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.