Playing on the way to chicago

I played poker twice on this trip. ONce at the Seneca Alleghany near Jametown and then last night here in the new poker room at the Horseshoe in Hammond.

I won only $4 playing a limit 3-6 with a $2 small blind and a kill. It was a hard game especially since the rake is that Harrah's $6 with one going into a pot for a promotional which they have yet to announce.

I would have lost much more because I went on tilt after a flopped two pair of K-7 was beat on the river by a K-9 who bet into me the entire time and caught a gut shot straight. This was a kill pot, stakes of $6-$12.

I got pissed and raised my next hand K-Q. A good player took over the betting after the flop but I had an open ended straight draw and caught the A for the nuts on the river. So that was no a kill,b ut it brought me back even and I decided to get out as the poore players had clearly been replaced by better players, and preflop raisers when the stakes are 6-12 is too rich a game for me.

I miss Laughlin.

I lost at SenecA Alleghany playing a no limit game. My last hand I had trip tens with a queen, my opponent TRIP TENS with a king.

So I am down $143 for the trip.

I am comfortable now with no limit, but I sure am spoiled by Laughlin. Thinking about it, I realize that I play best in games with one single blind. Players are easier to put on cards and I can play a tight wait and see game and throw hands away for free.

And compared to what the River Palms does with rakes, who wants to play at Harrah's. For only a $5 cut from winning pots at River Palms, the casino gives back every kind of high hand bad beat bonus you can imagine and free rooms for 6 hours of play. It will certainly be my new home.

The horseshoe also has games with dealerless machines that take a bit smaller rake, but they put them out in the smoking area and they were full of smokers so happy to be playing poker and smoking. It was a good idea by the casino, but there was no place for me in that scene.

I am hoping to play some no limit at Four Winds in New Buffalo Michigan when we get up to Lakeside. I am happy that Slink finally made me start with the 1-2 100 max no limit games as it gives me some flexibility. I don't think I am quite good enough yet, but I am getting it.

Greg's games helped me make that shift. Much of what we do there works in the casino. And there are always times when I consciously become Greg. That betting into weakness is a great technique. One old player at the El Cortez once told me that in limit poker if two people check, you bet. He gave away too much of his strategy, so when he did that, I raised him, but it was interesting advice.

My best hand last night was J-Q clubs on the button with everyone having seen one raise to my right. So I was the only reraise preflop of the day. All called and it was a nice pot when the jack hit the flop with rag-rag. They all checked and I bet and was not called. Another jack hit the turn. I just bet out and one guy folded and another jack stayed with me with a 10 kicker. It was a decent pot.

dew