany. All were glad not to be driving in this gunk and I was especially glad to see that the roads up my way were just a little slushy in spots and not difficult to navigate. What terrible weather for April!

I have made 10 poker bus trips over the winter and am very sorry I did not try it sooner. My score is plus $1490. This is a great retirement hobby.

Hope to see you on the next trip.